Sodashi became the first white horse to win a Japanese Grade 1 race when the 2-year-old daughter of the gray American-bred Kurofune (by French Deputy) won Sunday's 72nd running of the $1.3-million Hanshin Juvenile Fillies Stakes at Hanshin Racecourse.
Ridden by Hayato Yoshida, the Kaneko Makoto Holdings Co. homebred trained by Naosuke Sugai nosed out Satono Reinas and Chrisophe Lemaire while favored at odds of 2-1, with Uberleben and Mirco Demuro a neck back in third in the field of 18 Japanese-breds.
Sodashi covered 1,600 meters (one mile) on firm turf in 1:32.40. The win in the Grade 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies likely assured her the title of champion 2-year-old filly.
The win was the fourth without a defeat for Sodashi, who was produced from the white mare, Buchiko (registered as white but had spots throughout her body), a daughter of the Kingmambo stallion King Kamehameha. Buchiko was produced from the white mare Shirayukihime, a daughter of the nearly jet-black Sunday Silence.
Sodashi defeated maidens in her July debut, then took both the G3 Sapporo Nisai Stakes in September and the G3 Artemis Stakes in October. After being reluctant to load into the starting gate in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, the white filly raced in fourth early, moved to the lead in the final quarter mile then resolutely held off Satono Reinas in the closing stages.
Buchiko is the dam of Sodashi
“Going into the race as favorite was a bit of a load, but I'm thrilled with the outcome,” jockey Yoshida said. 'She hated to even go near the gate but I'm relieved that all went well and that we were able to be positioned just as I hoped. The going affected her good turn of foot but she gave all she had. There is room for improvement, and I hope we can get her ready for next year's classics.”
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