Tag: Mitono O

Ushba Tesoro Preps For Breeders’ Cup Classic

Kenji Ryotokuji's Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}), last seen recording a powerful victory over an international field in the G1 Dubai World Cup in late March, returns to the races in Wednesday's $456,960 Listed Nippon TV Hai at Funabashi Racecourse about 25 minutes east of Central Tokyo. The 1800-meter test will serve as his lone prep for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita in a little more than five weeks' time.

The 6-year-old, bought for just under $220,000 as a foal at the 2017 JRHA Select Sale, made the first 22 starts of his career on the turf, and while he was often competitive and earned his keep, it was a switch to the dirt in April 2022 that signaled a renaissance.

The bay posted convincing victories in three of his first four appearances on the main track before announcing his arrival as a potentially important dirt animal when taking out the G1 Tokyo Daishoten at Ohi Racecourse last December. A half-length winner of the Listed Kawasaki Kinen Feb. 1, defeating the classy T O Keynes (Jpn) (Sinister Minister), Ushba Tesoro was one of an unprecedented seven Japanese starters in the World Cup. Slowly away and last early, Ushba Tesoro got underway nearing the stretch and motored past Algiers (Ire) (Shamardal) to score by a widening 2 3/4 lengths (see below, SC 14), with T O Keynes fourth. Yuga Kawada, in the irons at Meydan, has the riding assignment from gate four in a field of 11 Wednesday.

 

 

Chief amongst the opposition is the 3-year-old colt Mitono O (Jpn) (Logotype {Jpn}), who won the final leg on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby in March and the Listed Hyogo Championship in early May ahead of a third to the undefeated Mick Fire (Jpn) (Sinister Minister) in the Japan Dirt Derby July 12. Mitono O has the services of Yutaka Take.

Sekifu (Jpn) (Henny Hughes) was runner-up in the 2022 G3 Saudi Derby and filled the same spot against older rivals in the G3 Korea Cup, but enters this test off a career-high success in the G3 Elm S. at Sapporo Racecourse.

Though Wednesday's race takes place on the 'lesser' NAR circuit, Marche Lorraine (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) parlayed a victory in listed company at Mombetsu in Northern Japan into a massive upset of the 2021 GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar.

 

 

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JRA Raiders Take On NAR Star Mick Fire In Japan Dirt Derby

Both the the Japan Racing Association and National Association for Racing circuits were well represented on the international stage this winter and spring, with JRA representative Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) winning the G2 UAE Derby ahead of a meritorious sixth in the GI Kentucky Derby, while the NAR-based Mandarin Hero (Jpn) (Shanghai Bobby) covered himself in glory by nearly winning the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby before gaining a run at Churchill Downs. While those two continue to rest up, Wednesday's $721,752 Japan Dirt Derby at Ohi Racecourse about 10 miles south of Tokyo's Imperial Palace is very much an us-versus-them contest, as seven horses from the JRA take on a quartet from the NAR.

The 'senior circuit' has provided four of the last five winners of the Derby and 10 out of the last 12, and the progressive Yuttitham (Jpn) (Justify) stands ready to add to those stats under the Wednesday night lights. The striking chestnut son of US Grade I winner Zipessa (City Zip) was purchased by Makoto Kaneko for the equivalent of $1.8 million at the 2021 JHRA Select Yearling Sale and has won three of his four starts to date, including a 2 1/2-length allowance success going Tokyo's one-turn mile first off a five-month absence May 14 (see below, SC 6). His lone loss to date came at the hooves of UAE Derby fourth Perriere (Jpn) (Henny Hughes), who bounced back to take out the G3 Unicorn S. last month. Leading JRA rider Yuga Kawada retains the call.

 

 

 

Like Yuttitham, Mitono O (Jpn) (Logotype {Jpn}) has tasted defeat just one time to date and rides a three-race winning streak into the Derby. The chestnut won the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby series with a victory in the Fukuryu S. (conditions) Mar. 25, but connections elected to bypass the trip to the States, and the colt exits a romping six-length success from Kirinji (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) in listed company over an extended nine furlongs at Sonoda May 3 (see below, SC 6).

 

 

The locally based Mick Fire (Jpn) (Sinister Minister) is undefeated and untested in five career appearances, all at Oi Racecourse. Three-from-three least term, he most recently defeated Hero Call (Jpn) (Hokko Tarumae {Jpn}) by a half-dozen lengths in the Tokyo Derby over this course and distance June 7 (video, SC 12). The latter had beaten Mandarin Hero in a February allowance at Oi.

 

 

Following this year's renewal, the Japan Dirt Derby will be the final leg of the NAR Dirt Triple Crown and will be similarly structured to the JRA Triple Crown on turf. The Haneda Hai will take place in April or May followed by the Tokyo Derby in June. The Dirt Derby will conclude the series in October. Mick Fire won this year's Haneda Hai prior to his Tokyo Derby score. Any horse to sweep the series will receive an ¥80 million bonus.

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Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby Concludes at Nakayama

Sent off the 3-2 favorite, Mitono O (Jpn) (Logotype {Jpn}) led every step of the way en route to a 2 1/2-length victory in Saturday's nine-furlong Fukuryu S. (allowance) at rain-soaked Nakayama Racecourse. The win was worth 40 points on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby and secures connections a berth in the Run for the Roses should they choose to accept.

Soon in front for jockey Takuya Kowata, the blaze-faced chestnut went along comfortably on the lead, cruising through an opening 800-meter split of :49 flat and six furlongs in 1:13.1. Always traveling like a winner, Mitono O cut the corner into the stretch, pinched an unassailable advantage and proved easily best as Mokku Mokku (Jpn) (Danon Legend {Jpn}) closed off well down the center while no threat to the winner. Hero Call (Jpn) (Hokko Tarumae {Jpn}) was third (see below, SC 7).

A maiden winner at first asking going this distance at Chukyo in August, Mitono O was runner-up to future Listed Hyacinth S. hero and G2 UAE Derby entrant Perriere (Jpn) (Henny Hughes) in a seven-furlong allowance at Tokyo Nov. 12. He was a course-and-distance allowance winner when last seen Jan. 7.

A son of multiple Canadian Grade III winner Seductively (Thunder Gulch), who was purchased by Shadai Farm for $535,000 in foal to Bernardini at Keeneland November in 2008, Mitono O was an ¥18,700,000 graduate of the 2021 Hokkaido Selection Yearling Sale. His win Saturday took his earnings to north of ¥36 million.

Should the Derby invite not be accepted by the first-place finisher, the bid will be offered to the second-, third- and fourth-placegetters. Perriere currently sits on 30 points, while fellow UAE Derby entrant Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) has 20 points courtesy of his victory in the Listed Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun in December. The UAE Derby is a Derby qualifier separate and apart from the Japanese series and offers the winner 100 points.

 

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