Japan Horse Racing Tips-Umanity.jp

Second favorite Jantar Mantar claimed his third G1 title in this year’s Yasuda Kinen, his first outing of this season. The son of Palace Malice won all three starts in his two-year-old season including the Daily Hai Nisai Stakes (G2, 1,600m) and the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes (G1, 1,600m) to become the season’s Best Two-Year-Old Colt. He marked a third in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, G1, 2,000m) and a victory in the NHK Mile Cup (G1, 1,600m) in his spring campaign at three-year-old but concluded the season with a disappointing 13th in the Hong Kong Mile (G1, 1,600m). With this win, Jantar Mantar became the first NHK Mile Cup winner to claim this prestigious mile Yasuda Kinen. Trainer Tomokazu Takano registered his ninth JRA-G1 title following last year’s Queen Elizabeth II Cup with Stunning Rose while jockey Yuga Kawada scored his 29th G1 victory following last year’s Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes with Admire Zoom and fourth Yasuda Kinen title after with Maurice in 2015, Satono Aladdin in 2017 and Danon Kingly in 2021.

Jantar Mantar was quick out of the gate and raced in a prominent position around third behind Mad Cool. Keeping the keen Palace Malice colt in control while choosing the better part of the track off the rails and asking his mount to stay patient entering the stretch, jockey Yuga Kawada gave Jantar Mantar the green light after the 400-meter pole, to which the four-year-old responded with good speed to take command just before the 100-meter marker and pulled away to win by a comfortable 1-1/2-length margin

“The colt broke well and was in a good position in third to start, but then got a little over-excited as horses came from behind so I got a little worried. The colt just barely managed to contain himself as much as he could after that and, I was still in doubt as to how he would respond at the stretch but, considering the circumstances, he really put in a good performance in the end and really exceeded my expectations as to how strong he is. He was unable race to his standard at all last time out but I’m glad that he was able to show his true form today. I knew he would become a potential miler when he won the Asahi Hai as a two-year-old and was certain he was the best miler in Japan when taking the NHK Mile Cup title. He was unable to meet expectation in his start after that but today, he’s justified his talent so I’m happy for that,” commented jockey Yuga Kawada.

Gaia Force raced in mid-division between rivals after a smooth break, edged forward approaching the final turn as Soul Rush passed him on the outside. After a brief struggle to find space to angle out early in the stretch, the six-year-old son of Kitasan Black unleased an impressive turn of foot that timed the second fastest finish (tying with Soul Rush and Water Licht) soon after the furlong pole to overtake several rivals including the race favorite to out-finish that foe by a neck for second while unable to match the winner.

Race favorite Soul Rush was unhurried after a good break, sat in mid-field around 11th, made headway approaching the final corner and was in good position for a clear run on the outside for the stretch run but was unable to pick up speed early enough while quickening in the final 100 meters for third place.

Other Horses:
4th: (18) Brede Weg—settled wide in 8th, showed effort inside Soul Rush
5th: (4) Win Marvel—chased in 2nd, led briefly after 3rd corner, ran gamely, outrun in final strides
6th: (9) Champagne Color—broke poorly, trailed in rear, showed fastest late kick but belatedly
7th: (8) Ecoro Walz—sat in 8th, ran strongly, weakened in final strides
8th: (11) Sakura Toujours—settled in 12th, angled out, lacked needed kick
9th: (14) Water Licht—traveled in 14th, passed tired rivals
10th: (3) Mad Cool—set pace, showed tenacity, weakened in last 100m
11th: (17) Jun Blossom—positioned in 14th, circled wide, even paced
12th: (1) Sixpence—took economic trip in 4th, failed to find another gear
13th: (12) Long Run—sat in 4th behind winner, struggled to find clear path at stretch
14th: (2) Daddy’s Vivid—saved ground in 8th, found little room at inner stretch
15th: (5) Red Mon Reve—settled behind winner, failed to respond
16th: (6) Gratias—traveled in 14th, caught behind a wall of horses at stretch
17th: (16) Trovatore—raced wide around 6th, met traffic, dropped back
18th: (15) Ho O Reality—hugged rails 2nd from rear, no factor

This coming Sunday sees one of the JRA’s top all-aged mile turf races in the first half of the year at Tokyo Racecourse, bringing the curtain down on a five straight week run of top-level races at the track. The Grade 1 Yasuda Kinen has long been one of the feature races of the late spring, following on from the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) and the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby).

