Yutaka Take | Horse Racing Free Tips

Multi-Million Dollar Deep Impact Colt Debuts Victoriously

Dobune (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who cost new owner Susumu Fujita a whopping ¥517.1 million (about US$4.7 million) at the Chiba 2-Year-Old Sale this past May, overcame a wide gate and belied his inexperience with a two-length debut victory in a newcomers' event going 1500 meters (about 7 1/2 furlongs) on turf at Sapporo Racecourse Saturday afternoon.

Off as the 17-10 favorite after trading at odds-on for the majority of the wagering, Dobune more or less walked out of ate 11 and was allowed to find his footing by Yutaka Take, who settled the colt in the latter third of the 12-horse field. Asked to improve his position about five wide on the turn, Dobune drifted out a bit while rallying seven deep into the straight, gathered in Speed Glamour (Into Mischief) with a little less than a furlong to race and was punched out hands-and-heels to score with relative ease (video).

Among the last handful of horses by the legendary Deep Impact, who passed away in the summer of 2019, Dobune was bred by Shadai Farm and is the fourth foal out of Premier Steps (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), Group 3-placed in England and France before winning the 2013 Sweetest Chant S. when trained by Chad Brown for Swift Thoroughbreds, Vintage Thoroughbreds, Michael Kisber and Bradley Thoroughbreds. She was third in the 2014 GIII Wilshire S. for trainer Tom Proctor and was acquired by Shadai for $400,000 at the 2015 Keeneland January Sale.

Deep Impact's current crop of juveniles also includes Command Line (Jpn), a son of GISW Condo Commando (Tiz Wonderful), who was accorded 'TDN Rising Star' status off a facile debut defeat of Conch Pearl (American Pharoah) in early June. The latter, subsequently third on the turf, returned to break her maiden by eight lengths when trying the dirt for the first time at Kokura Racecourse. The late Shadai stallion was also responsible for heavily backed debut winner Candescent (Jpn) Saturday at Niigata.

Dobune would be a candidate for races like next month's G2 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup (1600mT) at Toyko and farther down the road, the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity (1600mT) or the G1 Hopeful S. (2000mT).

WATCH: Dobune graduates at first asking at Sapporo

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Efforia Gunning For Fantastic Five in Tokyo Yushun

Perfect in four career attempts to this point, including a facile success in the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) (2000mT) last month, Carrot Farm's Efforia (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) will jump a warm favourite to take his winning streak to five in Sunday's G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) at the Fuchu Racecourse in the Japanese capitol.

Blessed with excellent tactical speed, Efforia has managed to be a forward factor in each of his races to date, sitting fairly handy to the pace when besting Victipharus (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) by a comfortable 2 1/2 lengths in the G3 Kyodo News Hai at headquarters in February, an effort that stamped him as the second-elect for the Satsuki Sho. While Danon the Kid (Jpn) (Just a Way {Jpn}) faltered that afternoon, Efforia sat a cosy inside trip and punched through the gap when it came before streaking home a three-length winner from pace-pressing Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}). Having drawn the paint for the Derby, Efforia should once again enjoy the run of the race Sunday.

“He hasn't dropped his condition since the Satsuki Sho and he's in good shape,” said young jockey Takeshi Yokoyama. “He seems to have become stronger. In his last work, he finished off very well and kept things going until after the winning post, demonstrating his ability. It would be great if I could win the Derby with him.”

WATCH: Efforia winning the G1 Satsuki Sho

Satono Reinas (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) will attempt to become the first filly to beat the boys in the Derby since Vodka (Jpn) (Tanino Gimlet {Jpn}) in 2007 and should she succeed, would provide her legendary sire with a fourth straight winner of the race. Winner of her first two tries, including a newcomers' event in June, the bay was nosed out by Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune) in the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies in December and flew home in her lone start this term to miss by a neck to the white filly in the G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) Apr. 11. She is certain to appreciate this stretch out to the metric 12 furlongs, having passed last week's G1 Yushun Himba.

“I think she'll actually be better suited to this longer trip,” said trainer Sakae Kunieda, who conditioned the great Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}). “I'm excited about the challenge she faces here, and I'm not really thinking about the opponents in the race, but only her performance under these conditions.”

