Sol Oriens, Tastiera Face Rubber Match In Kikuka Sho

While there is no Triple Crown at stake this season, Sunday's G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) over about a mile and seven furlongs (3000 metres) shapes an intriguing affair nonetheless, with the winners of the first two legs locking horns with–potentially–champion 3-year-old honours at stake.

Shadai Farm's Sol Oriens (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) was late to begin his career, but was a quick study, winning his first three trips to the post and overcoming some immature habits to best Tastiera (Jpn) (Satono Crown {Jpn}) by a clear margin in the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) back in April. Sent off at odds-on to keep the streak alive in the G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) six weeks later, the homebred conceded first run to Tastiera and got home nicely, but too late, as he finished a neck second. Sol Oriens has the benefit of a prep run, a torrid-trip second from a wide alley in the 2200-metre G2 Asahi Hai St. Lite Kinen Sept. 18. It will be up to Takeshi Yokoyama to work out a trip from barrier 14 on Sunday.

“It was a pity about the result last time, but there were no problems with him after it, and it was a good-enough result to look to this next race with him,” said Yokoyama. “He's currently not too tense, and he's worked well right up to the end of his training. I'd like some revenge for the Derby, so I'm hoping for a good result.”

 

 

 

Joao Moreira is in to ride Tastiera for Noriyuki Hori in his first start since the Derby, where he was piloted by Australia's Damian Lane. The Carrot Farm colourbearer defeated Top Knife (Jpn) (Declaration of War) by a length when prepping for the Guineas in March, but was soundly beaten by 1 1/4 lengths in the first leg of the Triple Crown. He was perhaps a fraction fortunate that Sol Oriens did not commence his stretch rally a bit sooner at Tokyo, as Lane breathed a sigh of relief, and he'll critically be spotting Sol Oriens race-readiness this weekend.

“He has a lot of stamina, and he doesn't show any sign of stopping when he's running, so I think he can take on his opponents this time without any worries,” the conditioner commented. “It was a very hot summer, and I think it's to his advantage that he's coming back for a race just now, even though that wasn't the original plan.”

There is plenty of depth in Sunday's race beneath the top two. Hearts Concerto (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) ran home to be a brave third at longshot odds in the Derby and he, too, has a tightener under his belt, having finished a close fifth behind Derby 11th Satono Glanz (Jpn) (Satono Diamond {Jpn}), Savona (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) and Phantom Thief (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB})–eighth in the Derby–in the G2 Kobe Shimbun Hai (2400m) Sept. 24. Top Knife has also since franked the Derby form with an outstanding runner-up effort to the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn)-bound budding superstar Prognosis (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G2 Sapporo Kinen Aug. 20. Nocking Point (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}), a sound fifth behind Tastiera at Tokyo, resumed with a victory in the G3 Niigata Kinen Sept. 3.

Durezza (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), whose sire provided 2021 Kikuka Sho hero Titleholder (Jpn), gets his most serious test to date, but has earned the right to be here with four wins on the trot in the lower grades.

“He's been moving well and not showing any tiredness,” said Christophe Lemaire, who sees fit to take the call. “It's a big challenge in a Group 1, but he has potential and I think he has a chance.”

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Sol Oriens Goes For Three Straight In ‘Impact’-Free Satsuki Sho

For the first time in what seems a lifetime–13 years, to be precise–no 3-year-old son of Deep Impact (Jpn) heads to the gate for the opening leg of the Japanese Triple Crown, the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) at Nakayama Racecourse. But the 2000-metre affair does not lack for intrigue, as a typically full field of 18 is set to face the starter Sunday afternoon.

Sol Oriens (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) could continue a magical roll for his sire–who is also responsible for the world's top-rated runner Equinox (Jpn)–and should sit a cosy trip from barrier one for Takeshi Yokoyama. A veteran of just two well-spaced starts, the half-brother to the newly retired Vin de Garde (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) annexed a newcomers' event going Tokyo's one-turn mile last November and in his lone racetrack appearance since, overcame a bit of greenness to stamp his authority on the Jan. 15 G3 Keisei Hai over this course and distance.

“His cornering has become a lot smoother after the fitting of a ring bit, and he looks to be more mature compared to before, as well as easier to ride,” said trainer Takahisa Tezuka. “In his last two races, the pace was quite slow. He's a horse with ability, and I think the pace will be quicker this time, but I'm confident he can run a good race with the potential he has and the condition he's in.”

