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

In response to the coronavirus outbreak, JRA decided to hold its horse races without spectators from February 29. As other racecourses are closed, racing fans can only bet by phone or via online.

With a number of G1 winners retiring at the end of last year, including 2019 Horse of the Year Lys Gracieux (JPN, by Heart's Cry), Cheval Grand (JPN, by Heart's Cry), Al Ain (JPN, by Deep Impact), Rey de Oro (JPN, by King Kamehameha) and Suave Richard (JPN, by Heart's Cry), this year's middle-long-distance spring G1 campaign for four-year-olds & up will likely be led by the top finishers of last year's Japan Cup and Arima Kinen.

Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1, 2,400m) winners Wagnerian (JPN, H5, by Deep Impact) in 2018 and Makahiki (JPN, H7, by Deep Impact) in 2016, who finished the 2019 Japan Cup in third and fourth, respectively, will both kick off their 2020 campaigns with the Osaka Hai (G1, 2,000m) on April 5. Saturnalia (JPN, C4, by Lord Kanaloa), 2019 Arima Kinen runner-up and Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, G1, 2,000m) winner, commenced his four-year-old season with a comfortable two-length victory in the Kinko Sho (G2, 2,000m) on March 15. His connections announced that the colt will skip the Osaka Hai for the Takarazuka Kinen (G1, 2,200m) on June 28.

Other key contenders of the Osaka Hai will include 2019 Tokyo Yushun runner-up Danon Kingly (JPN, C4, by Deep Impact), who most recently won the Nakayama Kinen, and Lucky Lilac (JPN, M5, by Orfevre), who won the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1, 2,200m) and was second in the Nakayama Kinen. They will be joined by 2019 Shuka Sho (G1, 2,000m) victor Chrono Genesis (JPN, F4, by Bago), who registered her third graded title in her latest start, the Kyoto Kinen (G2, 2,200m) on February 16, and Blast Onepiece (JPN, H5, by Harbinger), winner of the 2018 Arima Kinen and this year's American Jockey Club Cup (G2, 2,200m).

Last year's Japan Cup fifth-place finisher You Can Smile (JPN, H5, by King Kamehameha) captured his third graded title with a comfortable 1-3/4-length victory in his five-year-old kick-off start, the Hanshin Daishoten (G2, 3,000m) on March 22, and will head to the Tenno Sho (Spring) (G1, 3,200m) on May 3. World Premiere (JPN, C4, by Deep Impact), Fierement (JPN, H5, by Deep Impact) and Kiseki (JPN, H6, by Rulership), who finished third, fourth and fifth respectively in last year's Arima Kinen, were all Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger, G1, 3,000m) winners in their three-year-old seasons. World Premiere was scheduled to kick off his four-year-old season with the Osaka Hai and then head for the Tenno Sho (Spring) but was sidelined due to health reasons. Fierement will commence his 2020 season by attempting to defend his Tenno Sho (Spring) title. Kiseki, who finished a disappointing seventh after a poor break in his first start this season, the Hanshin Daishoten, will be another key runner in the Tenno Sho (Spring).

The first of the flat-turf G1 events of the year, the Takamatsunomiya Kinen at Chukyo Racecourse on March 29, will spotlight last year's Sprinters Stakes (G1, 1,200m) winner Tower of London (JPN, H5, by Raven's Pass). The five-year-old kicked off the season with the Ocean Cup (G3, 1,200m) on March 7 by finishing third, 4-1/2 lengths behind winner Danon Smash (JPN, H5, by Lord Kanaloa), while carrying a top weight of 58kg, which was 2kg more than the rest of the field. After the Takamatsunomiya Kinen, he may fly to Great Britain either for the Royal Ascot or the July Cup (G1, 1,200m). The Takamatsunomiya Kinen will also feature Tower of London's stablemate and 2019 Best Three-Year-Old Filly, Gran Alegria (JPN, F4, by Deep Impact), and last year's Victoria Mile (G1, 1,600m) winner Normcore (JPN, M5, by Harbinger).

The steeplechase racing in spring will be highlighted by the Nakayama Grand Jump (J-G1, 4,250m) on April 18. Oju Chosan (JP N, H9, by Stay Gold), Best Steeplechase Horse between 2016 and 2018, will aim for his fifth consecutive title this year after winning the Hanshin Spring Jump (J-G2, 3,900m) on March 14 to renew his own record by claiming his 12th consecutive graded steeplechase title. Last year's Nakayama Daishogai (J-G1, 4,100m) winner and Best Steeplechase Horse Shingun Michael (JPN, G6, by Shingun Opera) also kicked off the season in the Hanshin Spring Jump and finished second, nine lengths behind Oju Chosan.