First run in 1951 as the Yasuda Sho, this year will be the 75th running of the race, which honors the first JRA president, Izaemon Yasuda. It was originally a handicap race for 4-year-olds and up, and only since 2001 have 3-year-olds been eligible to run. It became a Grade 1 back in 1984, and was established as an international race in 1993. Hong Kong’s Romantic Warrior was an impressive winner of the race last year, but there will be no overseas challengers this time.

There are 19 nominations for this year’s Grade 1 Yasuda Kinen, and despite the absence of foreign runners, some of Japan’s top milers - and others with some versatility - look set to do battle in the race, with the field size being capped at 18 horses. Four-year-olds and up carry 58kg, and despite a generous allowance of 4kg for 3-year-olds, there are no 3yos among the nominations this year. Just two first favorites have won in the last 10 years - Romantic Warrior was the last one - and the race has favored 4-year-olds in the past decade, with five of them winning. Record time for the race is held by Indy Champ, who won in 2019 in a time of 1:30.9 seconds. This year the winner receives JPY180 million (about USD1.2 million), as well as an automatic entry to the Breeders’ Cup later this year.

Lead-up races have included the Grade 1 Osaka Hai, run at Hanshin in April, the Grade 2 Nakayama Kinen, run over 1,800 meters in March, and the Grade 2 Yomiuri Milers Cup, run at Kyoto in April. Some runners are also returning after races overseas.

Final declarations and barrier draw will be available later in the week. The big race is Race 11 on the Sunday card at Tokyo, with a post time of 15:40 local time.

Here is a look at some of the runners expected to be in the line-up:

Soul Rush: He might now be a 7-year-old, but beating Romantic Warrior at Meydan in April must surely be the highlight of the horse’s career, and he’s not finished yet. He must have a good chance to add this week’s Grade 1 to his CV, together with making it a first win at Tokyo, which up to now he hasn’t managed. Seemingly getting better as he ages, assistant trainer Hiroshi Kanetake gave an update on the horse: “It was a great win last time when he beat Romantic Warrior. Since last autumn’s Mile Championship, his results have been very good, so on his return to the stable this time, it feels like there’s something special about him. His condition is good once again, and we still have some leeway with him. In a recent piece of work on the woodchip course, his final furlong time was 10.5 seconds.” Jockey Suguru Hamanaka is scheduled to ride Soul Rush this time.

Sixpence: The 4-year-old colt by Kizuna is versatile when it comes to distance, and has won five of his seven career starts. He was last seen finishing seventh in the Grade 1 Osaka Hai in April, when perhaps he didn’t get the best of luck, as trainer Sakae Kunieda hinted at recently. “He was in good condition for his last race, and started well from a wide gate, but he didn’t really get cover in the race, so it might just have been the difference,” the trainer said. “He came back to the stable on May 14, and things have been fine with him. There’s no problem with his hooves now.” Christophe Lemaire is booked to ride Sixpence this Sunday.

Jantar Mantar: He has won two Grade 1 races over a mile, including last year’s NHK Mile Cup, so the colt by Palace Malice seems suited to the distance of Sunday’s race. He had his worst ever result last time in Hong Kong last December, and this will be his first run of 2025. Trainer Tomokazu Takano said: “He finished 13th last time in the Hong Kong Mile, and we couldn’t come up with a reason for that performance. He had to miss the Fuji Stakes before that with a fever, and there was also some tiredness after his trip to Hong Kong, so in giving him plenty of time to get back to himself, the Yasuda Kinen became his next target in this first half of the year.” Jockey Yuga Kawada will be hoping for a return to form for Jantar Mantar this week.

Trovatore: The Rey de Oro colt has won his last two races, the latest of which was the Grade 3 Lord Derby Challenge Trophy, run over a mile at Nakayama in April, when he was ridden by Joao Moreira. “Another horse lunged at the gate last time, and he took a slight knock on the head,” trainer Yuichi Shikato said. “Despite this, he showed what a tough character he is, and I could evaluate him highly after he went on to win. Since he came back from Northern Farm Tenei, we’ve just had him working solo on the woodchip course.” Trovatore has often been ridden by foreign jockeys, but this time Takeshi Yokoyama is set to ride the horse for just the second time.

Water Licht: Now under the watch of trainer Mamoru Ishibashi, the 4-year-old colt by Drefong might not have had a win at the top level, but is starting to look like a miler through and through. He has won three times over a mile at Tokyo, including his latest race, the Grade 3 Tokyo Shimbun Hai back in February. Trainer Ishibashi commented: “I can’t compare him to how he was previously, but he’s a straightforward horse and he’s been working well in training. Since last autumn, he’s shown a liking for mile races, so we thought we’d try him here next.”

