23 October, 2019
As fall starts to move across Japan, so do a lot more high profile races on the JRA racing cards each weekend.
On September 1st, there were two graded stakes in Japan. First, there was the 1200m G3 Kokura Nisai Stakes at Kokura Racecourse, where Meiner Grit(JPN) by Screen Hero(JPN) battled his way up to defeat the imported Triple Ace(IRE) by Shamardal(USA) by a neck. Laura Sion(JPN) by freshman sire Real Impact(JPN) was half a length back in third. This was the fourth graded stakes race for this year's crop of two-year-olds. As the fall progresses, these graded races will play a key roll in developing the fields for the three G1s for two-year-olds held in December.
The second graded stakes of the day was the 2000m G3 Niigata Kinen at Niigata Racecourse. You Can Smile(JPN) by King Kamehameha(JPN) has long been a promising colt and already had one G3 under his belt earlier in the year in the 3400m Diamond Stakes back in February. Over the past two years, he had been focused on mostly staying races, even running third in the G1 Kikuka Sho last year. Adding a 2000m graded stakes to his resume helps the colt's future out a lot, he took control with a furlong to go and just barely held on to win the event a neck over Jinambo(JPN) by Deep Impact(JPN). Cadenas(JPN) by Deep Impact(JPN) also closed from far back to finish two lengths back in third.
September 7th had only one graded stakes event, the 2000m G3 Shion Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse for three-year-old fillies. This is one of the first preps for the G1 Shuka Sho in October, the final leg of the Filly Triple Crown and the top three finishers get an automatic entry. Shion Stakes ended with a Rulership(JPN) quinella after two of the popular sire's daughters finished one-two as they crossed the wire just a nose apart. Fairy Polka(JPN) skimmed the rail to look like the winner, but on the outside, Passing Through(JPN) fought her way up to win the photo finish with a head bob. Curren Bouquetd'or(JPN) by Deep Impact(JPN) didn't make it easy on either of them battling both in the final furlong and was half a length back in third.
There were two graded stakes on September 8th, and the first was a star-studded renewal of the 1200m G2 Centaur Stakes, a great prep race for the G1 Sprinters Stakes at the end of the month. Tower of London(JPN) by Raven's Pass(USA) overcame two sub-par runs to claim a second record time victory for the season. Just after the final furlong marker, the bay colt launched his impressive bid and quickly took the lead, never looking back to win by a super easy three lengths. His closest rivals were a pair of graded stakes-winning Lord Kanaloa(JPN) three-year-olds, the colt Fantasist(JPN) who finished second, and a filly Iberis(JPN) who was half a length back in third. With Tower of London(JPN) back to his best form, the Sprinters Stakes will be a major showdown between G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen winner Mr Melody(USA) by Scat Daddy, multiple graded stakes winner Danon Smash(JPN) by Lord Kanaloa and this talented Raven's Pass(USA) colt.
The second graded stakes of the day was the 1600m G3 Keisei Hai Autumn Handicap at Nakayama Racecourse is an early prep for the G1 Mile Championship in November. A new Lord Kanaloa(JPN) graded stakes winner was born as the field passed the wire, Trois Etoiles(JPN) fought to take the lead in the early part of the race after most horses broke evenly. Once she took the lead; however, the race turned out to be over as she opened up a substantial lead as they entered the turn. Her dominance in the race was never questioned at any point during the mile-long contest, and she won by a comfortable three and a half lengths. Dimension(JPN) by Deep Impact(JPN) got up for second place while Gendarme(JPN) by Kitten's Joy(USA) was a neck back in third.
There was only one graded stakes on September 15th, but it was a major one. The 1800m G2 Rose Stakes at Hanshin Racecourse is one of the most prolific prep races for the G1 Shuka Sho, and it was a fully loaded contest that included Champion Two-Year-Old Danon Fantasy(JPN), by Deep Impact(JPN). Despite her champion status she was still made to work for her dinner after having to fight off several talented fillies. She saved ground mid-pack before charging down the stretch to pick off her rivals, but both Beach Samba(JPN) by Kurofune(USA) and Victoria(JPN) by Victoire Pisa(JPN) were coming on equally as strong. In the end, the champion got her neck in front for the win with Beach Samba(JPN) in second and Victoria(JPN) a head back in third. They will meet up again in the G1 Shuka Sho in October, but unfortunately, a training injury had led to the early retirement of the talented Victoria(JPN). Hopefully, she will be just as brilliant as a broodmare as she was as a racehorse.
