Japan Horse Racing Tips-Umanity.jp

The much-anticipated return of Grade 1 action in Japan happens this coming Sunday (October 2), when the Sprinters Stakes kicks off the latter part of the year and the string of big races from now on. This Sunday’s race is the second of just two sprints during the year run at the highest level in JRA racing, the other being the Takamatsunomiya Kinen at Chukyo in March. The Grade 1 Sprinters Stakes will be run at its usual venue this time, Nakayama Racecourse, located in Chiba prefecture, just outside Tokyo. It is run over 1,200 meters on the outer turf course at the track, and is a race for 3-year-olds and up.

First run in 1967, the race has over the years attained higher status, beginning with its Grade 2 ranking in 1987. Shortly after, in 1990, it became a Grade 1, and in 1994 it was recognized as an international Grade 1 race, one of the first JRA races to be given the title.

There are 20 nominations for this Sunday’s big race, and that excludes the three early nominations from overseas runners that won’t be traveling to Japan for the race. Weights are set at 57kg for 4-year-olds and up, with a 2kg allowance for fillies and mares, and the same weight allowance is also given to 3-year-olds. Pixie Knight won for the 3-year-old generation last year, and became the first one to do so since 2007. First favorites have won five times in the past decade, with Gran Alegria the last one to win in 2020. Prize money to the winner this year is JPY170 million (in the region of USD1.5 million), and a total of JPY368 million in prize money is paid down to tenth place. Record time for the race is held by Lord Kanaloa, who won in a time of 1 minute, 6.7 seconds in 2012.

A couple of races leading up to this week’s big sprint have been the Grade 3 TV Nishinippon Corp. Sho Kitakyushu Kinen, run at Kokura in August, and the Grade 3 Keeneland Cup, run at Sapporo, also in August. The most recognized trial race is the Grade 2 Sankei Sho Centaur Stakes, which was at Chukyo over 1,200 meters in September. Tower of London was the last horse to follow up a win in the Centaur Stakes with a victory in the Sprinters Stakes in 2019.

The 56th running of the Sprinters Stakes will be Race 11 on this Sunday’s card at Nakayama, with a post time in Japan of 15:40. Final declarations and the barrier draw will be available later in the week.

Here is a look at some of the contenders for the race:

Meikei Yell: The 4-year-old filly by Mikki Isle has a bit of a mind of her own, and that can be seen from her seven wins from twelve starts, and five times unplaced in her other races. That was certainly not the case in her most recent run, where she set a record time of 1 minute, 6.2 seconds to win the Grade 2 Sankei Sho Centaur Stakes at Chukyo over 1,200 meters. Assistant trainer Kaname Ogino reports her to be fine after that race: “Everything went to plan in her last race, and the jockey got the best out of her. She has returned to training again and seems relaxed, which is a good thing. There doesn’t seem to be any change in her condition.” Meikei Yell finished fourth in last year’s Sprinters Stakes, and trainer Hidenori Take will be hoping she can better that and give him his first JRA Grade 1 victory.

Schnell Meister: The German-bred colt won the Grade 1 NHK Mile Cup last year as a 3-year-old, and his eighth-place finish in Dubai this year was the only time he’s finished outside the first three. The big key this time will be the distance, as it’s his first time to run over 1,200 meters. Trainer Takahisa Tezuka said: “His condition wasn’t so good after Dubai, even though he did manage to finish second in the Yasuda Kinen. After his usual summer break at Northern Farm Tenei, he returned to the stable early in September. He looks his usual self, if not a little bigger, but has moved well enough in recent work.”

Naran Huleg: Bidding to become the sixth horse in history to win both the Grade1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen and the Grade 1 Sprinters Stakes in the same year, 6-year-old Naran Huleg was last seen running in the Grade 1 Yasuda Kinen in June, when finishing ninth. Trainer Yoshitada Munakata commented: “He recently worked with stablemate Lagulf and was able to chase after him very well. He has improved these last couple of weeks, bearing in mind his last run was in the Yasuda Kinen, where the distance was too long for him. His weight remains around 510kg.” The 6-year-old’s astonishing run from the final corner in the big sprint in March is always worth another look.