Brede Weg: Finishing seventh to Soul Rush in the Grade 1 Dubai Turf last time, the 5-year-old mare was another to show how difficult it is to bring out the best in horses once they travel overseas. A mile might not be her best distance, but she is a Grade 1 winner, having won the Queen Elizabeth II Cup in 2023. Her liking for Tokyo is also apparent, with three career wins there. Trainer Keisuke Miyata commented: “After her last race, we found that she had symptoms of heatstroke, and we were worried about that. On returning to Japan, there were no problems, however, and her legs were fine. Jockey Keita Tosaki rode her in recent training and reported her to be in good condition and moving very well.” Brede Weg is the only filly or mare among the entries.

Win Marvel: The 6-year-old has only run over a mile once, but finished a creditable third to Soul Rush in last year’s Grade 1 Mile Championship at Kyoto last November. Any distance from 1,200 meters to 1,600 meters, and Win Marvel will give it his best shot. In his last race, he was just beaten by Ascoli Piceno in the 1351 Turf Sprint in Saudi Arabia. Trainer Masashi Fukayama said, “With no other horse wanting to make the running last time, it was good judgement by the jockey to take the lead. The horse has had a break at the farm with this race as his next target. In recent work, he’s hung a little to the left, but his hindquarters are better now, and we’ll just increase the pace of things with him from now.”

Long Run: The 7-year-old gelding has earned some good prize money for his owner, Akira Umezawa, and it makes his purchase price of under JPY20 million at the 2018 Select Sale look very reasonable. Winning the Grade 3 Kokura Daishoten in February, and the Grade 2 Yomiuri Milers Cup at Hanshin in April, Long Run’s year has been good so far with those two wins. Assistant trainer Masanari Tanaka said: “It might have been a slightly weaker field in the Grade 2 Yomiuri Milers Cup last time, but to win over a mile for the first time as a 7-year-old showed how well he is running and adjusting to his races. He’s had a break at the farm, and with the time between races, he’s maintaining his condition.”

Odds-on favorite Croix du Nord validated his Hopeful Stakes (G1, 2,000m) victory last year that earned his status as the season’s Best Two-Year-Old Colt and a potential middle-distance G1 runner, this time, rising atop this year’s 7,950 registered three-year-olds by conquering this year’s Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), the second leg of the Triple Crown. The son of Kitasan Black marked three wins in as many starts last year, including the Hopeful Stakes and kicked off this season with the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000, Guineas, G1, 2,000m) on April 20 as the heavy favorite but was beaten by Museum Mile by 1-1/2-lengths in second. Both trainer Takashi Saito and jockey Yuichi Kitamura claimed their first JRA-G1 title after last year’s Hopeful Stakes with this colt, and this victory marked the former’s ninth and the latter’s seventh G1 in total. While it was their first classic title for both the trainer and jockey, owner Sunday Racing notched their fifth Derby victory—renewing the JRA record for most Derby titles won.

Croix du Nord broke smoothly from stall 13, shifted closer to the inside and secured a prominent position around third or fourth behind Satono Shining who was rushed to the front in his bid to lead the 18-horse field then gave way to Ho O Atman soon after as pacesetter entering the backstretch. Yuichi Kitamura kept his mount in good rhythm as the Ho O Atman increased his lead from the rest of the field by almost ten lengths. The race began in earnest as leader weakened 300 meters out at which point Croix du Nord came powerfully up the center lane to duel with Satono Shining then pulled away from that foe at the furlong pole while holding off a powerful chase by Masquerade Ball and Shohei to win by 3/4 length.

“I felt it was my responsibility to make Croix du Nord a Derby winner ever since the colt won the Hopeful Stakes, so my feeling now is that I am relieved to have accomplished by mission. The whole process since the win last year, including our runner-up effort in the Satsuki Sho, was a meaningful and precious learning experience for me. The colt felt great today and I was able to come into the race with every confidence so victory itself came as no surprise to me. The break was smooth and after that, I was concentrating on keeping him in a comfortable rhythm more so than what position he was sitting in. In the stretch run, he responded really well and as I’ve said, I had every confidence in the colt and drove him on believing that he would make it to the wire a winner,” commented Yuichi Kitamura.

Masquerade Ball, secured a comfortable position in mid-field with a close view of the race favorite and eventual winner, running a few lengths in front. Giving the colt a breather along the backstretch before edging closer along the outside approaching the last two turns, Ryusei Sakai guided the colt further out for a clear run into the stretch where the son of Duramente turned in a terrific turn of foot to close in on the eventual winner while overtaking both Shohei and Satono Shining to secure second place although just short of reaching the winner.

