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Time Flyer Shines in G1 Hopeful Stakes

Race favorite Time Flyer claimed the newly upgraded G1 Hopeful Stakes this year and improved his record to three wins and two seconds in five career starts. After debuting in August, the Heart’s Cry colt marked two consecutive wins, the latter in the open-class Hagi Stakes, and is coming off a runner-up effort in the G3 Kyoto Nisai Stakes. Trainer Kunihide Matsuda marked his 14th JRA-G1 win, his first since claiming the Japan Cup Dirt with Belshazzar in 2013, while jockey Cristian Demuro, who is racing under a short-term license since October and has rode Time Flyer in his last two starts, celebrates his second JRA-G1 victory since claiming the Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) with Ayusan in 2013.

After a modest break, Time Flyer was off slow making the first two turns near the rear while Trine, Sans Rival and Jun Valerot fought up front for the lead. The bay colt steadily made progress chasing Stay Foolish rounding the third corner and then drifting to the outside of Gendarme at the top of the lane for a clear path. Unleashing a spectacular fastest stretch drive, Time Flyer quickly pinned Gendarme and the tiring Sans Rival at the furlong marker and although encountered a stubborn rally by Gendarme, finally shook off the runner-up in the last 50 meters for a 1-1/4-length victory.

“Today we went very fast so I waited a little bit because I tried to stay behind. I had confidence that he could catch the front but we were tight and couldn’t find the space, so I followed Yutaka (Take) who was in front of me and after we went out, he was just a very good horse. He will improve for the classics because he’s still young and has a good turn of foot, and I think the distance will not be a problem,” commented jockey Cristian Demuro after the race.

Fourth favorite Gendarme took a wide trip in mid-division after breaking from stall 15 and while the front runner was running out of steam on the rails, the colt was tagged 200 meters out after making a wide turn into the straight, and in spite of a tenacious pursuit, succumbed to the speed of the eventual winner to finish second.

Sent off eighth favorite in a field of 17, Stay Foolish traveled two wide in lower mid-pack right behind Gendarme and in front of Time Flyer. Following the runner-up at the last corner, the Stay Gold colt chased the battling leaders down the straight with a good turn of foot and closed well threatening Gendarme in the final strides but was a neck short for third.

Other Horses:
4th: (9) Sans Rival―pressed pace in 2nd, took lead at early stretch, outrun by top 3 finishers in last 100m
5th: (17) Nasuno Symphony―broke poorly, ran 2nd from rear, showed belated charge at stretch
6th: (10) Lucas―traveled 3-wide in mid-group, accelerated briefly at early stretch, even paced in last 200m
7th: (6) My Heartbeat―took economic trip in mid-division, turned wide, passed tired rivals at stretch
8th: (3) Water Parfait―sat near pace in 4th, ran gamely until 200m out, failed to sustain bid
9th: (4) Lord Axis―settled in mid-pack, showed brief response, weakened in last 200m
10th: (16) Shaft of Light―raced 3-wide towards rear, unable to reach contention
11th: (1) Lune Rouge―hugged rails in mid-group, turned wide, lacked needed kick at stretch
12th: (8) Charlemagne―sat in 6th, showed little at stretch
13th: (11) Flatley―traveled in mid-division, driven after 3rd corner, failed to respond
14th: (12) Jun Valerot―chased leaders in 3rd, led at 3rd corner, ran out of steam at early stretch
15th: (2) Tosen Krieger―stalked leaders in 5th, fell back after 3rd corner, faded
16th: (14) Work and Love―trailed in far rear, no factor
Fail to Finish: (5) Trine―set pace, weakened before 3rd corner, pulled up before wire

THE 34TH HOPEFUL STAKES (G1)
2-year-old Colts & Fillies, 2,000 meters (about 10 furlongs), turf, right-handed
Thursday, December 28, 2017    Nakayama Racecourse     11th Race    Post time: 15:30
Total prize money: ¥ 152,200,000 (about US$ 1,323,000 <US$1=¥115>)
2-y-o: 55kg (about 121 lbs), 1 kg allowance for Fillies, 3 kg allowance for Southern Hemisphere-bred born in 2015
Safety factor: 18 runners

FP=Final Position / BK=Bracket Number / PP=Post Position / B=Blinker / Wgt=Weight / L3F=Time of Last 3 Furlongs (600m)
FF=Fail to Finish

1. 1.Time Flyer (JPN), bay, colt, 2-year-old
   Heart's Cry / Time Traveling (Brian's Time)

   Owner: Sunday Racing Co., Ltd.	Breeder: Oiwake Farm
   Trainer: Kunihide Matsuda	Jockey: Cristian Demuro
   5 Starts, 3 Wins
   Added money: ¥71,204,000	Career earnings: ¥108,259,000

   
   
2. 2.Gendarme (USA), dark bay or brown, colt, 2-year-old
   Kitten's Joy / Believe (Sunday Silence)

   Owner: Koji Maeda	Breeder: North Hills Co. Limited
   Trainer: Yasutoshi Ikee	Jockey: Yutaka Take

   
   
3. 3.Stay Foolish (JPN), bay, colt, 2-year-old
   Stay Gold / Kauai Lane (King Kamehameha)

   Owner: Shadai Race Horse Co., Ltd.	Breeder: Shadai Farm
   Trainer: Yoshito Yahagi	Jockey: Yuta Nakatani

* Hopeful Stakes (G1)
Established in 1984 under the name of Radio Tampa Hai Sansai Himba Stakes as a G3 race for two-year-old fillies run over 1,600 meters at Hanshin Racecourse, the race held in December has made various changes in its status over the years. The distance was extended to 2,000 meters while the runners were limited to colts and geldings in 1991, opened its doors once again to fillies and mares in 2000 and acquired international status in 2010. In 2014, the race was given the Hopeful Stakes name, upgraded to G2, excluded geldings and was shifted to a new venue, the Nakayama Racecourse. This year, the race made its final elevation in grade and has become JRA’s 24th G1 flat race.
Even before becoming a G1 race, the Hopeful Stakes was highly regarded as the main target for middle-distance prospects aiming for the three-year-old classics instead of the traditional two-year-old G1 championships, the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes and the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies run over 1,600 meters. As a result, the 2,000-meter race attracted many talented runners and subsequent G1 winners such as 2010 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, G1, and 2011 Dubai World Cup (G1, AW, 2,000m) winner Victoire Pisa (JPN, by Neo Universe), 2013 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger, G1, 3,000m) and 2014 Japan Cup (G1, 2,400m) victor Epiphaneia (JPN, by Symboli Kris S), and this year’s Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1, 2,400m) champion Rey de Oro (JPN, by King Kamehameha).
Gendarme came off a grade-race win in the Daily Hai Nisai Stakes (G2, 1,600m; Nov.11) while Hagi Stakes (1,800m; Oct.28) winner Time Flyer came off second in the Kyoto Nisai Stakes (G3, 2,000m; Nov.25). Lucas and Charlemagne finished second and third, respectively, in the Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes (G3, 1,800m; Nov.18) while other key runners who also registered their second victory were Sans Rival [Fuyo Stakes (2,000m, Sep.24)], My Heartbeat [Shigiku Sho (2,000m; Oct.14)], Jun Valerot [Kigiku Sho (2,000m; Nov.12)] and Work and Love [Mominoki Sho (dirt, 1,800m; Dec.9)].
Rey de Oro set the race record of 2:01.3 last year while Agnes Tachyon (JPN, by Sunday Silence) marked 2:00.8 at Hanshin Racecourse in 2000.