17 October, 2018
September brings a significant shift in the JRA's graded stakes program as it gears up for its fall G1 schedule. The first G1 of the fall season falls on the final day of September, while prep races for later G1s make up most of the month's graded stakes calendar.
The 1800m G3 Sapporo Nisai Stakes on September 1st was one of two two-year-old graded stakes races in September. The race was upset by Nishino Daisy(JPN), a son of Harbinger(GB), the post time sixth-favorite. The large bay colt ran down a tiring Naimama(JPN), a son of Danon Ballade(JPN) and held off the late advances of post time favorite Courageux Guerrier(JPN), a son of King Kamehameha(JPN). All three of the top finishers were far off the pace until they turned for home when Naimama(JPN) took an early lead as the earlier pacesetters faded. While Naimama(JPN) held on gamely down the stretch, he paid for his early move on the far turn as Nishino Daisy(JPN) got his neck in front at the wire.
On September 2nd, Fantasist(JPN) turned in a quality performance in the 1200m G3 Kokura Nisai Stakes at Kokura Racecourse. The son of Lord Kanaloa(JPN) sat just off the pace early on before showing a strong turn of foot in the stretch to win by a comfortable length and three quarters. Filly Azuma Heritage(JPN), by Tosen Jordan(JPN), was back in second, and Miyaji Sylphid(JPN), another son of Lord Kanaloa(JPN) was a neck back in third.
There were two prep racing for the last leg of the Filly Triple Crown, the G1 Shuka Sho on October 14th.
The 2000m G3 Shion Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse on September 8th, which only earned its G3 status in 2016, is run over the same distance as the Shuka Sho, making it a perfect prep for three-year-old fillies looking to extend that far at the highest level. Since 2000, the race has awarded automatic entry for the top two finishers in the race, that award was extended to the top three in 2016. This year the Normcore(JPN), by Harbinger(GB) dominated her rivals to win by a very easy three lengths. Mau Lea(JPN), a Deep Impact(JPN) filly ran second with Randonnee(USA) by Blame(USA) a half-length back in third.
One of the main prep races for the G1 Shuka Sho has been the 1800m G2 Rose Stakes at Hanshin Racecourse. This year on September 16th it was Cantabile(JPN), a daughter of Deep Impact(JPN) who captured the popular prep race a comfortable length and a quarter over her rivals. The race ended in a Deep Impact(JPN) trifecta with Salacia(JPN) finishing second and Lathyros(JPN) a half a length back in third. All three Deep Impact(JPN) fillies gained automatic berth into the G1 Shuka Sho in mid-October.
In September there were also two prep races for the 3000m G1 Kikuka Sho(Japanese St. Leger) held this year on October 21st.
On September 17th, the 2200m G2 St. Lite Kinen at Nakayama Racecourse is Eastern Japan's main prep for the final leg of the Japanese Triple Crown. While significantly shorter than the 3000m race it preps for, the most recent horse to go on to win the Kikuka Sho after being victorious in the St. Lite Kinen was the great Kitasan Black(JPN) in 2015. This year it was the impressive Generale Uno(JPN), a 2016 Hokkaido Selection Sale graduate, who upset the favorite Leyenda(JPN), a King Kamehameha(JPN) colt by one and a quarter lengths. The son of Screen Hero(JPN) had won the G3 Keisei Hai back in January before finishing third in the G1 Satsuki Sho(Japanese 2000 Guineas) in April. Showing a flash of his father's staying ability, the nearly black colt could upset some of the more blue-blooded Kikuka Sho runners later in October. Grail(JPN) by Heart's Cry(JPN) was third, and all three earned automatic berth into the G1 Kikuka Sho on October 21st.
The 2400m G2 Kobe Shimbun Hai at Hanshin Racecourse on September 23rd was the final prep for the G1 Kikuka Sho. It was, as if often the case, the Derby winner at the end of the day that took home the prize. Wagnerian(JPN), this year's G1 Japanese Derby winner, started slow and settled near the back of the pack before starting to make a move on the far turn and caught up with pacesetter Meisho Tekkon(JPN) at the 100m mark. Etario(JPN), who had been fourth in the Derby this year managed to run up from dead last to take second by a head over a still game Meisho Tekkon(JPN), who had to settle for third. The three will reunite again in the G1 Kikuka Sho(Japanese St. Leger) on October 21st.