Namura Clair: Forming part of the 3-year-old challenge, Namura Clair gets to run off the 53kg mark here, and has done very little wrong in her nine career races so far. She finished third in this year’s Grade 1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas), won the Grade 3 Hakodate Sprint in June, and finished third most recently in the Grade 3 Kitakyushu Kinen at Kokura in August. Trainer Kodai Hasegawa is pleased with her. “She has had a break at the farm with this race in mind. She has recovered well, and has been able to handle her training workload since. It has also been good to have had some time between races,” the trainer said recently.

Taisei Vision: The 5-year-old by Turtle Bowl was a wise purchase at the 2017 Select Sale, and has amassed more than ten times his selling price in prize money. He has taken on four Grade 1 races in his career, and his best finish was second in the 2019 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes. More recently, he’s achieved three seconds in a row from his last three starts. Assistant trainer Yosuke Kinoshita said: “The jockey did well in getting a run up the inside last time, and the horse kept up the momentum until the finish. We sent him to the farm after that and he’s come back looking well. I think he’ll be better suited to the Nakayama track, as opposed to Kokura.”

Win Marvel: With a strong North American pedigree, the 3-year-old colt by I’ll Have Another won a Grade 3 sprint two starts ago at Chukyo, and finished second in his latest race, the Grade 3 Keeneland Cup over 1,200 meters at Sapporo in August. Trainer Masashi Fukayama said: “He has recovered from his last race in Sapporo, when he did lose some weight, but now his appetite's good and he’s regained his condition. In training, he’s not one to show so much, but we’re steadily building on his workouts before this next race.”

T M Spada: Mostly blessed with light weights in her races, the 3-year-old filly by Red Spada will only have to carry 53kg here, although that’s 5kg more than when she blew the opposition away in the Grade 3 CBC Sho over 1,200 meters at Kokura in July, winning in a record time of 1 minute, 5.8 seconds. She has since finished seventh in another Grade 3 sprint at Kokura in August. Assistant trainer Kazuma Tateyama commented on the filly: “Compared to her run in the CBC Sho, the ground and weight she had to carry were different last time. The draw also meant that she had to go forward, but she still did her best. After that race, she had a couple of weeks at the farm to refresh.” Trainer Tadao Igarashi won his only JRA Grade 1 race with T M Precure in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies back in 2005, so he’ll be hoping his speedy filly can end the drought here.
Eighteen Girl: The 6-year-old mare has never won above Grade 3 level, and in her two runs in the Sprinters Stakes, she finished eleventh in 2020 and thirteenth in 2021. It is all about her getting a finish in, and it remains a bit of a mystery as to why sometimes she does finish well, but at other times she doesn’t. Trainer Yuji Iida explained why last time things didn’t go her way. “It was a slow opening three furlongs last time and it didn’t suit her, but she did run on well at the end. She seems a bit lighter on her feet than she was before that last race, so I hope she’ll show her strength more this time.”

Two Japan-based horses from the stable of Yasuo Tomomichi participated in two of the Arc Trials, events over the Longchamp 2,400 meters Sept. 11, as Japan continues its pursuit of the coveted Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Do Deuce, this year’s Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) winner and one of four runners nominated for the 2022 Arc, arrived in Chantilly on Sept. 2 with traveling mate My Rhapsody.

First up Sunday was My Rhapsody. The 5-year-old son of Heart’s Cry took on the Prix Foy, a Grade 2 worth EUR130,000 and Japan’s favorite Arc lead-up. The race has been contested by 15 others from Japan, three of whom have won, with Orfevre capturing the race twice.

Breaking from the outside gate just past 14:30 local time, My Rhapsody, with jockey Yutaka Take up, was racing for the first time in five months and on turf for his first time in nearly a year. He kept to the outside in the small field of six, and just past Longchamp’s “false straight” 800 meters out, was looking strong behind frontrunner Verry Elleegant and Bubble Gift.

