Japan Horse Racing Tips-Umanity.jp

Alongside the three 3-year-old top-level events at Tokyo Racecourse this month, comes the Grade 1 Victoria Mile, a distaff race that showcases older horses. The 19th running of the 1,600-meter turf competition is the only Japan Racing Association Grade 1 solely for females that excludes 3-year-olds and is open only to those fillies and mares aged 4 years old and up.

Fifteen horses, aged 4 to 6, have been nominated for the race, the smallest number to date for the race, but one that assures all will likely be able to compete. The nominees include two Grade 1 champions - Namur and Stunning Rose. All will vie for a purse now topping JPY281 million, with a first-place prize of JPY130 million.

The spotlight currently focuses on three runners - Namur, returning from Dubai, Masked Diva, coming off a win of the Hanshin Himba Stakes, and Umbrail, the runnerup in the same race.

The competition is also keen in the saddle, as Christophe Lemaire and Keita Tosaki, both tied with most wins of the race at three, vie to gain the lead. Also, Yuga Kawada, Japan’s current leading jockey, and Kenichi Ikezoe are chasing the one final win that will give them wins in all six of the Grade 1 distaffs. Accomplishing the feat would allow one of them to join ranks with only three other jockeys in Japan’s racing history - Yutaka Take, Masayoshi Ebina, and Christophe Lemaire.

The Victoria Mile has proven itself an especially hard race to pick. Over the past decade, though longshots have never won and double-digits outsiders have only appeared in the Top 3 twice (both in third place), the favorite has only won the race two times and finished second twice.

Though there are a couple exceptions, the Top 3 finishers in the Victoria Mile over the last decade have largely raced in either the Grade 2 Hanshin Himba Stakes over 1,600 meters at Hanshin, immediately prior to the Victoria Mile, or one of the Grade 1 events earlier in the year or in the previous year’s Arima Kinen (the Grand Prix). Last year’s Victoria Mile winner Songline surprised coming off a run in the Grade 3 1351 Turf Sprint at Riyadh. The growing number of Japanese horses competing in Saudi Arabia and Dubai earlier in the year could possibly indicate a new trend.

The Victoria Mile starts at the top of the backstretch, with 500 meters to the first turn. Halfway down the backstretch, a downward slope reverses sharply, then drops again around the bend. Runners hit the final hill with 450 meters to go, giving rise to Tokyo’s reputation as Japan’s hardest test of overall strength.

All runners carry 56kg. The race is the 11th on the Tokyo card of 12 and post time is 15:40 local time.

Here’s a look at some of the expected contenders.

Masked Diva: A 4-year-old filly by Rulership, the Ritto-based Masked Diva is an unusual standout, having not followed the usual paths to the heights. Debuting only in her 3-year-old year, she was started over 9-10 furlongs and continued at that distance for her first five races. She showed her talent early on, winning three of those five and capturing the Grade 2 Rose Stakes in record time on her fourth outing. That was followed with a second-place finish one length behind hotshot Liberty Island in the Grade 1 Shuka Sho. Dropping in distance to the mile, she returned four months later for the Grade 3 Tokyo Shimbun Hai, her only race at Tokyo. Boasting a 10-kg gain, she missed the break, which figured largely in her sixth-place finish, but still was only beaten by males, her age and older. Next out she scored her second graded-stakes victory, this time under Joao Moreira in the Grade 2 Hanshin Himba Stakes. She, along with Ten Happy Rose (sixth in the Hanshin Himba Stakes), is one of two Victoria Mile nominees bred by Shadai Farm. The farm has fielded runners in the race every year since its inauguration, but has failed to score another win since its 3-year winning streak came to an end in 2009. Trainer Yasuyuki Tsujino is gunning for his first win of the race and Moreira is expected up again.