The Victoria Mile for four-year-old & up fillies/mares on May 17 will include Lucky Lilac, Gran Alegria, Chrono Genesis and Normcore as well as last year's runner-up Primo Scene (JPN, M5, by Deep Impact), Kyoto Himba Stakes (G3, 1,400m) victor Sound Chiara (JPN, M5, by Deep Impact) and other female runners from the prep race, the Hanshin Himba Stakes (G2, 1,600m) on April 11.

Japan's overseas challengers, after a disappointing 2018 season in which none returned with a title from their respective G1 challenges, bounced back last year to land eight G1 titles in four countries among seven runners. The confidence gained by these victories no doubt boosted motivations for more Japanese horses to seek success overseas this season. With the outbreak of the coronavirus, however, many countries including Japan have been required to implement strict travel measures to help control further spread of the virus, so the connections of the intended challengers had no choice but to cancel their overseas plans.

In the inaugural Saudi Cup (dirt, 1,800m), held on February 29 as the world's richest race, two JRA Award Best Dirt Horse winners—Gold Dream (JPN, H7, by Gold Allure; 2017) and Chrysoberyl (JPN, C4, by Gold Allure; 2019)—missed their breaks and finished more than five lengths behind the winner.

Runners from Japan, however, performed impressively in three other supporting races of the sevenrace undercard held that day at King Abdulaziz Racetrack. Last year's Nassau Stakes (G1, 1,980m) winner Deirdre (JPN, M6, by Harbinger) turned in a strong performance in the Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors Cup (2,100m) but was overtaken by the winner in the last 100 meters and finished second. Full Flat (USA, C3, by Speightstown) improved on his fifth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1, dirt, 1,700m) as a two-year-old and became the first Japanese runner to claim a title in Saudi Arabia with a victory in the Samba Saudi Derby Cup (dirt, 1,600m). He was positioned handily behind the pace in second before gaining command as he turned for home and then drew away easily to win by 2-1/4 lengths. Matera Sky (USA, H6, by Speightstown), last year's Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1, dirt, 1,200m) runner-up, looked very much like the winner of the Saudia Cup (dirt, 1,200m), setting a rapid pace and accelerating impressively after the last turn to widen the gap to almost six lengths with 200 meters to go, but he was pinned by the fast-closing winner in the last strides and missed by a head.

Deirdre returns to her current base in Newmarket, England, where she has been training since last summer, and will continue to race in Europe towards her main target, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1, 2,400m) on October 4. The remaining four flew directly from Saudi Arabia to the United Arab Emirates and were joined by 16 others from Japan, but now all 20 will return to Japan following the Dubai Racing Club's announcement that the Dubai World Cup has been called off. The intended starters in the Dubai World Cup meeting on March 28 were as follows:

Dubai World Cup (G1, dirt, 2,000m):
• Gold Dream
• Chrysoberyl
• Chuwa Wizard (JPN, H5, by King Kamehameha), the 2019 JBC Classic (dirt, 2,000m) victor who kicked off this season with a win in the Kawasaki Kinen (dirt, 2,100m) on January 29
• Master Fencer (JPN, C4, by Just a Way), who ran impressively in two U.S. Triple Crown starts—the Kentucky Derby (G1, dirt, 2,000m) and the Belmont Stakes (G1, dirt, 2,400m), finishing sixth and fifth, respectively. The Just a Way colt is coming off a victory in February.

Dubai Sheema Classic (G1, 2,410m):
• Glory Vase (JPN, H5, by Deep Impact), who landed his first G1 victory in the 2019 Hong Kong Vase (2,400m)
• Loves Only You (JPN, F4, by Deep Impact), the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks, G1, 2,400m) victor
• Curren Bouquetd'or (JPN, F4, by Deep Impact), who registered three runner-up G1 efforts, including last year's Japan Cup (2,400m), and is coming off another runner-up effort in the Kyoto Kinen (G2, 2,200m) on February 16

Dubai Turf (G1, 1,800m):
• Almond Eye (JPN, M5, by Lord Kanaloa), 2018 Horse of the Year and defending champion
• Win Bright (JPN, H6, by Stay Gold), JRA's 2019 Best Older Colt or Horse and a two-time G1 winner in Hong Kong
• Persian Knight (JPN, H6, by Harbinger), winner of the 2017 Mile Championship (G1, 1,600m)
• Admire Mars (JPN, C4, by Daiwa Major), who has a career record of six wins out of seven starts at a mile, including the Hong Kong Mile, among three G1 victories

