Tokyo Racecourse | Horse Racing Free Tips

Wilson Aims For Group 1 Ring At Tokyo

A 16-strong field sporting several Group 1 horses will fill the stalls at Tokyo on Sunday for the ¥233,160,000 G1 February S. over the metric mile on dirt. The race is a Breeders' Cup “Win And You're In” qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar in November.

One of the leading fancies is Wilson Tesoro (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}), winless on turf, but a seven-time scorer on the main track from 1500m to 2100m. The three-time listed winner lines up for his 5-year-old bow off of back-to-back runner-up performances in both the G1 Champions Cup–to G1 Saudi Cup-bound Japanese Champion Dirt Horse Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid) on Dec. 3–and in the G1 Tokyo Daishoten to G1 Dubai World Cup winner and fellow Saudi Cup entrant Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) on Dec. 29. Perched in gate 14-of-16, the entire faces the re-opposing 2022 G1 Hopeful S. winner Dura Erede (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), third in each race, who will be cutting back to a mile for the first time in his career. He leaves from stall four under German Champion Jockey Bauyrzhan Murzabayev.

Said Wilson Tesoro's trainer Hitoshi Kotegawa of his charge who has accepted an invite to the Dubai World Cup in March, “His workload's been good with training uphill, and I think he's a horse that can still get better. He looks like a dirt horse and he's really switched on. The stable hasn't had a winner this year, so I'd really like to win this one.”

The connections of Dura Erede were similarly bullish, and trainer Manabu Ikezoe said, “He's a powerful horse and I think is suited to dirt. He's refreshed in between races and has kept his condition. We've had him run over a long distance on the woodchip course in training, and this should be good for him in this next race. He should do well against the other strong horses, as he hasn't had any problems with what he's experienced so far, including his races over longer distances.”

Several NAR dirt specialists have signed on to lock horns with their JRA counterparts, and Mick Fire (Jpn) (Sinister Minister) posts one of the most intriguing records–seven-for-eight lifetime. He ran eighth last out in the Tokyo Daishoten behind Ushba Tesoro et. al at Oi on Dec. 29 after he fluffed his lines when the gates opened. The Listed Japan Dirt Derby hero will break from stall three.

Trainer Kazuo Watanabe said, “He didn't break well in his last race, and that meant that he didn't really run to his best. I think the surface didn't help his chances either. He's a horse with a lot of speed and power, and has already broken two records in his races. He should break better with the start on turf this time, and the lighter dirt surface should be better for him.”

The lightly raced Champagne Color (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), although a winner of the G1 NHK Mile Cup on this turf course in May, was 14th behind champion Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) in the G1 Yasuda Kinen a month later and has been missing since.

Group 3 winner Red Le Zele (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) will be competing in his fourth consecutive February S., with his best finish 1 1/2 lengths second to Lemon Pop in last year's edition. He was third in the G3 Tokyo Chunichi Sports Hai Musashino S. in November, his most recent start.

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Songline Sings Winning Tune in Victoria Mile

Last year after earning a spot in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile via her win in June's G1 Yasuda Kinen over this course–a Breeders' Cup Challenge qualifying event–Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna) was headed to America before a throat issue found after a fifth-place finish in September's G2 Centaur S. sent her to the sidelines for five months. Back in action on the G1 Saudi Cup undercard in February, she was a distant 10th in the G3 1351 Turf Sprint at King Abdulaziz Racetrack, a race she won in 2022, and sent back to Japan to regroup. The time away certainly helped as the now 5-year-old mare earned a second career Group 1 victory here.

Despite the rainy day Sunday, the Tokyo turf remained good to firm, which suited the winner, who was fifth in this race a year ago. After the clean break from post position six, 7-1 fourth chance Songline was content to settle mid-pack and nearest the rail in the early going, a dozen lengths off the pace set by Lotus Land (Point of Entry) all the way up the backstretch and around the bend. As the pacesetter led the field into the stretch, Songline still had a half-dozen lengths to make up, and with a gaping hole available along the rail, slipped through with 400 metres to run, which left only Lotus Land and defending champion and 4-1 chance Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune)to get by. In deep stretch, the winner continued her rally, digging in to get by a determined Sodashi to her outside within the final few jumps and post the head victory, the top two successfully holding off the late challenge from 5-2 favorite Stars on Earth (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) at the wire.

