Tokyo | Horse Racing Free Tips

Sodashi Aims For Six Straight in Yushun Himba

The world's most recognizable–and most talented–white Thoroughbred, Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune), puts her unblemished record on the line against a full field of fellow 3-year-old fillies in Sunday's G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) going a full circuit of the Fuchu Racecourse at Tokyo.

Not one of the 68 horses Sodashi has faced through her five career starts have managed to finish ahead of her, even if she never wins by a space. The Makoto Kaneko runner debuted with a 2 1/2-length victory over 1800 metres last summer, but has since been restricted to the metric mile, her defeat of Satono Reinas (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies securing her divisional honours. She made her seasonal debut in the G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas), raced prominently throughout and just held a late lunge from the outposted Satono Reinas to remain undefeated, if only just. Sunday's trip looms a question mark for Sodashi, and to be fair, most of the field, but trainer Naosuke Sugai is bullish on Sodashi's chances.

“People ask about the distance, but I've had my sights set on the Oaks from her debut and though she was great in the Oka Sho, I know she can handle more ground,” he said. “I'm hoping she'll listen well to jockey Hayato Yoshida and not get in any fights with him. She has a lot of power, so I think a track that has a bit of cushion to it would be best.”

A half-dozen of those who ran behind Sodashi in the Guineas return to see if they can turn the tables here.

Fine Rouge (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), who won her maiden at second asking at headquarters last October, sat a midfield trip in the Oka Sho and struck a bit of interference in the straight before staying on to be a close third. She has the right to improve second-up.

“I rode her in fast work this week in between two training partners,” commented jockey Yuichi Fukunaga. “She was listening and responding to my cues well. I think she's in excellent condition. The competition is strong but her racing in the Oka Sho was totally on par with the horses that finished ahead of her.”

Akaitorino Musume (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), a daughter of 2010 Filly Triple Crown winner Apapane (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) narrowly defeated Art de Vivre (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) in the G3 Daily Hai Queen Cup (1600mT) Feb. 13 and exits a fourth to Sodashi and one spot ahead of Art de Vivre in the Guineas while never looking truly dangerous.

Kukuna (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) is an intriguing upset possibility. Though she only owns a single victory from sixt trips to the post, she has held her own against some of these, including a close third as the favorite in the aforementioned Queen Cup. The Carrot Farm galloper raced in a detached last for the first half of the Guineas, but she was running hard through the final stages, and despite crossing the line in sixth position, clocked a slick :33.2 for her final 600 metres. That time was second only to the :32.9 turned in by the Japanese Derby-bound Satono Reinas and was 0.6 seconds faster than Sodashi.

Uberleben (Jpn) (Gold Ship {Jpn}) will have her fair share of supporters off a late-on-the-scene third in the G2 Flora S. (2000mT), a local trial Apr. 25, in which Cool Cat (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}) outlasted longshot Slyly (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) by a length.

WATCH: Sodashi makes it five in a row in the Oka Sho

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Notable US-Bred & Sired Runners In Japan: May 22-23, 2021

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Chukyo and Tokyo Racecourses. This week's Group 1 feature is the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks), in which the popular white filly Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune) will attempt to protect her perfect five-for-five record while attempting the 2400-meter trip for the first time:

Saturday, May 22, 2021
3rd-TOK, ¥9,680,000 ($89k), Maiden, 3yo, 1600m
DAYTON TESORO (f, 3, Violence–Chelan Echo, by Lion Heart) outran odds of 20-1 to finish a respectable fourth on local debut over 1400 meters in a single juvenile appearance last November and is a candidate to improve with maturity and a bit more distance here. A $130K Keeneland September purchase, the chestnut is out of a half-sister to MSW Notoriously (Cherokee Run), SW Cherokee Echo (Cherokee Run) and GISP Smarty's Echo (Smarty Jones). B-Woods Edge Farm LLC (KY)

11th-CKO, Heian S.-G3, ¥68,000,000 ($625k), 4yo/up, 1900m
AMERICAN SEED (c, 4, Tapit–Sweet Talker, by Stormin Fever) made giant strides once switched to the dirt last fall, winning three starts by a combined 17 lengths, but he stubbed his toe when a distant 14th as the 2-5 favorite in the G3 March S. at Nakayama. The $825K KEESEP yearling, whose dam was a Grade I winner on the turf in 2005 before fetching $1.15 million at KEENOV, was rumored to have lost a shoe in the running and he gets Christophe Lemaire back in the saddle Saturday. American Seed is a full-brother to SW & GSP Sweet Tapper; and to the dam of recent GII Edgewood S. runner-up Barista (Medaglia d'Oro); and a half to GSP Perregaux (Distorted Humor). Sweet Talker is a half-sister to the versatile MGSW Silver Medallion (Badge of Silver). B-Courtlandt Farm (KY)

Sunday, May 23, 2021
11th-CKO, ¥34,620,000 ($318k), Allowance, 4yo/up, 1200m
QUEEN'S V V (JPN) (f, 4, Honor Code–V V Goodnight, by Midnight Lute), a $360K in utero purchase at KEENOV in 2016, has punched well above her weight in Japan, with three wins from nine runs, including a half-length success over this track and trip when last seen Mar. 14 (see below, gate 15). Her Grade III-placed dam is a half-sister to GSW Gleam of Hope (City Zip) and to SW Forest Princess (Hansel). B-Kosho Bokujo

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Draw Favours Gran Alegria in Victoria Mile

Having run with credit when fourth trying the 2000-metres for the first time in the G1 Osaka Hai last month, champion Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) returns to a much more manageable trip as the warm favourite for the G1 Victoria Mile at the Fuchu Racecourse in Tokyo. The race serves as a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar in November.