Turning for home on the right-handed course, however, My Rhapsody was quickly overtaken and passed by all with 200 meters left to go. Eleven-time Australian Grade 1 winner Verry Elleegant held the top as she fought off a challenge by race favorite Bubble Gift, but race third pick Iresine was advancing up the rail, then moved sharply out at the 200 meters mark and battled his way past the two to reach the top with 50 meters to go. Bubble Gift caught and passed Verry Elleegant in the final strides.

Iresine, under female jockey Marie Velon, won by a length and a quarter over favorite Bubble Gift, piloted by Gerald Mosse. Verry Elleegant, the only mare in the field and paired with Christophe Soumillon, finished in third a head behind Bubble Gift. My Rhapsody crossed the line nearly 18 lengths behind the winner.

My Rhapsody was given the distance for only the second time in his now 15-start career, following a ninth-place finish in the 2020 Japanese Derby. “He looked good going into the stretch,” trainer Tomomichi said. “The jockey said he thought that, at his best, the horse could have held his ground, but 2,400 meters was tough. He also said the ground was better than he’d thought it would be.”

My Rhapsody will not take on the Arc, but has been nominated for three other races ­— the Grade 2 Daniel Wildenstein and Prix Dollar on Oct. 1, and the Grade 1 Prix de la Foret on Oct. 2.

Also by Heart’s Cry, Do Deuce took on the Prix Niel, a Grade 2 open to 3-year-olds. The day’s sixth race, it too carried a purse of EUR130,000, with EUR74,000 going to the winner. Seven colts participated, all under 58kg, and were off at 16:25 local time.

Do Deuce broke sharply from the far outside gate, but was held back by Yutaka Take and eased into the rail, where he took up position in the rear. Lassaut held the lead, closely followed by True Testament, with Simca Mille on the rail in third.

Take kept under cover until the final turn home and only then eased Do Deuce out to round neatly into the straight. The colt loomed up to the outside of Lassaut with 400 meters to go, but started to flatten. Take took to the whip at the 300-meter-mark, but received little response. Meanwhile, a battle for the top between True Testamant and Simca Mille saw the latter take the lead with 400 meters to go and hold on for the win.

French runners swept the top three spots. Jockey Gregory Benoist brought the Stephane Wattel-trained Simca Mille home in 2 minutes, 32.81 seconds, 3/4 length ahead of runnerup Lassaut from the stable of Jean-Claude Rouget under Cristian Demuro. Olivier Peslier followed a length later in third aboard the Andre Fabre-trained True Testament. Take and Do Deuce finished another 2 lengths back in fourth place.

Fourth was a blow for Do Deuce, who had never finished less than third in his previous six career starts. “We have been able to bring him along as planned, and Take said he was a bit bothered by the ground,” trainer Tomomichi commented. “He wasn’t able to win, but I do think it was valuable for him to have gained experience over the Arc course at Longchamp and he’ll likely have learned something.”

The Prix Niel has now seen five Japanese runners on five different occasions and two have won. "We won the Prix Niel with Makahiki (in 2016) and he was then tired for the Arc,” Tomomichi added. “So, hopefully we've learned from that."

“Today’s run was, in a broader sense, a schooling run for the main event,” jockey Yutaka Take commented after the race. “I don’t think he was at his best just yet, and he was feeling it in the finish. We are figuring backward from the main target and I think he’ll improve from here. Today’s results were in no way disappointing.”

Comments: JRA, Nikkan Sports

On Sunday, Sept. 4, Seoul Raceourse once again hosted the Korea Sprint and Korea Cup, both international competitions over dirt boasting purses of KRW1 billion, with KRW550 million to each winner. The Korea Racing Association’s biggest event, the Grade 3 double returned following a pandemic-induced 2-year timeout.

