Japan Horse Racing Tips-Umanity.jp|TAKARAZUKA KINEN(G1) is held this weekend

Eighth Favorite Danon Kingly crushed defending champion Gran Alegria’s high hopes of a consecutive Yasuda Kinen title in a close finish at the wire to score his first and much awaited grade one victory. The son of Deep Impact kicked off his career with three back-to-back wins, in which one was the Kyodo News Hai (G3), before turning in a third in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, G1, 2,000m) and a second in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1, 2,400m) in 2019. Although adding two graded titles thereafter—the Mainichi Okan (G2, 1,800m) that year and the Nakayama Kinen (G2, 1,800m) the following season—third in the Osaka Hai (2,000m) last year was his best finish in all of the other G1 challenges that followed and the dark bay was given a long break after running a disappointing 12th in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1, 2,000m) last November. Trainer Kiyoshi Hagiwara has notched his fourth JRA-G1 victory—his latest was with Normcore in the 2019 Victoria Mile. Jockey Yuga Kawada now has three Yasuda Kinen trophies on his shelf—the first two were with Maurice (2015) and Satono Aladdin (2017)—he now has a total of 18 JRA-G1 wins while his latest was the Osaka Hai on board Lei Papale.

Breaking from stall 11, five-year-old Danon Kingly traveled two-wide in mid-pack a couple of lengths in front of the favorite while Daiwa Cagney led the field in front. Still near the rear at the final bend, the son of Deep Impact took a center-lane path and unleashed a determined stretch run climbing the Tokyo course hill to finally draw even with Indy Champ and Schnell Meister at the front along with Gran Alegria who also came looming up from the inside 100 meters out. While Indy Champ and Schnell Meister weakened after a brief rally in the final strides, Danon Kingly narrowly held off the strong challenge from the defending champion by a head margin.

‟He felt a bit tense first entering the track but he had good rhythm during the trip and had plenty of horse left. He responded just as I hoped turning the last corner and ran well after that. Although he hasn’t been able to put in the best results in the past, he has definitely demonstrated his true strength today and I’m happy to have been a part of it in my first time in the saddle,” commented Yuga Kawada.

On target to notch her second Yasuda Kinen title, clear favorite Gran Alegria was reserved fourth from the rear and found herself trapped behind a wall of horses in the straight. The only mare contender finally weaved through horses with the fastest stretch speed to reach contention in the last half furlong and dug in fiercely but was too late and succumbed to second.

Three-year-old and fourth pick Schnell Meister took a wide trip down the backstretch sitting outside 2019 Yasuda Kinen champion Indy Champ while gradually making headway up to fifth before hitting the top of the stretch. With the eventual winner on his outside and runner-up behind him, this year’s NHK Mile Cup winner ran strongly to reach the front 100 meters out and joined a brief rally with three older foes but lacked the final kick and was a 1/2-length from the runner-up in third.

Other Horses:
4th: (8) Indy Champ—settled around 5th, advanced smoothly to take command 200m out, weakened in last 100m
5th: (9) Taurus Gemini—stalked leader in 2nd, showed tenacity after overtaken by top 4 finishers in last 200m
6th: (10) Cadenas—trailed near rear, entered lane in last, showed belated charge
7th: (6) Danon Premium—chased leaders around 3rd along rails, ran gamely until 100m out
8th: (1) Salios—hugged rails around 9th inside eventual winner, met traffic 200m out, accelerated thereafter
9th: (2) Gibeon—saved ground around 5th, showed effort until 200m out, weakened
10th: (12) Cadence Call—sat 3-wide around 9th outside heavy favorite, lacked needed kick
11th: (3) Daiwa Cagney—set pace, sustained lead until 200m pole, fell back thereafter
12th: (14) Catedral—traveled 3-wide around 12th, even paced after turning home
13th: (4) Karate—took economic trip around 12th, showed little at stretch
14th: (7) Lauda Sion—tracked leaders around 3rd, checked 200m out and faded

This coming Sunday, June 6, the Grade 1 Yasuda Kinen wraps up six straight Sundays of top-level racing before a two-week break until the Takarazuka Kinen, the Japan Racing Association’s Grade 1 finale for the year’s first half. The Yasuda Kinen is a 1,600-meter turf competition open to 3-year-olds and up staged at Tokyo Racecourse.