Wonderful Town (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) rallied from off the speed to best Lagom (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) in the G3 Kyoto Nisai S. last November and resumed from a November layoff to win the G2 Aoba Sho over Sunday's course and distance May 1. A victory would give Deep Impact his first Derby winner as a broodmare sire and second overall, joining Kikuka Sho hero Kiseki (Jpn), also a son of Rulership.

Deep Monster (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) looms an interesting longshot proposition. A listed winner over 2200 metres in late February, the son of US MGISW Sisterly Love (Bellamy Road) raced last but one into the final half-mile of the Guineas, was flushed seven or eight wide into the lane and finished up willingly to be seventh, beaten 4 1/2 lengths. He's drawn nicely in four to save some ground this time and the longer trip and, potentially, sounder underfoot conditions could help his chances.

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Kingman’s Elizabeth Tower Shares the Spoils in Tulip Sho

Saturday's G2 Tulip Sho, a prep for the upcoming G1 Japanese 1000 Guineas next month, resulted in a dead heat between Nagoya Keiba's Meikei Yell (Jpn) (Mikki Isle {Jpn}) and Shadai Race Horse's Elizabeth Tower (GB) (Kingman {GB}), with the latter the first black-type winner in Japan for her sire.

Very headstrong through the early stages against the fence, Meikei Yell raced just inside a tugging Elizabeth Tower. Yutaka Take gave the signal and Meikei Yell burst through the field to decisively take command with a half-mile remaining and entered the lane with a narrow lead. Elizabeth Tower joined her on the inside 250 metres from home and the duo were inseparable at the wire, with Stutti (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) a neck back in third.

As a juvenile, Meikei Yell landed a Kokura newcomer affair on Aug. 22 and followed up in the G3 Kokura Nisai S. over 1200 metres on Sept. 6. She added the G3 KBS Kyoto Sho Fantasy S. that November and ended her season with a fourth in the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies to her maternal relative Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune) on Dec. 13. The Tulip Sho was her 3-year-old bow.

More lightly raced than her rival, Elizabeth Tower saluted at Hanshin versus newcomers on Dec. 19 and was ninth in the Feb. 6 Elfin S. over this trip at Chukyo.

Pedigree Notes
Although unplaced on the racecourse, Shiroinger has hit the jackpot with Meikei Yell, who was winning her third group race on Saturday. She has foaled a juvenile colt by Just a Way and, although her date with Real Impact (Jpn) did not produce a foal, she was covered by Suave Richard (Jpn) last term. Meikei Yell's second dam is the MSW Yukichan (Jpn) (Kurfune), who is a half-sister to Buchiko (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}), the dam of last year's Japanese Champion 2-Year-Old Filly, the aforementioned Sodashi.

A daughter of the G1 German Oaks heroine Turfdonna, Elizabeth Tower is her first foal and the 30th black-type winner for her Juddmonte sire. She has a juvenile half-sister by Postponed (Ire) and a yearling half-brother by Kizuna (Jpn). Turfdonna was bred to Kizuna (Jpn) last spring. This is the extended family of Italian champion and Group 1 winner Turfrose (Ger) (Big Shuffle), who is also the dam of Japanese dual Group 2 winner Rosa Gigantea (Jpn) (Fuji Kiseki {Jpn}) and Japanese listed winner Star of Persia (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}), who was also group placed. German champion and sire Turfkonig (Ger) (Anfield {Ire}) is under the fourth dam.