The 1600m G3 Keisei Hai Autumn Handicap at Nakayama Racecourse on September 9th saw the birth of what could be a new star in the miler scene in Japan. Mikki Glory(JPN) was sidelined early in his three-year-old season and was out for over a year. The five-year-old son of Deep Impact(JPN) has gradually worked his way up the ranks and made his graded stakes debut a winning one. He broke slow but showed a tremendous turn of foot befitting his sire as they hit the stretch. Racing wide, Mikki Glory(JPN) made it look easy as he galloped past the rest of the field to the wire. Five-year-old race mare One to One(JPN), also by Deep Impact(JPN) ran equally powerfully to come from near last to finish second by 3/4 of a length. Logi Cry(JPN), by Heart's Cry(JPN), ran third. A logical next step for these runners will be the G1 Mile Championship on November 18th at Hanshin Racecourse.
The 2000m G3 Niigata Kinen on September 2nd at Niigata Racecourse was captured by promising three-year-old Blast Onepiece(JPN) who easily defeated a nearly full field of older horses. The son of Harbinger(GB) was undefeated before he ran fifth in the G1 Japanese Derby back in May. The step back in distance proved a winning combination for the colt that will likely target the 2000m G1 Tenno Sho Aki on October 28th. All top three finishers all came from the back of the pack, making up most of their ground in the stretch. A five-year-old son of Zenno Rob Roy(JPN) Maitres d'Art(JPN) was one 3/4 back in second, and Shonan Bach(JPN), a son of the late Stay Gold(JPN) was half a length back in third.
The 2000m G3 Sirius Stakes at Hanshin Racecourse on September 29th was the only graded dirt race on the JRA calendar for September. Omega Perfume(JPN) has never been worse than third in all six of his starts so far winning four of them. He made his stakes debut in the JPNI Japan Dirt Derby this summer, coming in second to who is arguably the best dirt three-year-old in Japan, Le Vent Se Leve(JPN). The Sirius Stakes proved to be this colt's time to shine as he beat a field of older horses despite breaking slow. The son of the late Swept Overboard(USA) held off a fast-closing Westerlund(JPN) by a neck with Sunrise Soar(JPN) a length and 3/4 back in third.
September 23rd proved to be a rather special day in Japanese racing with two Derby winners winning different group races on the same day, minutes apart. Less than 10 minutes after Wagnerian(JPN) won the G2 Kobe Shimbun Hai, the 2017 G1 Japanese Derby winner Rey de Oro(JPN) finally found his way back into the winners' circle in the 2200m G2 All Comers at Nakayama Racecourse. Stuck mid-pack most of the race, following 2017 G1 Satsuki Sho(Japanese 2000 Guineas) winner Al Ain(JPN) most of the way, Rey de Oro(JPN) swung to the inside and dueled his fellow classic winner to get his neck in front at the wire. It had been a full year since the promising son of King Kamehameha(JPN) had found the winners' circle and reasserted his candidacy for the G1 Japan Cup at the end of November. Al Ain(JPN), a son of Deep Impact(JPN) had to settle for second place second time this year but continues to prove he is a game runner. Danburite(JPN), a son of Rulership(JPN) who went to Hong Kong this spring with Al Ain(JPN) was third.
There was one prep for the G1 Sprinters Stakes held earlier in the month of September, and it was the 1200m G2 Centaur Stakes at Hanshin Racecourse on September 9th. It has been a strong prep race for the G1 Sprinters Stakes a few weeks later and this year was no exception. For the second year in the row, the race was won by Godolphin's Fine Needle(JPN) who ran mid-pack early on but finished strong to win by a length and a half over Love Kampf(JPN). The five-year-old son of Admire Moon(JPN) was making his first start of the fall since winning the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen in March before running a respectable fourth in the G1 Chairman's Sprint in Hong Kong.
The G2 Centaur Stakes proved to be the ideal prep for Fine Needle(JPN) leading up to the September 30th 1200m G1 Sprinters Stakes at Nakayama as he solidified himself as the best sprinter in Japan by getting up to win his second G1 sprint of the year by a neck again over Love Kampf(JPN). The bay's rainy day triumph gave Godolphin their second Japanese G1 victory in the history of their Japan-based operation and their second this year. The win gained him automatic berth into the G1 Breeders Cup Turf Sprint on November 3rd in the United States, and the connections are also considering the G1 Hong Kong Sprint on December 9th.
All JRA graded stakes results and race replays are available on Japan Association for International Racing, and Stud Book (JAIRS)'s website: http://japanracing.jp/.
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Satomi Oka (Ms)
Satomi Oka Bloodstock Pty Ltd
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