The Yasuda Kinen attracts the best milers, not only from Japan but also from overseas. The 71st running of the race, however, will be an all-Japan event with 15 nominees ranging in age from 3 to 7, among them six Grade 1 winners and two previous Yasuda Kinen champions. Two females will also be in the mix, one of them five-time G1 champion Gran Alegria and winner of the Victoria Mile on May 16.

Gran Alegria, who won the Yasuda Kinen last year, is on target to go to the gate as the race favorite and, with the stellar performances females have given in the race’s last three runnings, her outlook is bright. Of the total eight fillies and mare participating in 2018, 2019 and 2020, only two have not made the top three spots. Last year, third-place finisher Indy Champ prevented the girls from making it a clean sweep, as Gran Alegria, Almond Eye and Normcore made it home in first, second and fourth.

The Yasuda Kinen carries a purse of nearly JPY282 million, with JPY130 million going to the winner. The race record of 1 minute 30.9 seconds was set by Indy Champ in 2019. 4-year-olds and up carry 58 kg, 3-year-olds carry 54 kg, and females are given a 2kg allowance. The Yasuda Kinen is the 11th race on the Sunday card at Tokyo. Post time is 3:40 p.m.

Here’s a look at the expected popular picks:

Gran Alegria: A 5-year-old daughter of Deep Impact, Gran Alegria has shown brightly throughout her career. Nine of her 12 career starts have been Grade 1 events, five of them at Tokyo. She has won mile-long G1 races for four times - the 2019 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas), the 2020 Yasuda Kinen and Mile Championship and this year’s Victoria Mile, which she won by 4 lengths under 55 kg. This time she’ll carry 56 kg, but she did it last year beating Almond Eye by 2 1/2 lengths. The weight shouldn’t be a problem, but the tight rotation (her tightest ever) does give cause for concern. Last year she took on the Yasuda Kinen fresh, having had more than two months off since the Takamatsunomiya Kinen. Almond Eye, whom she beat, was coming off a win of the Victoria Mile, as Gran Alegria is this year. Gran Alegria’s trainer, the Miho-based Kazuo Fujisawa, is looking to notch his fourth win of the Yasuda Kinen. Jockey Christophe Lemaire, who has won the race once before, in 2018 aboard Mozu Ascot, is pegged for the ride,

Salios: Also based at Miho is the 4-year-old colt Salios, being given only his second race of the year and after posting 5-5 in his last two starts, the Mile Championship last fall, and the Osaka Hai in early April. Trainer Noriyuki Hori debuted Salios over the mile and the son of Heart’s Cry scored three wins straight, all over the distance and including the Grade 1 Asahi Hai Futurity States. Continuing on the Classic path, he finished second in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) and Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) to Contrail. Back at the mile in November, Salios met Gran Alegria for the first time, in the Mile Championship. He missed the break, raced from the rear, and finished fifth 0.4 seconds off winner Gran Alegria. In the Osaka Hai, jockey Kohei Matsuyama did a good job of keeping the colt close to the pace, but was beaten to fifth place by 6 lengths off the winner. This time, with a return to the Tokyo mile, over which Salios has won twice, and Matsuyama set to ride again, the winner’s circle may be within grasp. Salios will, however, be racing under 58 kg, his heaviest to date by 1 kg, and 3 kg more than he has won under yet. Trainer Hori ties Kazuo Fujisawa with three wins of the Yasuda Kinen.

Schnell Meister: The only 3-year-old in the field, the Kingman-sired Schnell Meister will go up against older horses for the first time in his still-young career. Only his fifth start, the Yasuda Kinen is a big step up after the NHK Mile Cup, which he won by a nose under jockey Christophe Lemaire. Here, Schnell Meister will definitely have the weight advantage, a full 3 kg less than he ran under in the NHK Mile Cup and the lightest since his debut. Though Schnell Meister made second in the 2,000-meter Grade 2 Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho Deep Impact Kinen, his three wins have all been in the 1,500-1,600 range. Trainer Takahisa Tezuka, based at Miho, says his colt spent some time at the farm after his G1 win. “He’s mentally mature and shows no signs of fatigue or wear and tear. This is his second time at Tokyo. I expect to see improvement. Even with his weight advantage, there’s a very strong contender, so I’m hoping he’ll rise to the challenge.” The last time a 3-year-old won the Yasuda Kinen was with Real Impact in 2011.