“Though we had to race further back and inward than planned, we were able to race in good position while eyeing the race favorites,” jockey Keita Tosaki said. “The track was a little heavy due to the rain but she responded strongly in the straight. It was a close race, but I was pretty sure we crossed the wire in front. I knew that Songline has a strong ability so I'm really happy we were able to win the race.”

With the win, Songline reserved her spot in the gate for this year's GI Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita Nov. 4. Additionally, the top three finishers here earned automatic berths in the G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp at ParisLongchamp as well as the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville, both set to be contested in late summer.

Pedigree Notes:
Young stallion Kizuna has sired 12 group winners and two Group 1 winners–Songline and the 2021 G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup winner Akai Ito (Jpn). Songline is the first and most successful foal out of his dam, who won four races from 23 starts and is a half-sister to two-time Japanese group winner Jeune Ecole (Jpn) (Kurofune). Some other notable names appearing in Songline's female family include group winners Renforcer (Jpn) (Symboli Kris S), Northern River (Jpn) (Agnes Tachyon {Jpn}) and Deirdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}). Luminous Parade also produced a 2-year-old colt named Sonic Parade (Jpn) (Real Impact {Jpn}) and a yearling full brother to Songline.

Sunday, Tokyo, Japan
VICTORIA MILE-G1, ¥252,980,000, Tokyo, 5-14, 4yo/up, f&m, 1600mT, 1:32.20, gd/fm.
1–SONGLINE (Jpn), 123, m, 5, Kizuna (Jpn)
1st Dam: Luminous Parade (Jpn), by Symboli Kris S
2nd Dam: Luminous Point(Jpn), by Agnes Tachyon (Jpn)
3rd Dam: Soninke (GB), by Machiavellian
O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-Toru Hayashi;
J-Keita Tosaki; ¥133,486,000. Lifetime: MGSW, 14-6-2-1,
¥477,526,000. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free
Equineline.com pedigree.
2–Sodashi (Jpn), 123, m, 5, by Kurofune–Buchiko (Jpn), by King
Kamehameha (Jpn). O-Makoto Kaneko Holdings; B-Northern
Farm (Jpn); ¥52,996,000.
3–Stars on Earth (Jpn), 123, f, 4, Duramente (Jpn)–Southern
Stars (GB), by Smart Strike. O-Shadai Race Horse; B-Shadai
Farm (Jpn); ¥33,498,000.
Margins: HD, 3/4, 1; Odds: 6.60, 3.60, 1.50.
Also ran: Divina (Jpn), Sound Vivace (Jpn), Lotus Land, Namur (Jpn), Namura Clair (Jpn), Stellaria (Jpn), Rouge Stiria (Jpn), Andvaranaut (Jpn), Stunning Rose (Jpn), Sublime Anthem (Jpn), La La Christine (Jpn), Izu Jo no Kiseki (Jpn), Kurino Premium (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart and Video.

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Milers’ Delight In Tokyo

The G1 NHK Mile Cup has attracted a field of 18 3-year-old milers, none better credentialed than morning line favourite Dolce More (Jpn).

Racing for Three H Racing Company, the Rulership (Jpn) colt was undefeated at two, where he parlayed his G3 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup victory into a sparkling win in the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S. at Hanshin in December. Named the Japanese Champion 2-Year-Old Colt, he is on a retrieval mission, as he lost his unbeaten tag to Eeyan (Jpn) (Silver State {Jpn}) in the G2 New Zealand Trophy going out too quickly first up at Nakayama in April.

“He was leading out in the New Zealand Trophy last time, but the pace was a bit too quick in the backstraight and it became difficult for him to maintain his lead at the end, so he eventually had to settle for seventh place. Since that race, things have gone smoothly with him, and he's been working well uphill with stablemate Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune),” said trainer Naosuke Sugai.

