Alma Divin

Fumimasa Takahashi, trainer
“Her last race (Fukushima Himba Stakes) was the first time in a while that she’d run over 1,800 meters. And, she drew wide. We didn’t want her to become unbalanced when we signaled her to move, so the jockey moved her up slowly. Into the stretch, then horses moved in on her from her inside and the interference hurt. If she had had a smooth run, it would have definitely been a better race, so that was a shame. She still tends to get too tense and carried away, so we’ve gotten her ready with that in mind. She had a fast workout up the hill course on May 7 and we didn’t push her too much intentionally. She is an honest runner and I feel that she is coming into her own now. She is well-suited to the Tokyo mile. I think the conditions are ideal for bringing out her best.”

Belle Lumiere

Ryo Takahashi, trainer
“The 1,400 is the best distance for this horse. She raced very well last time out (Sankeisports Hai Hanshin Himba Stakes) and gave it her all until the finish. But, she was an easy target for the winner. She was calm coming out of the race and I didn’t think she needed a turnout just for a change of pace, so we kept her at the Ritto Training Center. All is going well. She always moves well in morning work, but of course you can’t tell all that much from just that, but her muscle tone is nicer now and I think the warmer weather suits her. She’s had the long haul before but she’s in very different shape from last year’s NHK Mile Cup, when she’d been raced constantly up until then. She can access her power at a venue like Tokyo and it won’t be easy with the competition a lot stronger but if she can get a good trip…”

Bounce Shasse

Kazuo Fujisawa, trainer
“There hasn’t been that much time from her last race (Laurel R.C. Sho Nakayama Himba Stakes) and she came out of that race well, so getting her ready for here was quite easy. Her time this week wasn’t that fast but I gave instructions to only push her in the finish. Her last race was good, physically she looks good and her movement is good. She’s a big horse and though I’d thought she wasn’t that poorly prepared last year, her results weren’t good. She was a bit keen. Last race, we didn’t see any of that. And, she has gotten some good work and is relaxed. I think she’s looking good. I do think the mile is short for her but we have the long Tokyo stretch this time, so considering how she’s looking now, I don’t think it’ll be in any way bad. With the Tokyo mile, you can’t just win it on speed. You need more stamina than 1,600 meters over other tracks would require. She has a lot of stamina so my expectations are high. She sometimes starts well, sometimes poorly, so the rider is going to have to be able to be versatile there and use his judgment. I’d prefer to not draw wide.”

Cafe Brilliant

Atsunori Hashimoto, assistant trainer
“It was a brilliant win of the Hanshin Himba Stakes. That’s all I can call it, brilliant. I was so surprised. She ran strongly from the break, made her move from a good position and ran strongly to the finish. I had never thought she could run such a good race this soon. We kept her at the Miho Training Center after that. We’d had so much trouble last year but now she has put on muscle. But she does tend to fatigue easily in her back and hindquarters, so we’ve been very careful there. She’s full of energy and there will be no problems with her condition. Until last race, instead of going for a good position early on, we’d been trying to hold her back somewhat so she’d have something left for the finish. But, seeing her last start and that she can race successfully from a forward position, I’m thinking that even with it being a G1, since it’s only against other females, she may have a chance.”

Dia de la Madre

Tatsuya Yoshioka, assistant trainer
“For the Yomiuri Milers Cup, it was the first week of the meet and the jockey wanted to send her forward from the gate. But, at the break, she had rocked her weight back just when the gate opened. She ran well in the stretch, but with that pace and the going the way it was, it was just too much for her. It was an unlucky race. Fortunately, she recovered quickly from the race. Last week, we worked her over the course with her out in front of two others. The rider said her footwork had gotten good and that she felt good. She has improved from her last start. Just to be on the safe side, we had her do some gate practice and since she was never a poor starter, I think she’ll be OK this time. We have the long Tokyo stretch and it’s an all-female race. I think it’s a stage that will bring out her best and I’m hoping to see a good race.”

Hana's Goal

Kazuhiro Kato, trainer
“Three races ago in the Rakuyo Stakes she hadn’t been right going into it and we’d only been able to give her two weeks of riding. She needed more. In the two races after that, she’d been in good shape but the going took its toll and she wasn’t able to run her kind of race. Her weight has stabilized at about 430 kg. On May 3, we worked her fast on the hill course when the ground was slow and got a time of around 53 seconds. Her work has gone well of late and she is in good shape. She has in no way lost ability. Things just didn’t come together well after she returned to Japan. If we can get a firm track, I’ll think we’ll see something different.”