Indy Champ: Indy Champ is a 6-year-old by Stay Gold, who excelled at distance, but Indy Champ’s dam was a successful sprinter and their son has proven highly consistent over anything from 1,200-1,800 meters, with seven of his eight wins coming over the mile. He won the 2019 Yasuda Kinen and finished in third place 3 lengths behind Gran Alegria here last year. He’s fresh, with only two other starts this year, his last a third in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen. Most importantly, Indy Champ is an extremely reliable horse that has missed the top three spots only five times in his 20 starts thus far. He has missed the board only once. “Gran Alegria is strong, but this horse is proven at the mile,” says the Ritto-based trainer Hidetaka Otonashi. “He’s in good shape and with one final workout this week, he’ll be ready to go.” Six of Otonashi’s 13 Grade 1 wins have been over the mile.

Lauda Sion: A 4-year-old colt by Real Impact, Lauda Sion has been raced predominately over 1,200-1,400 meters and nine of his 12 starts have seen him make the top three spots. His four starts at the mile have brought him 8-1-2-15, including a win of last year’s NHK Mile Cup and a second in the Grade 2 Fuji Stakes at Tokyo last October. He is 1-1-2-1 at Tokyo and just won the Grade 2 Spring Cup over 1,400 meters on May 15 under jockey Mirco Demuro. The 58 kg he’ll be saddled with will be his heaviest weight ever. Demuro is expected up again and, just off his second win of the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks), he’ll be gunning for his first Yasuda Kinen victory. “The jockey really knows him and did a great job. The turns aren’t tight and that makes racing easier for him at Tokyo,” trainer Takashi Saito commented.

Others to watch are:

Cadence Call ran second in the 2019 NHK Mile Cup, then slumped through the rest of the year, with his best finish a fifth place in eight starts. This year, he’s back with a vengeance, scoring 1-2-1 in his three starts, all at the graded-stakes level, two at the mile. Looking good in trackwork is Danon Premium, taking on his first race since returning from Hong Kong. He has posted an unusually poor 16-13 in his past two Yasuda starts, but in 2019 suffered serious interference, and last year he was just back from a brutal run down over a sloppy track. He has three wins over the mile, one in a Grade 3 at Tokyo. Danon Kingly finished seventh here last year 0.8 seconds behind the winner, but the 5-year-old son of Deep Impact has won three of his six Tokyo starts, including the Grade 2 Mainichi Okan and the Grade 3 Kyodo News Hai (Tokinominoru Kinen), both over 1,800 meters. Catedral, another son of Heart’s Cry, is 2-2 this year, both over the mile, one of them at Tokyo. Chronically late at the break, he finished in third a nose behind Cadence Call and ahead of Gran Alegria in the 2019 NHK Mile Cup. He’s not to be overlooked if he gets away smoothly.

Fourth favorite Shahryar demonstrated terrific late speed to renew the race record by 0.1 second, claiming his first G1 victory in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby). A full brother to 2017 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) victor Al Ain, Shahryar won his only start as a two-year-old in October last year and was third to Efforia in the Kyodo News Hai in February then came off his first grade-race victory which was in record time in the Mainichi Hai (G3, 1,800m) on March 27. He becomes the seventh Derby winner for sire Deep Impact after Deep Brillante (2012), Kizuna (2013), Makahiki (2016), Wagnerian (2018), Roger Barows (2019) and Contrail (2020). Trainer Hideaki Fujiwara captured his 11th JRA-G1 title—his last victory was with Mr. Melody in the 2019 Takamatsunomiya Kinen—and second Derby title after Eishin Flash in 2010. Jockey Yuichi Fukunaga won his first G1 win since May in the Tenno Sho (Spring) with Word Premiere and 30th overall. This was his third Derby title which he also won with Wagnerian and Contrail.

Shahryar broke smoothly under Yuichi Fukunaga who guided the Deep Impact colt gradually to the inside and edged nearer to the race favorite, already tailing that foe entering the backstretch in mid division behind a moderate pace set by Bathrat Leon. As the field moved closer approaching the final corner, Shahryar found himself caught behind horses as Fukunaga tried to switch the colt to the outside entering the stretch while Efforia who waited in the inside had no trouble shifting out just before the 400-meter pole and was already looking well on his way to capturing another Classic victory. Shahryar however, turned in a terrific turn of speed as soon as he was freed from traffic, engaging in a duel with Efforia in the last 100 meter and claiming his first G1 title in just his fourth career start.

“It’s so great to have won the Derby which I had made it my target with this colt ever since his debut. We were keeping an eye on the race favorite but the race didn’t go as smoothly as planned and we were in a tight spot so we were forced to make our charge late, but this colt really gave a terrific effort,” commented Yuichi Fukunaga.