Namur: Namur, a Harbinger 5-year-old, finished in seventh place here last year, with interference in the stretch a factor. She immediately returned in the Yasuda Kinen after that, but beat only two horses over the line in the field of 18. Four months later, however, she was back in form. Returning to Tokyo, she captured the Grade 2 Fuji Stakes over 1,600 meters, then a month later won the Grade 1 Mile Championship at Kyoto. From there, she jetted to foreign lands, scoring a third in the Hong Kong Mile, then a second in the Dubai Turf, both top-level events. Unlike Masked Diva, Namur is proven in mixed competition. She has gone up against the colts and horses and won or topped many of them. She has had seven different riders over her 15 outings, including three foreign-based jockeys. This time she looks to make it eight, with Yutaka Take expected up for the first time. Namur chases her second Grade 1 win and Take his second of the Victoria Mile, following his win with Vodka in 2009.

Umbrail: From the Miho stable of Tetsuya Kimura, comes the 4-year-old Lord Kanaloa filly Umbrail. Acing her first two starts, Umbrail quickly reached the heights, taking on her first mile with the Grade 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies. She missed the break and was never able to catch up, finishing 15th of 18. In her five starts since, she has failed to find the winner’s circle, but has come close, with three seconds, two in Grade 2s and one in last year’s Grade 1 NHK Mile Cup, where she missed the win by only a head. Last out in the Hanshin Himba Stakes, Umbrail, with new partner Yuga Kawada, scored a second half a length behind Masked Diva. Now back at the same venue as the NHK Mile Cup, Umbrail will try to make up the distance. Kawada is expected up again.

Moryana: A Miho-based 4-year-old by Ephiphaneia, Moryana finished third in the Hanshin Himba Stakes last out. Posting a lackluster 12-6-5 in her three Grade 1 bids, the first two over a mile, Moryana once again caught fans’ eyes when she won the Grade 2 Shion Stakes over 2,000 meters, at Nakayama after heading into the stretch with only one of the 17 runners behind her. She won the race with a blistering final three-furlong time of 34.3 seconds. In the Hanshin Himba Stakes, he also had the field’s top speed of 32.9 seconds over the final 600 meters. This talent may help her over the long Tokyo stretch in what will be only her second time at the venue.

Stunning Rose: Stunning Rose, a 5-year-old by King Kamehameha, was off to a fine start from her debut and rose to finish second in the 2022 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) before capturing the Grade 1 Shuka Sho. From there, however, it was a downhill ride, one that saw her finish far off the front in her next four outings. Twelfth here last year, she was given nearly a year off due to injury. She returned in the Osaka Hai on March 31, where she finished in eighth place, but her time was only 0.5 seconds off the winner’s. Now, in her second start from her return, hopes are high her previous talent may once again be seen.

Others to keep an eye on include:

Harper recorded 4-2-3 in last year’s filly Classics respectively, and finished third in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup amid older fillies and mares. She won both of her mile events, but her 9-13 result in the Arima Kinen and Osaka Hai tarnished her popularity rating. Back with only females and at a mile, she’s not one to overlook.
It will be the first Grade 1 for Fierce Pride, a Deep Impact mare now 6 years old, who won the Grade 3 Turquoise Stakes over 1,600 meters at Nakayama at yearend. Prepped with the Grade 3 Nakayama Himba Stakes on March 9, she’s expected to be partnered once again with Christophe Lemaire.

Jantar Mantar, sent to post second pick, displayed a strong run to rule in this year’s NHK Mile Cup and took home his second G1 trophy. Undefeated in all three starts last season, which included victories in the Daily Hai Nisai Stakes (G2, 1,600m) and the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes (G1,1,600m), the son of Palace Malice was duly named Best Two-Year-Old Colt of 2023. He kicked off his three-year-old campaign with a second in the Kyodo News Hai (G3, 1,800m) in February and had just come off turning in a third in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, G1, 2,000m) on April 14. For both trainer Tomokazu Takano and jockey Yuga Kawada, this is their first JRA-G1 victory since the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes win with the colt. Takano is now the proud owner of seven G1 titles while Kawada now boasts 27.

Jantar Mantar broke sharply from a wide stall and was settled in around fifth, next to the race favorite in the backstretch, before gradually making headway after the third corner to hit the straight in third. After a tenacious climb up the stretch hill, the dark bay colt kicked into gear, took over the front before the 200-meter pole and charged home in a comfortable 2-1/2-length victory.