Shohei made use of an inside break to sit close to the pace while saving ground along the rails before shifting out slightly coming into the straight to follow the eventual winner and, while unable to match that foe, ran on gamely to overtake Satono Shining in the last strides to secure third place.

Other Horses:
4th: (18) Satono Shining—rallied for lead, eased back to 2nd, took brief command after 400m pole, showed tenacity, weakened in last 100m
5th: (3) Eri King—saved ground in 14th, launched fastest late kick but belatedly
6th: (7) Museum Mile—raced wide in 11th, passed tired rivals
7th: (8) M’s—ran behind winner in 6th, launched bid but no match for top finishers
8th: (9) Giovanni—settled in 8th, struggled to find clear path at early stretch, quickened in last 200m
9th: (16) Feiern Kranz—sat behind winner, weakened in last 200m
10th: (1) Lila Emblem—took economic trip in 8th, showed brief effort
11th: (14) Ho O Atman—rallied to set pace, surrendered lead 300m out
12th: (12) Kalamatianos—traveled wide in 13th, unable to reach contention
13th: (10) Toppi Born—ran 2nd from rear, circled wide, never threatened
14th: (6) Fandom—hugged rails in 6th, outrun in last 300m
15th: (4) Dragon Boost—positioned in 16th on rails, showed little
16th: (11) Nishino Agent—raced in 14th, failed to respond at stretch
17th: (5) Readiness—traveled in 12th, switched to outside at early stretch, never fired
18th: (15) Faust Rasen—was off slowly, rear throughout trip

It is Derby time again, with the iconic race set for Sunday, June 1. The venue is Tokyo Racecourse in western Tokyo, and the gates will open on some of the very best 3-year-old Thoroughbreds in Japan, and perhaps someday on the world stage.

This year, the Grade 1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) will mark its 92nd running. It is the second leg of Japan’s Triple Crown races, with all of them open to both 3-year-old colts and fillies. The Derby follows the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) and wraps up in the autumn with the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger).

First held in 1932 at Meguro Racecourse before being moved to Tokyo Racecourse two years later, the classic race continued to lend some normality to the country even during WWII, until it was cancelled in 1945. The Derby returned in 1947 and has since continued as a beloved racing fixture.

In this year’s all-colt lineup, the Top 5 finishers from the Satsuki Sho are all included - Museum Mile, Croix du Nord, Masquerade Ball, Giovanni and Satono Shining. Two other official trials leading into the Derby - the Grade 2 TV Tokyo Hai Aoba Sho and the Principal Stakes - handed a Derby ticket to its top finishers, but only the Aoba Sho runner-up Feiern Kranz and Principal Stakes winner Readiness are expected to take part. Three others that earned their way to the gate with earnings alone are (in order of amount) Fandom, Shohei and Faust Rasen. These 10 colts will also most likely comprise the most heavily bet names.

A full gate of 18 runners (from 20 nominees), including 10 that have already landed graded-stakes wins, will test their mettle over 2,400 meters of turf at Tokyo.

Winning the Derby is, of course, not just about its prize. The most wins, the youngest jockey, the oldest, anything associated with capturing this jewel is an honor and every jockey’s dream. Many tears have been shed at the postrace interview. Last year, Norihiro Yokoyama (aboard Danon Decile) became, at over 56 years of age, the oldest jockey to win the Derby. Yutaka Take, expected up on Satono Shining this year, holds the record for most wins in the Derby. He has landed six thus far, in 1998, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2014, and 2022, and is gunning for a lucky seven.

Post time for the Japanese Derby (the No. 11 race) is 15:40 locally on the Sunday card of 12 at Tokyo. The Grade 2 Meguro Kinen follows as the last race of the day.

Here is a look at some of the standouts.



Museum Mile: Runner-up in the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes, Museum Mile next ran fourth in the Grade 2 Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho Deep Impact Kinen over 2,000 meters at Nakayama. He then landed the Satsuki Sho despite having had to deal with interference in the backstretch and a rather rough trip overall. Extending nicely in the final stage, the son of Leontes managed to catch and pass Croix de Nord in the last 100 meters, and win the race under Joao Moreira by a margin of a length and a half. This time key will be how well he can handle not only his first time at Tokyo, but also the extra distance, 400 meters longer than what he’s experienced before. His third place in his debut at Chukyo would indicate the left-handed track shouldn’t pose a problem. Damian Lane is expected up on Sunday, riding Museum Mile in a race for the first time. The Australian rider, currently in Japan on a short-term license until June 27, started off winning big with the Tenno Sho (Spring), but has posted a 6-4-7 in the next three G1s. Lane scored the Derby in 2023 aboard Tastiera, whom he was also riding in a race for the first time.