Golden Shaheen (G1, dirt, 1,200m):
• Matera Sky
• Gold Queen (JPN, M5, by Sinister Minister), runner-up in last year's 2019 JBC Ladies' Classic (dirt, 1,400m)

Al Quoz Sprint (G1, 1,200m):
• Mr Melody (USA, H5, by Scat Daddy), winner of the 2019 Takamatsunomiya Kinen (G1, 1,200m)
• Right on Cue (JPN, H5, by Shamardal), the 2019 Keihan Hai (G3, 1,200m) victor

UAE Derby (G2, dirt, 1,900m):
• Full Flat
• Derma Onyx (JPN, C3, by On Fire), with two wins out of three starts on dirt
• Serein (USA, F3, by Uncle Mo), coming off third in the UAE Oaks (G3, dirt, 1,900m)

Godolphin Mile (G2, dirt, 1,600m):
• Derma Louvre (JPN, C4, by Pyro), third-place finisher in the Kawasaki Kinen
• Mogiana Flavor (JPN, H5, by Battle Plan), based at NAR's Oi Racecourse

Australia's annual two-day “The Championships” event will be held at Randwick Racecourse on April 4 and 11. Last year, Japan's Kluger (JPN, H8, by King Kamehameha) came off a fourth-place finish in the Doncaster Mile (G1, 1,600m) to turn in an impressive runner-up effort to Australia's legendary mare, Winx (AUS, by Street Cry), in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1, 2,000m) only a week later. Mozu Ascot (USA, H6, by Frankel), winner of the 2018 Yasuda Kinen (G1, 1,600m) and this year's February Stakes (G1, dirt, 1,600m), and My Style (JPN, H6, by Heart's Cry) were planned to start in the Doncaster Mile in Australia but the trip to was called off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mozu Ascot will either stay in Japan for the Takamatsunomiya Kinen on March 29 or change his destination to Hong Kong for the Champions Mile (G1, 1,600m). My Style will run in the Lord Derby Challenge Trophy (G3, 1,600m) on April 4 or the Milers Cup (G2, 1,600m) on April 26. Meanwhile, 2017 Best Two-Year-Old Colt Danon Premium (JPN, H5, by Deep Impact) will run in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, aiming to claim his second career G1 title after runner-up efforts last fall in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1, 2,000m) and Mile Championship.

This Sunday, March 29, Nagoya’s Chukyo Racecourse hosts the Takamatsunomiya Kinen, the second Grade 1 of the year and the first over turf. With measures still in effect to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the 1,200-meter sprint will go down in history as the first Japan Racing Association top-level race to be run without spectators packing the stands.
The gate, however, will be packed and the competition stiff, with attention focusing on the top three finishers of the 2019 autumn Grade 1 Sprinters Stakes – Tower of London, Mozu Superflare and Danon Smash – and some formidable talent yet untested over 6 furlongs, namely 2019 Best 3-Year-Old Filly Gran Alegria.
Nominations for the 50th running of the Takamatsunomiya Kinen number 25, include 10 fillies and mares, and range in age from 4 to 10. The final field of 18 will vie for a share of a purse of nearly ¥282 million, a winner’s prize of \130 million, and recognition as top sprinter of the spring season. Fillies and mares carry 55 kg, all others 57 kg.
The race begins in the backstretch and finishes just over 412 meters after the horses turn into the straight. The lefthanded Chukyo course, which also now hosts the Grade 1 Champions Cup in the autumn, demands speed and power, with a sharp upward slope that starts 340 meters from the finish line and rises nearly two meters over the next 100 meters.
The Takamatsunomiya Kinen is the 11th race on the Sunday card of 12 at Chukyo. Post time is 3:40 p.m.
Here are the standouts of this year’s field.

Tower of London – Miho-based Kazuo Fujisawa fields three of the Takamatsunomiya nominees and two of the likely most popular picks -- Tower of London and Gran Alegria. The former, a 5-year-old by Raven’s Pass, has seven wins and has only missed the top three spots in two of his 15 career starts. Raced exclusively over 1,200 meters in his last five starts from last summer, he scored highest in the 2019 Summer Sprint Series and captured his first Grade 1 with the Sprinters Stakes at the end of September. On March 7, he returned to finish third in the Yukan Fuji Sho Ocean Stakes (G3, 1,200) at Nakayama while carrying the race’s top weight of 58 kg. Weighing in 6 kg more for that race than he had for the Sprinters Stakes, improvement is expected. Though it will be his first time at Chukyo, Tower of London has fared well enough racing to the left, with a 1-12-2-5-1 record from his five starts at Tokyo, all over 1,400-1,600 meters. Though ridden by Christophe Lemaire for nearly all his starts thus far, Tower of London is expected to be paired on Sunday with Yuichi Fukunaga for the first time.