Challengers from the U.K., Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan participated in the gala’s fifth edition, but this year both victories went to the home team, with victory denied the perennially unconquerable Japanese for their first time.

An approaching typhoon had turned the track heavy on raceday, but the skies held for both events. First up for Japan was the Masahiro Matsunaga-trained Raptus in the 1,200-meter Korea Sprint. Computer Patch, trained by Matthew Chadwick and runnerup in this year’s Grade 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize, carried the flag for Hong Kong. Eight-time winner Celavi from the Michael Clements stable represented Singapore. The U.K. sent Michael Appleby’s Annaf, with the ride going to Jockey Kota Fujioka.

The Sprint, the seventh race on the card of 10, got under way at 15:35 local time over the wet ground. Raptus went off the favorite in the field of 12, with the 5-year-old Eoma Eoma close behind in the wagering.

Raptus, a 6-year-old gelding by Deep Brillante, made his way to the top under jockey Hideaki Miyuki. On the rail as the field turned out of the backstretch, Raptus was joined by Annaf, then by Eoma Eoma, who had quickly made his way up from the farthest gate under jockey Moon Se Young.

Still looking strong with 300 meters to go, Raptus held his lead against Eoma Eoma, but was eventually worn down a handful of strides out and beaten by half a length. Six lengths later, the 5-year-old mare Raon First followed in third, with another Korea native, the 4-year-old colt Daehan Jilju, in fourth. Computer Patch made the board a close fifth, with Annaf in seventh place.

“He was a bit worked up, as usual, but I thought it wasn’t too bad,” Jockey Miyuki, who has ridden all but three of Raptus’s 22 starts, said. “Heading into the homestretch, I thought we were going to win, but we weren’t able to pull away. In place, with just a little more, I do think we could have made it, but this time the others were strong.”

The 13-strong lineup for the 1,800-meter Korea Cup featured three overseas runners, one each from England (the Jane Chapple-Hyam-trained Intellogent), Hong Kong (Matthew Chadwick’s Kings Shield), and Japan.

Japan’s hope for its fourth win of the race was Sekifu, a 3-year-old son of Henny Hughes hailing from the Ritto stable of former jockey Koshiro Take. Already a seasoned traveler, Sekifu was runnerup in this year’s Grade 3 Saudi Derby and eighth in the Grade 2 UAE Derby. In June, he was a neck shy of winning the Grade 3 Unicorn Stakes over Tokyo dirt 1,600 meters.

The Japanese runner was once against the race favorite, with Raon the Fighter, at 10 for 12, and Korea Derby champ Winner’s Man filling the top three spots at the betting windows.

Off at 16:35 local time, Sekifu kept pace behind the front-running Raon the Fighter and looked strong until the turn for home. Winner’s Man, buffeted on both sides just out of the gate, had settled in toward the rear with three horses behind him and stayed there until beginning his drive turning out of the backstretch.

Gaining steadily up the outside under jockey Seo Seung Un, Winner’s Man was already within striking distance of the top as they straightened for home. Sekifu, who had a 2-kg advantage over the rest of the field, was unable to narrow the gap to Raon the Fighter, still out in first.

Winner’s Man continued to close and caught Sekifu at the 100-meter mark, then Raon the Fighter just three strides out to win by a length. Sekifu followed runnerup Raon the Fighter a length later in third.

“I could feel he was in good shape when I got on in the preparade ring,” Kota Fujioka, who partnered with Sekifu for the first time, said. “And, as I had imagined he would, he was able to get a smooth trip to the front from the gate. I had heard that his responses at the crucial moments were a bit slow and I could feel that, but he rallied and really gave it his all until the very end.”

The inaugural Korea Sprint in 2016 went to Hong Kong’s Super Jockey, with Japan-based horses winning in 2017 (Graceful Leap) and 2018 (Moanin). The first three editions of the Korea Cup were claimed by Japan runners, Chrysolite in 2016 and London Town in 2017 and 2018.