Keiai Elegant

Kiyohiko Tanaka, assistant trainer
“Even though she won the Kyoto Himba Stakes, she was not at peak by any means. Then, she had the accident that forced her out of the Nakayama Himba Stakes. It was really unfortunate. Still, she’s had enough time until here. We kept her at the Miho Training Center and got her ready. On April 29, she worked over heavy ground and on May 6, we worked her in tandem and she did well. For now, she’s been handling all the work we’ve given her. Last year, she finished sixth in this race but she wasn’t in the best of shape. It looks like we’ll have her at peak going in this year and she’s got a great attitude now as well. I have my hopes up.“

Little Gerda

Ippo Sameshima, trainer
“In the Takamatsunomiya Kinen, I think in hindsight I’d have to say that we ran a bit too aggressive of a race. And before that, the going was too bad. Up against male horses with a heavy track like that was too tough for her. We turned her out for a bit after that race, then brought her back to the Ritto Training Center on April 23. She was fully recovered and refreshed and her movement up the hill course last week showed improvement. The wood chips were deep but she ran well to the end. She has now toned up and I think she’ll go to the track at just under 500 kg for the race. It’s her first time at the mile but I brought her here thinking it would be easier for her up against all females. The distance is an unknown but I feel looking at her body type and knowing how she settles, that she’ll be able to handle it. If she can hold back a bit and move up slowly and ace the distance, it will open up a lot more opportunities for her.”

Meisho Mambo

Yuji Iida, trainer
“She put the brakes on in the Hanshin Himba Stakes and I feel we didn’t do enough to get her in a better frame of mind. She’s gotten rather difficult recently. When the jockey gives the go sign she will flatten her ears and flip her tail. So, that’s why I wanted to try her in blinkers once before the G1. But, they didn’t seem to help, which shows me the problem is not with the tack. We worked her on May 7 over the woodchip course but she was switching her tail and I can’t say she looked good. Still, she got a good time, which shows she has talent nonetheless. Compared to last year, I’d say she’s better toned now and generally in better physical shape. She has the speed to handle the mile. She was second here last year, so I’m hoping she’ll rally.”

Minaret

Naru Owada, trainer
“She had trouble with the gate and that had been a concern, but she’s started well in her last two races. Two races ago, she took the lead but wasn’t able to hold her ground to the finish. Last time out, we decided not to insist on the lead and she fared much better. I think she reaped a lot from that race, more than her fifth-place finish would indicate. Seeing that race, I also considered her for the Keio Hai Spring Cup (on Saturday). She didn’t show any fatigue and with only two weeks between races, I just gave her work on the weekend and clocked her on the May 13. I think that’s enough. I think the shorter distance will be a plus this time but she’s actually more suited to a tighter track than the long stretch at Tokyo. Key will be how well she’ll be able to travel and hold something in reserve for the finish.”

Nuovo Record

Makoto Saito, trainer
“On May 13, I had wanted to work her a bit earlier in the morning but considering the effect on the track from the typhoon the day before, I decided to work her later. We usually work our horses after most of the others are off the track and we were able to do that this week too. After a race, she tends to switch on a bit early these days. I’d planned to have jockey Iwata ride her in work last week and until then we kept her calm and switched off. But last week, we pushed her and she came into this week switched on. She’s in very good shape. This week’s fast work was done solo and she did lose a bit of concentration in the end but looking at how well she was on the bit, I’d say last week’s work did her good. She’s matured as we expected her to and she’s a very clever horse. She hasn’t changed that much physically as she’s aged, but she is mentally more settled. She’s gotten better at racing and handled the rather difficult trip of the Nakayama Kinen well. It was an excellent race, one where she really showed her determination. She’s able to handle any kind of race, which I think is fantastic. The competition will be different, but she was raced at the mile from her debut until the Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas). I think she can handle the distance, especially at Tokyo. She’s been especially well on the bit recently and I think if we have a nice pace, the Tokyo mile will be a good change. As for the going, from the look of her hooves, I think she can handle a track that’s a bit yielding. I don’t have any particular concerns about that and I don’t have any preference for the draw. Iwata said she can run from anywhere. And I believe he’s right.”

Yasunari Iwata, jockey
“Last race, she was up against males but turned in the kind of race she did. She has a lot of talent. She also has the guts to get out of a tight spot. With a distance of 1,800 meters, it’s a bit hard for her to settle, but I think the mile will be easier for her.”

Red Reveur

Naosuke Sugai, trainer
“The Hanshin Himba Stakes was her first race in a while and she quickened nicely in the finish, so I don’t think her performance was poor. She’s come along fine since then and she didn’t lose weight after her last race. I feel she has matured as well. Last week, her fast work went well and I think she will be in peak condition for her second start after the layoff. Last year, she made the long trip to Tokyo for the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) and lost weight, but now that she has matured mentally I’m sure that she will handle the trip with no problem. She’s suited to the long stretch at Tokyo and isn’t bothered by any going. If she can run her best in the condition she’s in now, she’ll have a chance.”