After taking down the colours of 2020 Victoria Mile heroine and former Horse of the Year Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) for a female 1-2 in the G1 Yasuda Kinen over this course and distance last June, the daughter of US MGISW Tapitsfly (Tapit) bested future G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint winner Danon Smash (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) in the G1 Sprinters' S. (1200m) in October. The bay closed out a magnificent season with an eye-catching success in the G1 Mile Championship and, having passed on the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen, was first-up in the Osaka Hai, in which easy underfoot conditions blunted her otherwise stinging late run and she could do no better than a meritorious fourth to the unbeaten Lei Papale (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). She is drawn nicely in gate six, with Christophe Lemaire back in the boot.

“The horse is calm and has done what I expected,” commented trainer Kazuo Fujisawa. “Last time the distance and the ground went against her, but she still ran pretty well. She'll be back at Tokyo and over a mile, where she's had success.”

Terzetto (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) carries the Silk Racing colours same as Almond Eye and is the 1600-metre doppelganger of Lei Papale. Five-for-six in her career, with her only defeat coming over 10 furlongs, the bay has won four on the trot, including a fast-finishing tally against the boys in the G3 Lord Derby Challenge Trophy going this distance at Nakayama Apr. 3.

“She's looked good in training, moving well, and she displays her natural ability,” said trainer Shoichiro Wada. “It won't be easy against the strong horses here, but she handles challenges well, and it will be interesting to see what she can do. She'll be going into the race in good condition.”

Terzetto is out of a half-sister to Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), recent winner of the G1 FWD QE II Cup at Sha Tin in Hong Kong.

Des Ailes (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), a daughter of 2014 G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and Prix de Diane winner Avenir Certain (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), found the Oaks distance of 2400 metres a task too tall last season, but has found her niche over shorter trips and enters this return to Group 1 company off a neck defeat of Magic Castle (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the se-restricted G2 Hanshin Himba S. going the metric mile Apr. 10.

Resistencia (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}), an unlucky runner-up in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen at the end of March, fits with these on class, but drew miserably in stall 18 and is accordingly double digits in the market

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Notable US-Bred & -Sired Runners in Japan: May 16, 2021

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this Sunday running at Chukyo, Niigata and Tokyo Racecourses. The weekend's feature takes place at headquarters, where champion Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}–Tapitsfly) figures a firm favorite for the G1 Victoria Mile:

Sunday, May 16, 2021
5th-TOK, ¥13,830,000 ($126k), Allowance, 3yo, 1600mT
VANISHING POINT (f, 3, Tapit–Unrivaled Belle, by Unbridled's Song), the full-sister to two-time Eclipse Award and three-time Grade I winner Unique Bella, graduated by seven lengths at first asking over the metric mile and a quarter last August (see below, gate 7), but went off form thereafter and reboots here at the shortest trip of her career with Christophe Lemaire signed on. The $1.5-million Keeneland September grad is out of the 2010 GI Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic winner–acquired by Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm for $3.8 million in foal to Tapit at KEENOV in 2016–and second dam Queenie Belle (Bertrando) was a two-time winner at the graded level. B-Whisper Hill Farm LLC (KY)

5th-CKO, ¥13,830,000 ($126k), Allowance, 3yo, 1800m
MOON BEAD (JPN) (f, 3, American Pharoah–Evening Jewel, by Northern Afleet) debuted victoriously in a 1400-meter newcomers' event on the turf last October (see below, gate 18), but was unplaced in two subsequent tries and returns from a four-month break to try the dirt for the first time. The filly's dam, a Grade I winner on turf and synthetic, went within a pixel of upsetting the 2010 GI Kentucky Oaks and was sold for $950K in foal to Pioneerof the Nile at KEENOV in 2016. The dam of the SP Bernadiva (Bernardini), Evening Jewel is a half-sister to Japanese SW Deep Jewelry (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and to the dam of GISW Denman's Call (Northern Afleet) and GSP Torosay (Goldencents). B-Shadai Farm

7th-NII, ¥14,360,000 ($131k), Allowance, 4yo/up, 1200m
DYLAN'S SONG (c, 4, Summer Front–Poetic Riches, by Songandaprayer) overcame a world of trouble to break his maiden at second asking right around this time last year and was unplaced in his lone appearance since, a six-furlong allowance at Nakayama Jan. 17. Produced by a half-sister to MGSP Hard Seven (Rock Hard Ten), Dylan's Song was a $47K short yearling at KEEJAN in 2018 and was bought back for $75K at KEESEP before realizing $130K at OBS March in 2019. B-Erin Knehr & Catalyst Bloodstock (KY)

10th-TOK, ¥34,200,000 ($312k), Open Class, 3yo, 1600m
SATONO MUSTANG (c, 3, Mineshaft–Mare and Cher, by Old Fashioned) won his maiden second time out at this track last November and tacked on a first-level allowance in February (see below, gate 6), but may have struggled with a rain-affected track when ninth at Chukyo Mar. 13. A $25K KEESEP yearling turned $150K OBSMAR breezer, the dark bay is out of a winning half-sister to SW & MGSP Fight On (Into Mischief) and GSP Two Weeks Off (Harlan's Holiday). B-Haymarket Farm LLC (KY)

REFRAME (f, 3, American Pharoah–Careless Jewel, by Tapit) became an instant Internet sensation with a dramatic first-out victory last July (see below, gate 15) and made it two straight with an allowance score in October. Unplaced, but not disgraced in three tries at group level, the $410K KEESEP purchase switches to the dirt for the first time and has the license to do so on pedigree, as her free-running dam was a three-time GSW on the surface, including the GI Alabama S. in 2009. B-Summer Wind Equine LLC (KY)

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