 

 

 

Phantom Thief (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) has tasted defeat just once in his career when finishing a slow-starting fourth to Dura Erede (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) and Top Knife (Jpn) (Declaration of War) in the 10-furlong G1 Hopeful S. at this venue back in December. He atoned for that effort when outfinishing Touch Wood (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) in the G3 Kyodo News Hai at Tokyo Feb. 12.

“The horse is in top condition and has finished off strongly in training,” said jockey Christophe Lemaire. “His balance is good and he doesn't feel heavy at all. If he starts like he did last time, things will be fine, and I'm looking forward to this Grade 1 with him.”

Yuga Kawada rode four of Sunday's entrants in their most recent races and he elects to stick with Danon Touchdown (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) for the Guineas. A first-out winner over a mile at Chukyo last October, the half-brother to 2020 Hopeful S. winner Danon the Kid (Jpn) (Just a Way {Jpn}) was narrowly beaten in his last two, including the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity last December. A horse that seems to take some time to hit top gear, he should appreciate stretching out to the 2000 metres for the first time.

Bellagio Opera (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) is three-for-three lifetime, having come through the grades prior to handing the re-opposing Ho O Biscuits (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) a 1 1/4-length beating in the G2 Spring S. going nine furlongs over this course Mar. 19.

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Duramente’s Dura Erede Ekes Out Hopeful Win

Making his fifth career start and his first in Group 1 company in Wednesday's G1 Hopeful S. at Nakayama, Dura Erede (Jpn) parlayed a close fourth-place finish last out in the G2 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai S. on Nov. 19 to claim victory at odds of 89-1 by a nose over 17-1 outsider and pacesetter Top Knife (Jpn).

The colt received a stalking trip to the outside of the frontrunner for the first mile before reaching even terms with his leading rival at the top of the stretch. After falling back briefly within the last furlong, dug in gamely in the final yards to surge past the wire in front by the narrowest of margins.

“It's the same good feeling as when I won my first G1 race in Germany–I'm very happy,” winning jockey Bauyrzhan Murzabayev said. “I couldn't tell if we won, it was so close, but my colt broke well and it was the plan to chase the pace in second so everything went well. After two close seconds last weekend, I'm so happy that I came in first in the last Grade 1 race of the year.”

Favored Mikki Cappuccino finished fifth at odds of 3-1.

Pedigree Notes:
Dura Erede is the fourth Grade 1 winner for the late stallion Duramente, who died in August of 2021 at age nine. Dura Erede is the first foal out of the unplaced Orfevre (Jpn) mare Marchesa, who is out of the Argentine MG1W Malpensa (Arg) and therefore a half to Japanese champion and MG1SW winner Satono Diamond (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).

Wednesday, Nakayama, Japan
HOPEFUL S.-G1, ¥135,820,000, Nakayama, 12-28, 2yo, 2000mT, 2:01.50, fm.
1–DURA EREDE (JPN), 121, c, 2, by Duramente (Jpn)
      1st Dam: Marchesa (Jpn), by Orfevre (Jpn)
      2nd Dam: Malpensa (Arg), by Orpen
      3rd Dam: Marsella (Arg), by Southern Halo
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (¥100,000,000 yrl '21 JRHAJUL).
O-Three H Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-Manabu Ikezoe;
J-Bauyrzhan Murzabayev; ¥71,274,000. Lifetime Record:
5-2-1-0. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Werk Nick Rating: A++
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Top Knife (Jpn), 121, c, 2, Declaration of War–Be Wind (Jpn),
by Spinning World. O-Koji Yasuhara; B-Kineusu Farm (Jpn);
¥28,364,000.
3–King's Reign (Jpn), 121, c, 2, Rulership (Jpn)–Touching Speech
(Jpn), by Deep Impact (Jpn). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP
BLACK TYPE. O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
¥18,1582,000.
Margins: NO, 1 1/4, NK; Odds: 89.60, 17.70, 17.20.
Also Ran: Phantom Thief (Jpn), Mikki Cappuccino (Jpn), Seven Magician (Jpn), Hearts Concerto (Jpn), Serendipity (Jpn), Sea Wiard (Jpn), J Palms (Jpn), Gruner Green (Jpn), Wurttemberg (Jpn), Born in Grande (Jpn), Jun Tsubamegaeshi (Jpn), Fate (Jpn), Gastrique (Jpn), Monde Plume (Jpn), Ska Paradise (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart & video.

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