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Efforia (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) will look to take his career mark to a perfect four-from-four and will attempt to give the Carrot Farm syndicate a second victory in three years in the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) over the metric 10 furlongs Sunday afternoon at Nakayama Racecourse.

Descending from the family of G1 Japan Cup hero Admire Mooon (Jpn) (End Sweep) and champion Hishi Amazon (Theatrical {Ire}), Efforia made a successful debut over a right-handed 2000-metre trip at Sapporo last August and made it two straight with a Tokyo allowance in November. He has one prep run under his belt this season, a handy defeat of Victipharus (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) in the G3 Kyodo News Hai (1800m) at headquarters Feb. 14 and is primed for his first Group 1 test.

“As a 2-year-old, physically and mentally he was a little weak, and his hindquarters weren't so strong, so it took him a bit of time to recover from races,” said trainer Yuichi Shikato. “Over time though, he's developed well and has become a lot stronger. He's been working uphill recently and has trained as I would have liked.”

Saturnalia (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) won the 2019 Satsuki Sho in Carrot Farm's green-and-white colours and Admire Hader (Jpn) can give Lord Kanaloa his second winner in three years. Once-beaten from four starts to date, the Junko Kondo runner was a bit out of his comfort zone when closer to the pace than he prefers in a 2000-metre Hanshin allowance in December, but nevertheless held sway to best Deep Monster (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) by a cosy half-length. He was a bit farther off the speed in the Listed Wakaba S. (2000m) last time Mar. 20 and showed sharp acceleration to defeat Chevalier Rose (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) by a decisive three-length margin. Admire Hader is the choice of Christophe Lemaire.

Danon the Kid (Jpn) (Just a Way {Jpn}) clinched the 2-year-old championship with a workmanlike success in the G1 Hopeful S. over this course and distance on Boxing Day, but there were no visible excuses when only third to front-running Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) in the G2 Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho (2000m) at this venue Mar. 7.

Yoho Lake (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) has proved he can run with these, but is a big price in ante-post markets at 30-1. Third and running-on in the Hopeful S., he was flushed extremely wide into the lane in the G3 Kisaragi Sho at Chukyo Feb. 7 and fell just a neck short of Lagom (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}), who re-opposes here at about a third of the price of Yoho Lake.

Five of the sires represented in the Satsuki Sho are themselves winners of the race–Deep Impact (2005), Victoire Pisa (Jpn) (2010), Orfevre (2011), Gold Ship (Jpn) (2012) and Duramente (2015). Deep Impact is responsible for three of the last five winners: Dee Majesty (Jpn), 2016; Al Ain (Jpn), 2017; and Triple Crown hero Contrail (Jpn) last season.

The post Efforia Looks To Remain Undefeated in Satsuki Sho appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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The year 2020 goes out with a bang this coming weekend, which will be a 'double' Grade 1 weekend at Nakayama Racecourse, kicking off with the Hopeful Stakes on Saturday (Dec. 26). The race for 2-year-olds (excluding geldings) was made a Grade 1 contest in 2017, and gives the young colts a chance to test their ability over 2,000 meters (1 1/4 miles), with a view to running in next year's Classics, the first of which for colts is run over the same course and distance as the Hopeful Stakes, on the inner turf track at Nakayama.

There have been 18 nominations for a maximum 18 runner field, as the competition heats up to follow in the footsteps of some big-name winners of the race that have included the likes of Victoire Pisa (2009), Japan Cup winner Epiphaneia (2012), Rey de Oro (2016), and just last year Contrail, to name but a few.

Here's a look at some of the colts expected to make the starting line-up:

Danon the Kid: The unbeaten colt by Just a Way ran out a good winner of the Grade 3 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes last time, when he was sent off favorite. He won his only other race on his debut at Hanshin in June over 1,800 meters. Trainer Takayuki Yasuda, who made headlines in Hong Kong recently with Danon Smash, might have another big race success here. He was pleased with Danon the Kid's recent work at Ritto Training Center.

“The jockey said the horse was relaxed, and I thought he was moving well during that piece of training,” said the trainer.

Yoho Lake: Another colt who lays his unbeaten record on the line here is the Northern Farm bred Yoho Lake. By Deep Impact, he's been favorite in both his races so far, and his latest win came in the Shigiku Sho over 2,000 meters at Kyoto in October, when the soft ground wasn't an issue for him. Jockey Yutaka Take will ride him in this next race.

Trainer Yasuo Tomomichi commented: “He worked well recently on the woodchip course at Ritto, and picked up well from the third and fourth corners. I think he'll be well suited by the 2,000 meters at Nakayama.”

Orthoclase: The well bred colt by Epiphaneia out of Marialite would certainly please trainer Takashi Kubota if he can continue winning in the style of his dam, who has provided the trainer with his two Grade 1 victories to date. Coming off a win in the Listed Ivy Stakes over 1,800 meters at Tokyo in October, Orthoclase will be ridden by the jockey that won on him in his debut race at Sapporo in August, this year's champion rider Christophe Lemaire.

Land of Liberty: An easy winner last time in the Fuyo Stakes over the Hopeful Stakes course and distance in October, the Deep Impact colt bred at Shadai Farm will endeavor to give jockey Kosei Miura a well deserved first JRA G1 victory. He's ridden the horse in his two career wins from the same number of starts, and connections will be hoping the winning streak can continue.

Admire Sage: Trainer Yasuo Tomomichi could well have two runners in the race, with Admire Sage by no means looking like his second string here. The Duramente colt posted a strong final three-furlong time (33.4 seconds) in his last race, the Kigiku Sho over 2,000 meters at Hansin in November, which he won to make it two wins from two starts.

Titleholder: Another colt by Duramente, his earnings are already about equal to his sale price at the 2018 Select Sale. Jockey Keita Tosaki has ridden him in both his races so far, winning on the horse's debut over 1,800 meters at Nakayama in October, and finishing second to Danon the Kid in the Grade 3 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes.

Chevalier Rose: It's three starts two wins for Chevalier Rose, a colt by Deep Impact. He won his last race, the Listed Hagi Stakes over 1,800 meters at Kyoto in October, as well as winning on his debut at Hanshin in June. He's trained by Hisashi Shimizu, who enjoyed seven Grade 1 successes with Kitasan Black. Chevalier Rose worked under jockey Yuichi Kitamura at Ritto on the 16th, and posted a six-furlong time of 81.2 seconds, finishing off the final furlong in 12.0 seconds.

“He moved well in that piece of work and his times were good. The jockey also reported him to be in good condition,” said the trainer.

The post Japan: 2-Year-Olds Tackle Classic Distance In Saturday’s Hopeful Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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