Stay Foolish, one of four Japan runners aimed at this year’s Prix de l' Arc de Triomphe, finished second a length and a quarter behind winner Botanik in his prep, the Grand Prix de Deauville on Sunday, Aug. 28.

It was the fourth start of the year for the 7-year-old son of Stay Gold, and his first in 2 months after a ninth-place finish in the Takarazuka Kinen (G1, 2,200, Hanshin). A Grade 2 winner at home, Stay Foolish notched two stakes wins overseas this year, the Red Sea Turf Handicap (G3, 3,000) in Riyadh at the end of February, followed by the Dubai Gold Cup (G2, 3,200) a month later. Stay Foolish flew in directly from Japan and arrived in France on Aug. 15. He is housed at the Chantilly stable of Hiroo Shimizu.

A Group 2 turf event over 2,500 meters for 3-year-olds and up, the field of the 2022 Lucien Barriere Grand Prix de Deauville featured only five runners. As the day’s fourth race of ten, it got under way at Deauville Racecourse at 3:55 p.m. local time (10:55 p.m. in Japan).

Cristian Demuro, who rode the winner last year, sent Stay Foolish to the front and gradually widened the gap between him and the others, then quickened with 500 meters to go. Stay Foolish held off a first challenge by Botanik, who had been running in second position under Mickael Barzalona, was then urged on but unable to throw off a persistent Botanik, who overtook the spent Japanese runner with less than 150 meters to go.

Two French runners followed him over the line, Fenelon a far third, and last year’s victor Glycon in fourth.

Botanik, an Irish-bred, 4-year-old gelding by Golden Horn, hails from the stables of Andre Fabre and is Godolphin owned and bred. He is now 7 for 12, with wins from four of his last five starts. Botanik, who ran under 59 kg (1 kg less than Stay Foolish), clocked 2 minutes 36.23 seconds over the 2,500 meters of turf rated “good.”

Cristian Demuro (younger brother to Mirco) was the 14th rider to be partnered with Stay Foolish, who has 4 wins and 13 other finishes in the money from a career 33 starts. Demuro, 30, said, “I could feel that he has a lot of stamina. He was able to run his own race and, even though he lost, this will have him used to the French style of racing.”

Yukihiko Araki, assistant to trainer Yoshito Yahagi, commented postrace. “We’re not very disappointed with the result as this was a prep for the Arc. And, we expect him to improve.”

Yahagi, who is the year’s current No. 2 JRA trainer for wins, watched the race from Japan and seemed a bit more surprised, though not particularly bothered by the loss. “I didn’t think he should lose to this competition, but he was returning from time off and I’d put him at around 70-80 percent.

“So, considering that, I don’t think it was a performance. I’ll do my best to see that he’s at his best for the main event.”

Christophe Lemaire, who rode both Stay Foolish’s wins this year, is expected to take the reins at Longchamp in the Oct. 2 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Stay Foolish is still chasing his first big win. A Grade 2 winner both in Japan and abroad, he has participated in seven Grade 1 races, with his best results a third in the Hopeful Stakes (2,000 meters, Nakayama) as a 2-year-old, and a fifth in the Hong Kong Vase (2,400 meters, Sha Tin) last year.

The other expected Arc runners from Japan are the Miho-based Titleholder, a 4-year-old, three-time G1 winner from the stable of Toru Kurita and two others from Ritto, the 5-year-old Deep Bond, and the 3-year-old Do Deuce.

Arc-experienced Deep Bond, fielded by Ryuji Okubo, finished second in the Tenno Sho (Spring) (G1, 3,200, Hanshin) this year. Last year, he won his Arc prep, the Grade 2 Prix Foy over the Arc distance of 2,400 meters, but finished 14th of 14 in the main event. Do Deuce is this year’s Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) winner and is trained by Yasuo Tomomichi.

Japan’s horsemen have been trying to win the Arc since 1969. There have been four runnerups, but no winners from a total 29 previous bids. Wagering on the 2022 Arc will be available in Japan.