Saturday, Hanshin, Japan
TULIP SHO-G2, ¥100,200,000, Hanshin, 3-6, 3yo, f, 1600mT, 1:33.80, gd.
1–MEIKEI YELL (JPN), 119, f, 3, by Mikki Isle(Jpn)
                1st Dam: Shiroinger (Jpn), by Harbinger (GB)
                2nd Dam: Yukichan (Jpn), by Kurofune
                3rd Dam: I Shirayukihime (Jpn), by Sunday Silence
(¥26,000,000 Ylg '19 JRHAJUL). O-Nagoya Keiba; B-Northern
Farm (Jpn); T-Hidenori Take; J-Yutaka Take. ¥37,040,000.
Lifetime Record: 5-4-0-0. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the
   free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
1–ELIZABETH TOWER (GB), 119, f, 3, Kingman (GB)
                1st Dam: Turfdonna (Ger) (G1SW-Ger, $343,824),
                                by Doyen (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Turfaue (Ger), by Big Shuffle
                3rd Dam: Turfquelle (Ire), by Shaadi
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Shadai Race Horse;
B-Shadai Farm (Jpn); T-Tomokazu Takano; J-Yuga Kawada.
¥37,040,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0. Click for the
   free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Werk Nick
   Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
3–Stutti(Jpn), 119, f, 3, Maurice (Jpn)–Lilavati (Jpn), by Zenno
Rob Roy (Jpn). O-Carrot Farm; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
¥13,120,000.
Margins: DH, NK, NO. Odds: 0.60, 7.00, 7.40.
Also Ran: Tagano Diana (Jpn), Shirley Poppy (Jpn), Shadow Eris (Jpn), Tiny Romance (Jpn), Malina (Jpn), Rare Champagne (Jpn), Ten Happy Rose (Jpn), Barikono Yume (Jpn), A Shin Pixel (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart or video.

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Undefeated Sodashi Heads Hanshin Juvenile Fillies

Undefeated Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune) will try to extend her winning streak in Sunday’s G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies and in the process, the likely favorite will also try to become the white-colored horse to win a Group 1 race in Japan.

“The white really stands out on grass,” said trainer Naosuke Sugai. “I think she’s turning into a real star.”

The flashy filly triumphed in her career debut at Hakodate in July before scoring over 1,800-meters in the G3 Sapporo Nisai S. Sept. 5. In her latest start, she took the G3 Artemis S. at Tokyo Oct. 31.

“We like to keep her close because she can be sensitive, but physically, she’s very solid,” said Sugai.

Sodashi’s regular rider, Hayato Yoshida, worked her in the three weeks leading up to Sunday’s 1,600-meter test and is encouraged by what he’s seen so far.

“She took the bit on her own on the straight,” Yoshida said after last week’s fast work. “She was the one leading me. She’s been sharp since the week before and I think she’ll be in similar form compared to her last race.”

In an interesting fun-fact, Yoshida is the Japanese Racing Association’s all-time leader with six wins aboard white horses.

“They’re all very sensitive and [can be] high maintenance,” he said of white horses. “You do need to be careful with them but with her, that sensitive side is bringing out the best in her. She breaks well and is super responsive when you tell her to go. She’s really smart and a very complete racehorse.”

Also looking for her fourth career victory, Meiki Yell (Jpn) (Mikki Isle {Jpn}), who enters of a victory in the 1,400-meter G3 Fantasy S. at Hanshin Nov. 7. A debut winner at Kokura in August, she followed up with a win in the G3 Kokura Nisai S. Sept. 6.

“The performances have been good in all three wins,” said trainer Hidenori Take. “There was an unstable side to her at one point, but ever since her last start, the appetite is there and she’s added some weight. All in all, this is the best I’ve seen her yet.”

Take is part of Japanese racing’s royal family heralded by Yutaka Take–the great jockey and the trainer’s parents are cousins. Yutaka, who has ridden Meikei Yell in her last two races, likes what he sees in the filly.

“The most important thing is she won both races. She had a hard time settling, especially in the last race. So that is an area she needs work. Your average horse though wouldn’t have won –but she did. Which speaks to a lot about her quality, her upside. She just runs really hard. But as long as she can stay under control then she has every chance. I’ve known Hide since we were kids, our parents are cousins. Would be great to win a [Group 1] race together.”

Known to be keen in the early going of her races, the filly will be asked to go 200-meters farther than her latest start.

“She has looked good in the workouts,” Hidenori Take added. “We will push her over the weekend and breeze during the week as usual. I hope practice does translate into results. She’s physically sound and a good all-round horse. She hasn’t filled out yet but I’m excited by the prospect. She’s classy and gorgeous–almost like an actress. A win here, hopefully, will really get her name out there.”

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