“I had every confidence in my colt. Once we were off, I knew he was going to win, there were no doubts in my mind. He ran in good rhythm and showed his true strength. Concerns of his tight schedule—his latest Satsuki Sho start being only three weeks before—obviously was nothing to be worried about. I hope I can prove he is the best miler in Japan in the future,” commented Yuga Kawada who rode his second NHK Mile Cup winner after Danon Scorpion in 2022.

2023 Best Two-Year-Old Filly and race favorite Ascoli Piceno secured an early position in fifth to sixth before making her bid rounding the final turns with much left in the tank but found herself trapped behind horses in early stretch. Under jockey Christophe Lemaire, who just made his comeback after recovering from injuries sustained in March in Dubai, the Daiwa Major filly struggled for room and clipped heels but found her stride once on a clear path along the rails near the 200-meter marker and surged from there with good speed to steal second place.

Tenth choice Logi Leon ran around eighth behind the top two favorites, met traffic at the top of the stretch but found an opening at the 400-meter pole and launched a strong charge but while unable to cut the gap with the winner, was pinned by the fast-closing runner-up just before the wire, securing third place by a neck.

Other Horses:
4th: (12) Gonbade Qabus—traveled wide around 9th, launched 2nd fastest late kick but was too late
5th: (4) Ipheion—settled around 6th on rails, checked 300m out, ran willingly thereafter
6th: (7) Channel Tunnel—sat around 11th, passed rivals one by one in last 200m
7th: (3) Di Speranza—raced around 12th, drifted 300m out, showed effort thereafter
8th: (10) Water Licht—sat wide around 12th, failed to respond to reach contention
9th: (18) Arsenaal—broke poorly, ran 2nd from rear, circled wide, showed fastest late kick but belatedly
10th: (8) Enya Love Faith—settled wide around 6th, lacked needed kick at stretch
12th: (2) Noble Roger—saved ground around 9th, unable to reach contention
11th: (17) Yukino Royal—raced wide around 15th, even paced at stretch
13th: (1) Danon McKinley—hugged rails around 12th, showed effort after meeting traffic at early stretch
14th: (11) Arranger—traveled around 15th, struggled to find clear path, never threatened
15th: (15) Mask All Win—prominent in 2nd or 3rd, took brief lead at early stretch, dropped back
16th: (13) Strauss—unhurried and trailed in far rear, no factor
17th: (5) Bond Girl—rallied for lead then eased back to 2nd, checked 300m out, lost momentum
18th: (9) Captaincy—rallied for lead, sustained lead, checked 300m out, faded

So close, yet so far.

Forever Young missed out on history by a whisker as the Japanese colt placed third after an epic photo finish in the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Down on Saturday (May 4).

The $5 million (USD) race, a record purse for the Derby, came down to a three-way bobbing of the heads seized by Mystik Dan by a nose over Sierra Leone, the most expensive horse in the field of 20 at $2.3 million.

The Yoshito Yahagi-trained Forever Young - who went off as the second betting favorite - was another nose back in third in the tightest finish since 1947, and certainly one of the most dramatic in the race’s history.

Forever Young, by Grade 1 Dubai Turf winner Real Steel out of Forever Darling, produced the best result ever by a Japanese horse at the Derby, bettering Master Fencer in 2019 and Derma Sotogake last year who both finished sixth. Since Ski Captain in 1995, six horses from Japan have taken their shot in the Run for the Roses.

The other JRA entry, T O Password trained by Daisuke Takayanagi, also impressed, closing out the 2,000-meter race hard to come in fifth.

The look and words of esteemed eight-time overseas G1 winner Yahagi said it all about how close they were to rewriting the record books in one of the most revered races in the world. It was the first defeat for Forever Young in six career starts.

“I just have one thing to say - frustration,” said Yahagi, who was visibly shaken after his horse flirted with history. “The horse was fantastic. He ran his heart out. To run the way he did in conditions that are far from easy for a Japanese horse, I simply tip my hat.

“But as close as we got, I really wanted to see us win. We must take our lessons from this and I am absolutely convinced this is something we can build on. I hope we can make him become the best racehorse on the planet. To all those who supported us, I just want to offer my apologies for coming up so short.”

Jockey Ryusei Sakai was equally despondent by the stinging outcome not only for Team Yahagi but all of Japanese racing.