Efforia took advantage of the inside draw and chased the leader in around third up to the backstretch then eventually allowed to settle around fifth or sixth along the rails. Jockey Takeshi Yokoyama waited patiently until an opening presented itself soon after entering the stretch where he guided the Epiphaneia colt out to the center lane. The Satsuki Sho victor responded and increased his speed, assuming command in the last 200 meters where he was soon joined by the eventual winner. Although maintaining his bid right up to the finish line, his winning streak was put to a stop and was denied his second Triple Crown title by a nose margin.
Stella Veloce was well behind early around third or fourth from the rear and gradually made headway along the last two corners while having to make up ground on the outside. Shifting further out to avoid traffic after entering the straight, the Bago colt loomed to contention from where he still had ten or so rivals in front with 200 meters to go, grabbing the place in the last minute by a nose.

Other Horses:
4th: (13) Great Magician—sat around 13th, accelerated for 3rd, overtaken by Stella Veloce before wire
5th: (16) Satono Reinas—gradually advanced to 2nd, fought well to lead, weakened in last 100m
6th: (14) Titleholder—tracked leader in 2nd, angled out at early stretch, showed effort until 100m out
7th: (8) Yoho Lake—ran around 9th, struggled to find clear path until 200m pole, quickened thereafter
8th: (7) Gratias— advanced to 2nd by 2nd corner, led briefly after 400 marker, weakened in last 200m
9th: (6) Baji O—saved ground around 5th, gradually fell back, showed effort until 100m out
10th: (12) Wonderful Town—ran 3-wide around 10th outside eventual winner, lacked needed kick
11th: (4) Red Genesis—trailed in far rear, showed effort along rails up to 200m pole, weakened thereafter
12th: (9) Lagom—settled 3-wide around 10th, met traffic briefly at top of stretch, even paced
13th: (3) Time to Heaven—took economic trip around 10th, angled out, never fired
14th: (2) Victipharus—chased pace around 3rd, in contention until 300m out, faded
15th: (17) Bathrat Leon—set pace and sustained lead until 400m pole, ran out of steam
16th: (5) Deep Monster—raced 3-wide around 13th, advanced to 4th in backstretch, outrun
17th: (15) Admire Hadar— traveled in 16th, made headway to 4th in backstretch, unable to respond

The big race this coming Sunday (May 30) is certainly one of the biggest of the year, when the Grade 1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) will be run at Tokyo Racecourse, following on from the fillies in the Grade 1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) last week. The second leg of the Triple Crown once again looks an exciting prospect, with the colt Efforia poised to become the 25th horse in Japanese racing history to follow up a win in the Grade 1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) with a victory in the second of the colts’ Classics. He is also bidding to become just the eighth horse to win the first two Triple Crown races as an unbeaten colt. He will once again need to be at the top of his game, with so much emerging talent just waiting in the wings.

The Grade 1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) was first run in 1932, and with there being no race held in 1945 and 1946, this year marks the 88th running of the race, and it’s run over 2,400 meters on the turf track, with the start just in front of the grandstands. This year, once again unfortunately, only limited numbers will be permitted at the course to witness one of the big highlights of the racing year.

This year’s race has attracted 18 nominations, but with a recent injury ruling out last year’s Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes winner Danon the Kid, it’s looking like the number of runners will be 17, if all the others stand their ground. There is one filly among the nominations, Satono Reinas, and she is attempting to become just the fourth filly to win, after Vodka in 2007 was the last one to break a 64- year domination for the colts. The top five finishers in the Grade 1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) all receive automatic entry into the Derby, and all five are among the entries this year. All horses carry a set weight of 57kg, with just Satono Reinas able to claim a 2kg allowance.

For the last nine years, the race has been run on good to firm ground, but with Japan’s rainy season kicking in early, things could be different this time. Four first favorites have won in the past ten years, with Contrail the latest just last year. Apart from the Grade 1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas), other lead up races have included the Grade 2 TV Tokyo Hai Aoba Sho, run in May over the course and distance of the Derby, and the Grade 2 Kyoto Shimbun Hai, this year run at Chukyo over 2,200 meters also in May. Prize money this year amounts to a total of JPY 432 million, with JPY 200 million (just under USD 2 million) going to the winner. Record time for the race was set by the big outsider, Roger Barows, in 2019, when he shocked everyone by not only winning, but also stopping the clock in a time of 2 minutes 22.6 seconds.
The Grade 1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) will be Race 11 on the Sunday card at Tokyo, with a post time locally of 15:40. The final declarations and barrier draw will be announced later in the week.

