09.10.02 Sprinters Stakes (G1) - comments from Japanese runners' connections - News

Home > News & Photo > Racing News > 2009

2009 News

October 2, 2009

Sprinters Stakes (G1) - comments from Japanese runners' connections

Apollo Dolce

Apollo Dolce (4yo, colt)

Masahiro Horii (trainer)
"Great action today. He's finally starting to fill out his frame, and he's recovering much faster than he used to. We hope the rain continues, because the slower the pace the better for him. His last performance wasn't bad at all. We didn't think we would be in this race, but here we are thanks to the ratings. We're leaving it up to the racing gods now."

B B Guldan

B B Guldan (5yo, horse)

Katsumi Ando
"I've been told he had a few issues since the last race, but as far as the workout goes, he was completely fine just like last year, and his last race was outstanding so he will definitely be one of the favorites. His movement was as good as it was the last time, so I don't anticipate any problems. I think the turf in Hokkaido best suits him, but he's done well at Nakayama in the past; he handles the hill there just fine. The only thing with Nakayama is that he doesn't seem to like that last turn for some reason, so it's something I'll have to watch out for. He knows how to race and while I expect him to finish high, he's not your classic speed horse, either. To be perfectly honest, I do wonder if he has what it takes to win a race at this level. I hope the winning time is around a minute and eight seconds. The weather hasn't been holding up this week, so at least he's got that going for him. He breaks well, and he can be on the lead if need be so he makes my job real easy. Ideally, we want to take second or third position during the trip and that the pace picks up. I think we have every chance of victory here."

Grand Prix Angel

Grand Prix Angel (3yo, filly)

Yoshito Yahagi (trainer)
"She had a full blown workout for the first time in her career, and she didn't leave anything out there today, that's for sure. I think she'll be as fit as she can be for the race, and she's going to need to be that good to stand a chance against this field. I had my share of doubts after the race, but watching her work today, I'm beginning to think we might have a shot here. Not that she doesn't have her question marks; at 53 kilograms, it would have been nice if we had one less kilogram on the others, and I'm not sure how she would handle a race as fast as this one is going to be. It'll be a plus for us if it rains a little bit. But she has her appetite, and I can say the preparations have gone as well as they can. We have nothing to lose here; we're going for broke."

I'll Love Again

I'll Love Again (7yo, horse)

Takahisa Tezuka (trainer)
"He moved well, just like he always does, and he seems to be in good condition. He has a good track record at Nakayama, so at the very least I expect him to improve on his last result. I can say with certainty that he's going into the race in better form than last year. It'll be interesting for us."

Kanoya Zakura

Kanoya Zakura (5yo, mare)

Kojiro Hashiguchi (trainer)
"She had a good workout on a bad track, and I see no dip in her form yet. It's her last race this year, and I think her chances are as good as anyone else's. Now we just need the skies to clear up because she's got a big long stride and doesn't handle the off track well."

Kinshasa no Kiseki

Kinshasa no Kiseki (6yo, horse)

Kosei Miura
"I've come back from Britain just to ride this horse. I was told he doesn't work particularly hard, but it couldn't have been further from the truth. He lost his concentration a bit when he got out in front, but he didn't need any pushing from me on the straight. I found out a lot about him today. I can see why some say he has problems relaxing, but it didn't seem to be a problem when he had someone in front of him. I know a workout and a race are two different things, but I couldn't ask for more out of him today. I have nothing to worry about with him. Now it's up to me. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't thinking about the record (of becoming youngest Grade 1-winning jockey), so I'll just deal with it. If I can get the most out of this horse, I can definitely do it."

Laurel Guerreiro

Laurel Guerreiro (5yo, horse)

Mitsugu Kon (trainer)
"We had the jockey work him because we didn't want any lapse in concentration, and (Shinji) Fujita told me the horse moved like he does when he's at his best. He's leaner, and you can tell that he's much fitter compared to his last race. He's never run the 1,200 meters at Nakayama, but he came in second in the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes so we don't think the course will be a problem at all. He's the ace of our stable now that the younger Deep Sky has packed it in. I want him to win to sprinter of the year honors. He's coming along really well, and I just hope he can run to the best of his ability on the day of the race. We can't make the spring seem like a fluke."

Maruka Phoenix

Maruka Phoenix (5yo, horse)

Yuichi Fukunaga
"We pushed him over the last furlong, but he responded well. His best distance is probably 1,400 meters but he runs well enough to win even at 1,200 meters. This will be his third race out of the break so he'll be ready to go. Without Sleepless Night, I think our chance is as good as everyone else's. He'll have his moment in the race, that's for sure."

Premium Box

Premium Box (6yo, horse)

Hiroyuki Uehara (trainer)
"He had a slow workout last week, but we had a partner with him this week to make sure that he got in his work from start to finish, which should make a difference. We're hoping for more rain because it will definitely improve his chances. He runs well on a wet surface, and he's got a very good shot depending on the pace."

Sandalphon

Sandalphon (6yo, horse)

Mikio Matsunaga (trainer)
"His work was light last week, so we wanted to push him today. He looked sharp throughout, which says everything about the condition he's in. He'll run his usual race from behind, and if that's not good enough, that's not good enough."

Soldier's Song

Soldier's Song (7yo, horse)

Ippo Sameshima (trainer)
"Look at the horses he's been going up against; there's no reason he can't compete here."

Chimaki Terai (exercise rider)
"We wanted him going easy early, and then finishing strong. He seemed real crisp, and compared to the spring, is much looser out on the course. Without question, he's gotten much better since the Takamatsunomiya Kinen in March. We definitely have him ready for (jockey Hiroyuki) Uchida, who's very demanding from his horse."

Toreno Jubilee

Toreno Jubilee (6yo, horse)

Hideaki Fujiwara (trainer)
"We've been targeting this race all long, everything's gone according to plan so far. The turf at Nakayama should suit him since he's got a lot of speed. His condition is definitely on the up, and I don't think he'll disappoint us."

Ultima Thule

Ultima Thule (5yo, mare)

Masashi Okuhira (trainer)
"The past few times, we had her breeze through workouts on the week of the race, clocking 66, 67 seconds and this week was no different. It was her usual workout. At the start of the year, she was at the bottom of the rung and I couldn't dare say at the time that she was going to win a Grade 1 race. But she's made it this far, thanks to her natural born ability. She has a real temper, but we've come to understand how to deal with it. She's been blessed with incomparable speed, and has looked incredible since her last race. It's my job to make sure she goes out there one piece; we can't let up until she's safely in her stall, and the key to that is the post paddock parade. The most important thing is that she stays emotionally stable, and we've been working to keep her relaxed since the Centaur Stakes. Hopefully, we end up with the right result."

Urbanity

Urbanity (5yo, horse)

Masaaki Koga (trainer)
"He ran a 65 last week, and his action is fine. He's in good shape by his standards. It's not easy to start the fall season with a Grade 1 race, even though he's been successful at Nakayama. His result in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen is what it is, so I can't go too far out on a limb here."

Yamanin Emailler

Yamanin Emailler (6yo, mare)

Kazu Sato (exercise rider)
"Her condition isn't any worse or better than it's been. She's never raced at 1,200 meters in the open class, but she has done it at a lower category so we think she can adjust. If the pace picks up early on, she should hold her own. She tends to lose a bit of weight when she travels, and we're hoping it won't be much of a problem this time."