Shonan Pandora

Tomokazu Takano, trainer
“Her weight increased from the fall of her 3-year-old year, but I think she has filled out and has nice muscling. Last race (Sankei Osaka Hai), the jockey sent her forward with an eye to this race at 1,600 meters. She ran nicely but with the going as bad as it was, it was simply too much for her and she faded in the finish. She looked beaten after that. But we had five weeks between races with an easy rotation. We had lots of time to first concentrate on getting her over any fatigue and then bringing her back to peak. She worked in tandem up the hill course last week, with her catching up and overtaking the horse ahead. She ran well and I think she’ll have improved from last start. I think she’ll be able to handle the distance. It’s an all-female race and if she can run to her best, I think we’ll see a good race.”

Smart Layer

Ryuji Okubo, trainer
“She was in good shape for the Hanshin Himba Stakes but she never has been good over a heavy track. I think the going was the main reason for her performance in that race. She didn’t like it. Still, she raced her heart out and she had muscle pain in places she never had before. Her heart and wind have improved since last race. I was happy with her fast work both this week and last. I always focus on the final stage. This week for fast work the track wasn’t in the best shape because of the rain the day before but she didn’t seem to care at all. She’s in a good place mentally. Earlier in the mile, she would become unbalanced in places, but now she is calmer. I think the mile may be her best distance.”

Straight Girl

Hideaki Fujiwara, trainer
“Coming back from Hong Kong, she wasn’t in bad shape for the Takamatsunomiya Kinen. But the bad track and the outside draw were factors. Still, I think she lost by a bit too much. Physically now, I’d say she’s the same as she was last year. That’s as expected. But, the rest is her attitude. I’m wondering how that will affect things. It’s the first time up for the jockey, so I wanted him to get some communication with the horse. I instructed him to have her settle well and save something for the finish. And he rode exactly as instructed. I think with her age and with only sprints it was a bit much to ask of her to race against males, so I decided to come here. I think the conditions are very good for her and I can see her doing well. She has to have a firm track though.”

Nobuyuki Tashiro, assistant trainer
“The going was a lot worse in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen than the rating indicated. And she had the far outside gate and coming back from overseas, she may have been more fatigued than we’d realized. A lot of factors likely added up for that performance and it definitely was not what she’s capable of. We gave her time off after that and she came back relaxed and with a nice sheen to her coat. Last week, jockey Keita Tosaki rode her for fast work on the woodchip course and said, ‘She’s easy to ride and settled nicely.’ With the final workout, she should be ready. Last year in this race, things got tight in the stretch. It had been her first mile in a while to run mile and there had been a number of concerns, but her losing margin wasn’t a big one. The distance is OK and there is no worry about her settling. She’s had experience racing against strong males and with it being an all-female event, I have my expectations up that she’ll put in a top-class fight.”

Sweet Salsa

Masatatsu Kikukawa, trainer
“She didn’t have enough earnings, so in her last race (Fukushima Himba Stakes) the focus was winning. With the Fukushima course, I figured the only way to win was with the kind of trip she got last time out. It was a great race. That race followed one she had to be scratched from and, to be honest, she wasn’t in top shape. But, with that as a sharpener, she has improved markedly. She’s ready and because the rotation is tight I don’t think she’ll be needing any more fast work. Earlier, she let her emotions get a hold of her, but with age, she has learned to be patient and has matured mentally a lot. With the long Tokyo homestretch, we’ll likely have her hold back in the first half and leave something for the finish. The competition is strong, but I’m looking forward to see just how well she can do.”

Tagano Etoile

Hiroyoshi Matsuda, trainer
“In the two races previous to her last one, she either faced a wall in the stretch or was pushed to the outside. Last race she was at long last able to get a trip that allowed her to run to the best of her ability. She was borderline keen, but she waited patiently and it was a ride that brought out her good points. On May 6, we worked her alone over the course and went from an easy 15-15 to push her in the finish. Her time was what we wanted. Then a workout on last Saturday and two more this week and she’ll be ready. With 1,600 meters, she should be able to settle more easily. The long Tokyo stretch should help her bring out what she’s able to keep in reserve, so that’s attractive. She did well in her two previous all-female graded stakes, the (Kansai Telecasting Corp. Sho) Rose Stakes and the Shuka Sho. She’s bigger than she was then and I feel she has matured as well. I think it’ll stand her well and I’m hoping for a good run.”

Western Merci

Takeshi Okumura, trainer
“Her last race (Fukushima Himba Stakes) was a real shame. Part of the problem was the inside draw. She didn’t have room to run. The results were unfortunate and she simply didn’t get to race. She came out of the race fine though. She’s full of energy and all is going according to plan. Since there isn’t that much time between races, I just am giving her two fast workouts. I think her last race shouldn’t be taken into consideration at all. With a 1,600 over turf, I think she’s in a good position to aim for the top spots. She had a very strong win two races ago in the Hatsune Stakes. If she can show us that acceleration again…”