That rival has now won three in a row since cutting back to 1600 metres and will have Keita Tosaki at the controls from gate six. “He drew inside in the New Zealand Trophy, but he started well and wanted to get on with things and had plenty of room turning for home,” said trainer Daishi Ito of Eeyan. “He was driven out well in the closing stages to go on and win. Even though he hasn't won at Tokyo, he ran well enough there on his debut, and I don't see a problem with the course.”

A group winner at two and three, Obamburumai (Jpn) (Discreet Cat) enters this test coming off a victory in the 1600-metre G3 Arlington Cup at Hanshin. Trainer Keiji Yoshimura said, “He got into the race well last time, and although I wasn't sure about how he might finish off, he came with a good late run and caught the others just before the line. Thinking about Tokyo with him, this kind of run seems to suit him.”

Adding some intrigue is Keio Hai Nisai S. runner-up From Dusk (Bolt D'Oro), who was third in the Listed Crocus S. in January. The Susumu Fujita runner breaks from stall one. He will be making his first start since a trip overseas to run ninth in the G3 Saudi Derby in Riyadh in February.

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Godolphin’s Lemon Pop Primed For Group 1 Success in February S.

Tokyo Racecourse plays host to the first of 24 Group 1s on the JRA circuit, Sunday's February S. going a one-turn mile on the dirt track, and with the race's two-time defending champion Cafe Pharoah (American Pharoah) preparing for next Saturday's G1 Saudi Cup and with would-be favourite Gilded Mirror (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) having recently been retired due to injury, the race is there for the taking for the wonderfully consistent US-bred Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid).

The 5-year-old, purchased for $70,000 as a weanling at the 2018 Keeneland November Sale, is a bona-fide horse for the course, as his only defeat in eight local appearances came at the hooves of Gilded Mirror in the G3 Musashino S. over the course and distance in November. He reversed form with the mare last time, taking the 1400-metre G3 Negishi S. by a half-length Jan. 29.

“Since last spring we've had the Negishi S. and then the February S. as the plan for him,” said assistant trainer Toshikiko Hokari. “He has good racing sense and obeys the jockey's orders, so even with the extended distance, he should be able to get a good result.”

Not insignificantly, Keita Tosaki, who has piloted Lemon Pop to each of his victories, opts to stick with the 4-year-old Dry Stout (Jpn) (Sinister Minister). Winner of four of his six trips to the post, the dark bay took the second leg of the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby in late 2021 to make it three on the trot and exits a runner-up effort in the Listed Subaru S. over seven furlongs at Chukyo Jan. 7.

“He's very sharp and his reactions have been good in training,” said Tosaki. “I've been riding him for some time, so I can see how he's more experienced now. I have always thought he's a capable horse, and I'm excited about it being a [Group] 1 this time and hope he can win.”

The well-traveled Red le Zele (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) swerves next weekend's G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint in favor of the February, a race in which he was fourth and sixth, respectively, to Cafe Pharoah the last two years. Runner-up to Switzerland (Speightstown) in last year's G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, the 7-year-old downed T M South Dan (Jpn) (South Vigorous) in the Listed Tokyo Hai last October and was last seen finishing a running-on fourth to last year's Riyadh Dirt Sprint hero Dancing Prince (Jpn) (Pas de Trois {Jpn}) in the Listed JBC Sprint the following month.

Charles Fipke breaks new ground Sunday when his homebred 'TDN Rising Star' Shirl's Speight (Speightstown) becomes the first foreign raider to contest the February S. The upset winner of the GI Maker's Mark Mile last season, the bay makes his first start on the dirt since a third to Mind Control (Stay Thirsty) in the GIII Salvator Mile last June and his first since running champion Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) to three-parts of a length in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland last November.

“He's a very versatile horse, but watching videos of him here and watching him this morning, he looks like he's handling the track very well and if he can run to his true ability, he will be very competitive–but it is unknown to me,” commented trainer Roger Attfield, who has tabbed Joao Moreira to ride.

The February S. serves as a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the 2023 GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar.

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