The following day, on September 16th, there was another major G2 acting as a prep for a final three-year-old classic. This time it was the 2200m G2 St. Lite Kinen at Nakayama Racecourse, which serves as a prep for the G1 Kikuka Sho(Japanese St. Ledger). Going against his usual front running style, Lion Lion(JPN) by Rulership(JPN) sat just off the pace skimming the rail. As they turned into the stretch, the colt caused traffic problems for other horses in the race during his enthusiastic leap from off the rail, but at the 200m he hit the lead and with a powerful turn of foot, moved clear of the rest to the field to win by a comfortable two lengths. Satono Lux(JPN) by Deep Impact(JPN) got up for second, neck over Zadar(JPN) by Tosen Ra(JPN), who was third. The top three finishers get automatic entry into the G1 Kikuka Sho(Japanese St. Ledger) in late October.
September 22nd had two strong graded stakes races on the JRA program, one in the east and one in the west. The west side race, the 2400m G2 Kobe Shimbun Hai at Hanshin Racecourse, went off first. It saw the return of the G1 Satsuki Sho(Japanese 2000 Guineas) winner and Champion Two-Year-Old Saturnalia(JPN) by Lord Kanaloa(JPN). His uncharacteristically bad G1 Japanese Derby run didn't phase the blue blood much this time out, and he launched into action as they turned from home, and his victory was never in doubt. Saturnalia(JPN) destroyed his competition, winning by three lengths with his old rival Velox(JPN) by Just a Way(JPN) in second and World Premiere(JPN) by Deep Impact(JPN) a further length and a quarter back in third. All three of them have earned automatic berth into the G1 Kikuka Sho(Japanese St. Ledger), however the talented Saturnalia(JPN) will run in the G1 Tenno Sho Aki against older horses and take on reigning Horse of the Year Almond Eye(JPN) by Lord Kanaloa(JPN) for the first time.
The 2200m G2, All Comers at Nakayama Racecourse, was the next race off in the JRA program where there was a mild upset when fourth favorite Stiffelio(JPN) by Stay Gold(JPN) ran away with the 11-furlong event, going wire to wire. Stiffelio(JPN) didn't have a massive lead as they went around the turf course but found a brilliant second gear as they entered the stretch and pulled away from the pack with ease. The always promising Mikki Swallow(JPN) by Tosen Homareboshi(JPN) could only get within a length and three quarters from the winner to finish second with Grail(JPN) by Heart's Cry(JPN) another half-length back in third. G1 Japanese Derby winner Rey de Oro(JPN) was well-positioned during the race but didn't seem to have his typical turn of foot and ended up fourth.
On September 28th, there was only one graded stakes race in the JRA, the 1700m G3 Sirius Stakes at Hanshin Racecourse, the lone dirt graded stakes this month. Lord Golazo(JPN) by Heart's Cry offered a mild upset as the sixth favorite, taking over in the far turn and holding off a determined Angreifen(JPN) by Stay Gold(JPN) as they hit the wire, keeping his neck in front for the win. Meisho Wazashi(JPN) by I'll Have Another(USA) was a length and three quarters back in third.
On the last Sunday of September, the 29th, there was the first G1 of the fall racing calendar, the 1200m G1 Sprinters Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse. This race is the bookend for Japanese sprinters, especially those who raced in the spring's G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen. With only two G1 sprints in Japan, this race has a lot of clout behind it and is always one that connections with speedy turf horses hope to win. In this year's renewal, the honors went to the talented Tower of London(JPN) by Raven's Pass(USA). While he didn't do much the first half of the year, he set a record time in the G2 Keio Hai Spring Cup in May over 1400m. He followed that up with a second and third placing in two G3s in the late summer months, which lined up the colt perfectly for another record-setting win in the G2 Centaur Stakes. Going into the G1, he and multiple graded stakes winner Danon Smash(JPN) by Lord Kanaloa(JPN) bounced back and forth between being the race's favorite. Ultimately he ended up being the second choice, but he didn't run like it. He came flying down the stretch to catch pacesetter Mozu Superflare(USA) by Speightstown(USA) to win by half a length. Favorite Danon Smash(JPN) had more ground to make up but got up to a neck behind Mozu Superflare(USA). This was the second year in a row that a horse from Godolphin's Japan-based operation has won the Sprinters Stakes with Fine Needle(JPN) winning it last year.
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
E-mail : satomi@bloodstock.jp
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