“It hurts, full stop. I’m grateful I had the opportunity to ride in this amazing race. The horse was in great condition and seeing how close we were, I would have liked to win it,” he said.

The Kentucky Derby got under way with long shots Track Phantom and Just Steel pacing the early going. Forever Young, leaving from the No. 11 stall with the Kazushi Kimura-ridden T O Password to his outside, stumbled off the blocks. The Japanese pair traveled towards the back.

Rounding for home in front of the largest crowd at Churchill Downs since 2018 of 156,710, Sakai pushed Forever Young on the outside with Sierra Leone right next to him. Mystik Dan slipped through along the rail where he would find a clear path towards the wire.

But Forever Young and Sierra Leone didn’t make it easy for him, charging towards the line with a fury to force the photos that took minutes to judge. The winning time was 2 minutes, 3.34 seconds.

T O Password, by Copano Rickey out of T O Rachel, took the tape by a distance but Takayanagi appeared to be pleased by the effort from his colt, who only raced for the third time in his promising career.

“If he had a bit more experience, I think it would have led to a better start and positioning during the race, and it showed in the end,” the trainer said. “The plan was to sit somewhere in the middle - though obviously not out in front.

“He was a little worked up before the race but was all right by the time he was in his seat at the paddock. If he can continue to race the way he did today, he should be able to more than perform in Japan going down the road. It was only his third start, he should mature emotionally from hereon.”

Echoing the trainer was Kimura who said:

“The horse gave it everything he had. He was strong down the stretch. When I first worked him, he acted like a kid at times. But he grew up. He didn’t break as he usually does in Japan because of his experience, but he adjusted during the trip and did a good job of chasing, finishing strong. I think we can expect a lot from him if he can build on this.”

In another race featuring a Japanese runner at Churchill Downs over the weekend, T O Saint Denis, also ridden by Sakai and trained by Takayanagi, came in second behind First Mission in the G2 1,700m Alysheba Stakes on Friday.

Starting off five consecutive weeks of top-level JRA action at Tokyo Racecourse, the Grade 1 NHK Mile Cup will be run on Sunday, May 5, to give 3-year-olds their chance of glory over a mile, as opposed to the longer distances of the Grade 1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) and the Grade 1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), both run later on at Tokyo this month.

The Grade 1 NHK Mile Cup was first run in 1996, and it became an international race in 2009. The tough Tokyo mile is a true test for the 3-year-olds, even though some of them have already proved themselves at Hanshin in the Grade 1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) earlier this year, or as 2-year-olds in Grade 1 races also run at Hanshin in 2023. However, conquering the long homestraight at Tokyo is definitely one of the keys to success in this week’s big race.

There are 27 nominations for this year’s NHK Mile Cup, with a maximum field size of 18, so there’s plenty of competition for a place in the final line-up. No geldings are permitted to run, and colts carry 57kg, with a 2kg allowance given to fillies. The race often throws up a winner at a big price, as was the case last year when Champagne Color won as the ninth favorite. Just two first favorites have won in the last 10 years, with Major Emblem being the last one in 2016. The last filly to win was Aerolithe in 2017. Record time for the race is still held by Danon Chantilly, who won back in 2010 in a time of 1 minute, 31.4 seconds. This year’s winner’s check is JPY 130 million (about USD 900,000).

Two official trial races leading into this week’s feature race have been the Grade 2 New Zealand Trophy, run at Nakayama over a mile in April, and the Grade 3 Arlington Cup, also run over a mile in April, but at Hanshin.

The 29th running of the NHK Mile Cup will be Race 11 on the Sunday card at Tokyo, with a post time of 15:40 local time. Final declarations and the barrier draw will be available later in the week. Here’s a look at some of the runners expected to take on the race:

Ascoli Piceno: The Daiwa Major filly might have lost her unbeaten record last time in the Grade 1 Oka Sho in early April, but there was very little in it at the finish, and she will be back at Tokyo this time, where she won on her debut as a 2-year-old over 1,400 meters. Trainer Yoichi Kuroiwa said: “She handled the transportation over to the track well for the Oka Sho, and despite starting slowly in the race, she quickly recovered to get a good position. She got bumped a little turning for home, but despite this, she still ran on well. She’s recovered from that race without any problems, and we’ve been able to make this next race the target for her.”