Gran Alegria – A 4-year-old daughter of Deep Impact, the lightly raced Gran Alegria has captured four of her six starts, including the Grade 1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) last year. Previously raced only over the mile, she was aimed for the 1,200-meter Sprinters Stakes last fall but was sidelined with hoof problems. In late December, she returned after nearly 8 months off, went up against older horses for the first time, and blew away the competition in winning the Hanshin Cup (G2, 1,400) by 5 lengths with a final three-furlong time of 33.5 seconds. Though this will be her first time at Chukyo, she won twice at Tokyo and expected to have no problem with the left-handed track. Her speed is expected to more than compensate for her debut over six furlongs and expectations are high that Gran Alegria may become the first Deep Impact progeny to capture a top-level sprint. Ridden exclusively by Christophe Lemaire to present, Kenichi Ikezoe is set for the ride on Sunday.

Danon Smash – A 5-year-old by champion sprinter Lord Kanaloa, Danon Smash has raced exclusively over 1,200 meters for his last 10 starts and captured five of them, including four Grade 3 competitions. Favorite in last year’s Takamatsunomiya Kinen, he finished in fourth place, only 0.2 seconds off winner Mr Melody, then in the fall ran third in the Sprinters Stakes, a mere 0.1 seconds off winner Tower of London. In Hong Kong, he finished in eighth place in the Hong Kong Sprint only 2 1/2 lengths behind the winner. Returning this year, he aced the Ocean Stakes last out despite being slow out of the gate. He has proven himself a consistent sprinter but, in five Grade 1 bids and though he has come close, he has yet to make the winner’s circle. Trainer Takayuki Yasuda sees no reason he can’t make it this time. “His break wasn’t the best last out,” says Yasuda, “but after that he ran a perfect race. He didn’t meet the expectations last year, but looking back, I’d say he was still maturing. He has filled out now. His movement is good and he’s had no problems in gate practice since his last start.”

A Will a Way – A 4-year-old filly by Just a Way, A Will a Way has four wins from 10 starts, with her best performances all over six furlongs. Her only other Grade 1 bid, the 2019 Grade 1 Oka Sho, saw her finish in 10th place. Since then she has been given only sprints, with her first graded-stakes victory notched last out in the Silk Road Stakes, a 1,200-meter Grade 3 at Kyoto on Feb. 2. Her only start at Chukyo, the CBC Sho last June, saw her finish in eighth over soft ground, but a first at Niigata and a second at Tokyo, indicate she is not flummoxed by a left-handed track. It should be noted that horses who went from the Silk Road Stakes directly to the Takamatsunomiya Kinen have, in the race’s last four runnings, won three times and finished second once.

Diatonic – A 5-year-old son of Lord Kanaloa and stablemate to Danon Smash, Diatonic turned in a gutsy performance last out in the Grade 3 Hankyu Hai over 1,400 meters. Unfortunately, it was a bit too gutsy and traffic issues resulted in his demotion to third place. Winner of the Mainichi Broadcast. Swan Stakes (G2, 1,400) on Oct. 26, Diatonic is racing over 1,200 meters for the first time and it will be his first time at Chukyo but he has done well at both Tokyo and Niigata. A consistent runner, he has finished out of the top three spots only three times in 14 career starts and is definitely not one to overlook.

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Others to watch are I Love Tailor, a 4-year-old filly whose career is still short but who has finished first or second in her seven starts to present. It will be her first time racing to the left but the long Chukyo stretch is believed to suit and she is primed from a splendid winning performance in the 1,200-meter listed race Yodo Tankyori Stakes last out. Normcore is being moved to six furlongs for the first time in her career but her record win of the Grade 1 Victoria Mile last year and her fourth-place finish in the 2019 Hong Kong Mile last out show she has the talent and the speed to do well here. Mozu Superflare, second in the Sprinters Stakes last year, finished 15th here in 2019, but this year he has gotten a more-relaxed rotation and is primed with a fourth place finish in the Silk Road Stakes last out.

The Japan Racing Association (JRA) announced that a short-term riding jockey's license has been issued to the following jockey:

Lyle HEWITSON
License term: Mar. 7 thru May 4, 2020
Past Licenses: None
Overall record (JRA races): 0 wins / 0 rides (0 graded race wins)
Sponsor trainer: Sakae KUNIEDA (JRA Miho Training Center)
Contract owner: Katsumi YOSHIDA