Croix du Nord: A son of seven-time G1 champion Kitasan Black, Croix du Nord was named Best 2-Year-Old for 2024 after claiming the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes, from which point his three-race winning streak from his debut ended. Disappointing as race favorite in the Satsuki Sho, Croix du Nord finished second by a length and a half to Museum Mile. Trainer Takashi Saito, who has yet to win the Derby but has amassed eight G1 wins, (three alone from his star mare Chrono Genesis) says of Croix du Nord: “The Satsuki Sho was a tough race, but except for the winner, he showed his strength in holding off all the others. Compared to before that race, he has filled out and is looking stronger. His work last week (under regular rider Yuichi Kitamura) should have him sharpened up.”

Masquerade Ball: With three wins from five starts thus far, the Duramente-sired Masquerade Ball has proved consistent except for one time, his unexpectedly poor showing in the G1 Hopeful Stakes. It was his first time racing to the right and he’d leapt from a listed race win to the top level. Less than two months later, he scooped the Grade 3 Kyodo News Hai (Tokinominoru Kinen) over 1,800 meters at Tokyo. In the Satsuki Sho, despite coming from far off the pace and suffering interference in the stretch, he was able to finish in third place only 0.3 seconds off winner Museum Mile. His three wins have all come over left-handed tracks. Masquerade Ball hails from the stable of veteran trainer Takahisa Tezuka, who needs only a Derby win to complete his hand of classic victories, a feat only four trainers (none of them active) have accomplished. Tezuka has fielded four Derby runners thus far, and Sol Oriens came closest to winning the Derby with his second by a neck to Tastiera in 2023. This year’s Saudi Cup winning jockey Ryusei Sakai, who rode the colt in the Kyodo News Hai, is expected up on Sunday. Sakai, currently No. 3 in the JRA jockey rankings, has won eight G1s in Japan, and hopes to land his first Derby.

Satono Shining: Sired by Kizuna (Derby winner in 2013), Satono Shining disappointed with a fifth in the Satsuki Sho. In his previous three races, he’d posted two wins and a second (including a G2 second and a G3 win), and had gone to the Satsuki Sho gate as the race second pick. He finished only 0.4 seconds behind the winner despite having experienced a far-from-smooth trip. “At the first bend and down the backstretch, he was bumped several times and just when he’d settle down again, he’d get bumped again and become excited,” said jockey Atsuya Nishimura. “It was a stressful trip for him from start to finish. He held back as he usually does in the turns but in the straight I actually thought we were going to win.” This time Derby ace Yutaka Take, who is gunning for his seventh win of the Derby, is to take the reins for the first time as Nishimura’s currently recovering from injury.

Fandom: The unbeaten Fandom, hailing from the Miho stable of Tetsuhide Tsuji, has streaked winningly through three races from his September debut last year and could become the 12th horse to win the Derby unbeaten. In his most recent race at the end of March, he landed claim to the Grade 3 Mainichi Hai. Now the colt by Saturnalia (fourth in the 2019 Derby) will be racing to the left and at Tokyo for the first time. He will also be racing over 600 meters longer than he has before. However, Fandom does have speed on his side, as was evident when he topped the course record for 2-year-olds in his debut at Nakayama. Trainer Tsuji commented of the colt: “He got a good time in his work last week, but still had a lot in the tank. There’s no big change from his last race, but he does come out of a race much better than he used to. I’m not worried about the left-handed track and the way he looked in the Mainichi Hai made me think he was good enough for the Derby. I’m looking forward to it.” Hiroshi Kitamura, who has ridden all the colt’s three starts, is expected up.

Shohei: Shohei comes to the Derby gate fresh off a win of the Grade 2 Kyoto Shimbun Hai over 2,200 meters at Kyoto in March. All Shohei’s four starts have been at Kyoto and the only one in which he did not make the Top 3 was the Grade 3 Kisaragi Sho, where he finished fourth with a full second behind the winner. Also by Saturnalia, Shohei is fielded by trainer Yasuo Tomomichi, who has won the Derby three times, the top Derby score held by trainers currently active. If he wins this time, it will put Tomomichi at the Derby top for all trainers ever. “There’s not much time between races, so I just wanted to check the colt’s responses over the final stage,” Tomomichi said. “The jockey seemed to like what he felt in morning work. I don’t see the trip to Tokyo or the direction of the track as posing any problem. Looking at his last race, I think he can handle 2,400 meters. When he looks good in work, he usually races well too. I’m looking forward to it.” Christophe Lemaire, who rode the morning work on May 22, is expected to take the reins.



Comments: Keiba Book, Nikkan Sports