Jantar Mantar: The Best Two-Year-Old Colt of 2023 has had two races as a 3-year-old, finishing second in the Grade 3 Kyodo News Hai over 1,800 meters at Tokyo in February, and most recently placing third in the Grade 1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) at Nakayama in April. Trainer Tomokazu Takano commented on the horse: “He wasn’t able to hold off the other two horses in the closing stages last time, and just couldn’t find any more at the end, but I was still satisfied with his third-place finish. He’s a top-class horse with a lot of ability.” Coming back in trip looks ideal for the son of Palace Malice, and Yuga Kawada, who is currently at the top of the jockeys’ table, is expected to take the ride once again.

Bond Girl: The filly has had an interrupted career so far, and it will be interesting to see if she can realize some of her potential here, after having her first run of 2024, which saw her finish second in the Grade 2 New Zealand Trophy at Nakayama. Trainer Takahisa Tezuka said: “She had to miss the Juvenile Fillies last year, so we then thought about going directly to the Oka Sho, but she couldn’t get balloted into that. The New Zealand Trophy became her next race, and despite being off for a while, she put in a good run. The jockey was riding her for the first time, and thought she got into a good rhythm in the race. What’s more, it gained her some valuable prize money to get entered into races from now.” Yutaka Take looks set once again to ride the filly by Daiwa Major.

Noble Roger: It will be just the fourth career start for Noble Roger, and he has two wins and a second to his name up to now. He is coming off a second-place finish to the useful Meisho Tabaru in the Grade 3 Mainichi Hai over 1,800 meters at Hanshin in March, where the ground probably made all the difference. “It was the first time for him to run over 1,800 meters last time, but he was patient throughout the race,” said assistant trainer Sho Tajima. “It made a big difference, with the winner running on the inside, but he showed a lot of power to stay on and finish second.” Noble Roger is an American-bred colt by Palace Malice.

Ecoro Bloom: Sire Daiwa Major looks to be well represented in the race, and Ecoro Bloom would certainly have a chance on his win over a mile in the Grade 2 New Zealand Trophy. That victory impressed his trainer, Yukihiro Kato. “Speaking to the rider last time, he said it was important for the horse to find a good rhythm. Turning for home in his last race, the gap between horses closed on him, but he was able to switch to the outside and regain his speed. It showed that he’s a horse with some ability,” the trainer said. Takeshi Yokoyama rode Ecoro Bloom to that inspiring victory last time, and is expected to ride him again this Sunday.

Danon McKinley: An expensive purchase at the 2022 Select Sale, the colt by Maurice has won three times from his five career starts to date, and got back to winning ways last time, when he finished well to take out the Grade 3 Chunichi Sports Sho Falcon Stakes over 1,400 meters at Chukyo. Comments from assistant trainer Nobuyuki Tashiro were: “It was important for him to get into the flow of the race last time, and in the homestraight he used his turn of foot to good effect. We were also pleased that he could get a result racing left-handed. He’s been working well in the meantime, and mentally things have improved with him.”

Di Speranza: The colt by Rulership is unbeaten over a mile, and has won his last two races, the latest being the Grade 3 Arlington Cup, when he was ridden by Joao Moreira. Assistant trainer Sho Tajima said: “Two starts ago, he was well back in the run, but last time he could get a better early position in the race, so he’s showed us different ways of racing. Switching to the outside in the homestraight last time worked very well, and he’s now won two consecutive races over a mile.”

Strauss: Another colt by Maurice, Strauss has won twice at Tokyo from three starts at the track, even though he didn’t have much luck in running last time, when finishing ninth in the Grade 3 Falcon Stakes. Strauss is trained by Ryo Takei, and the trainer recently commented on the horse: “In the Falcon Stakes, the ground favored the frontrunners on the inside, so instructions were to keep him on the inside. He ran patiently, but couldn’t get a clear run at the end. I thought it was a good step race for him, and since returning to the stable, he’s been his usual self.”

Mention should also go to Gonbade Qabus, a colt trained by Noriyuki Hori, and it will be the horse’s first run as a 3-year-old. The colt by Bricks and Mortar looks set to be ridden by Joao Moreira.