26 February, 2019
The 2019 Graded Stakes season got well underway in January with eleven different graded races spread out over the month. While January is one of the few months on the JRA calendar that doesn't have a G1 race, Classic prep and G1 prep races made it just as exciting.
January 5th was the first day of racing in the JRA for the 2019 calendar, and there were two G3s slated for the day. The G3 Kyoto Kimpai, a 1600m turf race for older horses and the G3 Nakayama Kimpai, a 2000m turf race for older horses. The Nakayama Kimpai was captured by Win Bright(JPN), a tough middle distance son of Stay Gold(JPN) who has second in this same race last year. Losing out last year, the grey five-year-old made it clear whom the winner was, beating out fellow Stay Gold(JPN) progeny Stay Foolish(JPN) by half a length. Tanino Frankel(IRE) was a neck back in third.
Pax Americana(JPN), a full brother to G1 winner Whale Capture(JPN), claimed his first graded stakes victory in the Kyoto Kimpai. The freshly minted four-year-old had shown promise last year running second in another G3 mile last spring and took home a listed win in December. He beat out My Style(JPN) by 3/8 of a length, a son of Heart's Cry(JPN) who has run second in several other graded stakes during his career. Mieno Succeed(JPN) was a neck back in third.
The 2000m G3 Aichi Hai at Chukyo Racecourse on January 26th saw One Breath Away(JPN), a full sister to G3 winner Cat Coin(JPN), capture her first graded stakes win at six-years-old. She was the 8th favorite at post time and beat out a solid field of younger talented fillies to win the race by half a length over favorite Normcore(JPN) with Randonnee(USA) in third. The distaff division of the JRA looks to have some decent members who will be up against each other again several times this spring culminating in the G1 Victoria Mile in May.
The 1200m G3 Silk Road Stakes at Kyoto Racecourse on January 27th was won by a truly exciting horse, Danon Smash(JPN), a four-year-old son of Lord Kanaloa(JPN). He ended 2018 winning the G3 Keihan Hai over the same course and repeated that performance in January. This talented sprinter will likely be the favorite in the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen in late March. Estitato(JPN) was back a length and a quarter in second and nine-year-old Teehaff(JPN) was back in third.
The 2400m G2 Nikkei Shinshun Hai at Kyoto Racecourse will be one of the first prep races the G1 Tenno Sho Haru on April 28th, the first major race for stayers of the year. Four-year-old son of Deep Impact, Glory Vase(JPN) lived up to the expectations of his backers when he captured the race, a half a length over six-year-old Look Twice(JPN). Glory Vase(JPN) had been considered a stayer for a while, having run 5th in the G1 Kikuka Sho(Japanese St. Leger) and looks to have matured well. Super Lumiere(JPN) was third.
The 2200m G2 American Jockey Club Cup at Nakayama Racecourse saw the fantastic comeback of Sciacchetra(JPN), a six-year-old son of the late Manhattan Cafe(JPN) who had been sidelined for all of 2018 due to injury. He held off the closing run of last year's G1 Kikuka Sho(Japanese St. Leger) winner Fierement(JPN) to win by a head. Maitres d'Art(JPN) was third. They will all likely meet again into the G1 Tenno Sho Haru in late April.
With the February Stakes on February 17th, there are multiple races in January that will become prep races for horses looking to try for G1 dirt glory in the JRA. The G2 Tokai Stakes at Chukyo Racecourse on January 20th is one of the main JRA prep races for the February Stakes. The 1800m race was won by post time favorite Inti(JPN), a son of Came Home(USA) who extended his win streak to six. The talented four-year-old took the race by an easy by two lengths with Chuwa Wizard(JPN) in second and Sumahama(JPN) coming in third.
The 1400m G3 Negishi Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse was captured by another promising looking dirt horse Copano Kicking(USA). The four-year-old gelding closed from mid-pack to beat Yuranoto(JPN) by 3/4 of a length, and Queen's Saturn in third. The fast son of Spring at Last(USA) extended his win streak to four and will run next in the 1600m G1 February Stakes on February on 17th. This will be the gelding's first time going a mile, and he will be ridden by the JRA's only female Jockey, Nanako Fujita. It will be the first time a female jockey has ridden in a JRA G1 race.
There were three classic prep races in January as we slowly move toward the first round of classic races in April.
The 1600m G3 Shinzan Kinen is the first graded stakes race for three-year-olds in the new year. It is fitting that the winner would be by superstar young stallion Lord Kanaloa, who had a G1 winner over a mile in his first crop. Val d'Isere(JPN) was only the fourth favorite at post time but left the other popular horses in the dust when he closed from mid-pack to capture his first graded stakes race a neck over closing Meiner Flap(JPN). Mikki Brillante(JPN) was third.
The 2000m G3 Keisei Hai 2000m Nakayama Racecourse on January 14th had a lot of star power this year with several well-bred three-year-olds taking control early on in the race. Last Draft(JPN) was only the fourth betting favorite, but he is the first foal of 2011 Oka Sho winner (Japanese 1000 Guineas) winner Marcellina(JPN). The first graded stakes winner for Novellist(IRE) ran off the pace the whole way around Nakayama's turf course but made his move early and made it look easy, winning by a length and a quarter. Runner up, who had been running on with Last Draft(JPN) most of the race, Run for the Roses(JPN) is the second foal out of Last Groove(JPN) was the second to last foal out of champion Air Groove(JPN). By King Kamehameha(JPN), the cold has only raced three times but has never been worse than second, making him one to watch as the season progresses along with winner Last Draft(JPN).
The 1600m G3 Fairy Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse on January 12th was the one filly classic prep of the year and showcased a new star for stallion Harbinger(GB). While Figlia Pura(JPN) only won by a head over the Matsuida Gogh sired Ho O Catherine(JPN), Figlia Pura(JPN) closed like a rocket from the back of the pack to overtake the rest of the field. Her strong running style will make her a popular filly on the classic trail this year and potentially another quality runner for Harbinger(GB) in the vein of Deirdre(JPN). Grace Un(JPN) was third.
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/.
Please contact our representative below for further details:
Satomi Oka (Ms)
Satomi Oka Bloodstock Pty Ltd
E-mail : satomi@bloodstock.jp
Tel : +61 414 414 450