Here’s a look at some of the runners expected to take on this year’s race:

Efforia: Unbeaten in his four career starts so far, the son of Epiphaneia is a strong candidate to carry off a victory here, after his emphatic win in the Grade1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) last time. He has already won twice at Tokyo, and it’s a fact that good horses can come out on top at any track. Trainer Yuichi Shikato said, “I was a bit concerned by the ground in his last race, but he showed what class he has, and he just seems to be getting better with every race. The Tokyo 2,400 meters will suit his running style.” The trainer is looking for just his third JRA Grade 1 success, and a lot rests on the shoulders of young jockey Takeshi Yokoyama, who will want to notch just his second top-level win aboard Efforia.

Satono Reinas: Connections have decided to take on the Derby with the Deep Impact filly, and while she looks well suited to the course and distance, taking on and overcoming the colts always seems like a tough assignment. “In the Oka Sho she drew a wide gate, which kept her wide for most of the race, and that was all that was in it between her and the winner. I think of her as a horse that can stay further, and so with the weight allowance she’ll get this time, it’s been decided that she’ll go up against the colts here,” said trainer Sakae Kunieda. Satono Reinas will be ridden by jockey Christophe Lemaire, who has ridden her in all her races so far.

Wonderful Town: The son of Rulership looks to be going in the right direction after his latest win in the Grade 2 TV Tokyo Hai Aoba Sho over the Derby course and distance in May. He’s now won his last two races. Trainer Yoshitada Takahashi said, “Due to hoof problems, he couldn’t run in the Satsuki Sho, so the Aoba Sho became his next target, and after his good win in that race, we’re able to look to this next one with him. He’s a horse with a big stride and these longer distances suit him.” Jockey Ryuji Wada has struck up a good partnership with the horse, and will ride him again this time too.

Titleholder: Second to Efforia in the Grade 1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas), it might be hard to reverse the placings after the latter’s strong victory, but Titleholder has only been unplaced once in his five career races, and it’s easy to see him being competitive once more. Trainer Toru Kurita said, “Since his last race, he’s been at the farm, and he came back to the stable on May 6. Just recently we’ve been getting him ready once more, and he’ll do some stronger work with his race jockey a week before the race.”

Shahryar: A colt by Deep Impact, Shahryar has only had the three races, but he’s coming off a win in record time in the Grade 3 Mainichi Hai over 1,800 meters at Hanshin in March, and he was third to Efforia back in February in the Grade 3 Kyodo News Hai (Tokinominoru Kinen) over 1,800 meters at Tokyo. Assistant trainer Nobuyuki Tashiro stated: “It was a good win in his last race, with a very fast time, showing how good his reactions are. It became clear that a run in the Derby would be his next target.”

Stella Veloce: The colt by Bago has been just a little unlucky in his races, finishing behind Efforia in two of his runs, but he looks to have enough talent to make his presence felt in Grade 1 races. Trainer Naosuke Sugai commented: “The inside draw last time was about the only negative thing in his Satsuki Sho run. With the extended distance and a wider track this time, he should have no problem in adjusting to how the race is run.” Jockey Hayato Yoshida looks set to take the ride on Stella Veloce.

Great Magician: A horse that just made his debut last November as a 2-year-old, Great Magician has two wins from three starts, and those wins have come at Tokyo, both over 1,800 meters. He’s coming off a second-place finish to Shahryar in the Grade 3 Mainichi Hai, a performance that quite impressed his trainer, Keisuke Miyata. “It was a fast run race last time, but he got a good forward position, and just at the finish he possibly lost a bit of concentration. Nevertheless, I could rate him just about the same as the winner,” said the trainer, who is looking for his first Grade 1 victory.

Red Genesis: A runner for the Tokyo Horse Racing Co. Ltd., Red Genesis is another among the entries by Deep Impact, and he comes to the race after winning the Grade 2 Kyoto Shimbun Hai, this year run at Chukyo over 2,200 meters in May. That was his first graded race win of his three victories to date, and his development is taking trainer Yasuo Tomomichi a little by surprise. “Jockey Yuga Kawada has taught the horse to great effect, and it’s clear to see in the horse’s races. I thought he’d be a horse to look to come the autumn, but he’s maturing a lot faster than I would have expected,” commented the trainer recently.