Koichi Tsunoda, trainer
“After his last race, everything’s been satisfactory with him, and he’ll come on from that last run, I believe. He’s worked well and put in a six furlong time in the region of 79 seconds on the woodchip course last week. He’s had the same training pattern as before. I don’t think the course is a problem, despite him having lost there once. He just needs to run at what’s a good rhythm for him and get into a handy position.”

Al Ain

Yasutoshi Ikee, trainer
“He’s a bit full of himself, with a lot of energy, but not overly so. I think the long trip over to the track will be fine. He ran a strong race last time, and managed to soak up the pressure that went on between the third and fourth corners, and went on to win in a good time. He’s showed us the same good movement in training, and I think he’ll be suited to the 2,000 meters.”

America's Cup

Hidetaka Otonashi, trainer
“He’s worked well in training. The only time he’s lost was in the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes, when he started slowly and had to make up ground unwillingly. I think he can adjust to the 2,000 meters alright, as long as he gets off to a fair start.  Im not worried about the ground.”

Cadenas

Kazuya Nakatake, trainer
“He’s a horse that is coming on well through his training, and I can see him getting better day by day. I’m very satisfied with him, not just his speed, but the power he possesses too. I’ve never won a Classic race, but we always do our best at the stable to win every race. It’ll be difficult for the jockey in a big field, but I want to see Cadenas run a big race to match the condition he’s in. I’m not thinking about the other horses.”

Yuichi Fukunaga, jockey
“It will be interesting to see how Cadenas can do here, with so many of the other runners in a similar stage of their development. I’m looking forward to the race with the Derby in mind. The horse is relaxed, well balanced, and is coming on well, thanks to the great efforts of the stable staff. I think he can do well in a Grade 1. There’s no doubt good ground would be best for him.”

Hiroshi Miyamoto, trainer
“He’s a horse that has power to get away well in his races, and can sustain things until the end. I’m not worried about the tight Nakayama course, I think it will suit him. With his racing sense, I wonder just what he can do here in this strong field.”

Yusuke Fujioka, jockey
“Without working him too hard, he’s finished off well in his work. His movement is good, and it’s all about trying to preserve what he has until the finish.”

Hidetaka Otonashi, trainer
“He’s quite a calm horse, and the key to him really is keeping him that way until just before the race, when he can switch on. I think the long transportation to the course isn’t a worry. His rhythm is better than his last race, and as I’ve said, just to raise the tension before his race is best for him. Not being one of the strong favorites, there’s no pressure with things.”

Fan Dii Na

Tomokazu Takano, trainer
“We haven’t forced things with her, particularly given the ground during training. Her condition’s fine, but you have to remember she’s still a 3-year-old filly, and there’s a bit of anxiety that goes with that. I just want her to get to the race with no incident, and for her to run her best race, not thinking of it as a race against colts. If all goes well, the Derby would be in our sights.”

Yasunari Iwata, jockey
“I’m looking forward to what kind of race she can run here against the colts, and I really believe in her ability, so I can ride her accordingly. She’s relaxed, but has speed and power at the same time. She doesn’t need to lead, racing in third, fourth or fifth position would be fine. I’m hoping she’ll become one of the greats.”

Kazutaka Ikeuchi, assistant trainer
“He’s coming straight here into a Grade 1 after a layoff, so obviously it’s no easy task. He comes into the race in good condition though. Despite the strong opposition, he has won over 2,000 meters at Nakayama, and it’ll be interesting to see what he can do this time.”

Yoshitomi Shibata, jockey
“He seems better than before, and has acquired more strength in his hind quarters, so I feel he can do something here. It’s a question of how he matches up to the other strong horses in the field. Ideally, I’d like to finish in the Top 4 to get into the Derby.”

Komano Impulse

Masatatsu Kikukawa
“Things have been as usual with him, giving him his usual training pattern, and there’s no change in his weight. I believe he’s more of an endurance horse. The race last time wasn’t run to his liking, so hopefully it won’t be like that again. We have to pitch him in here to see what he’s capable of doing.”

Mitsugu Kon, trainer
“The horse’s salespoint is that he’s easy to ride and can race from any position. His training workload has increased, and he’s responded well, finding an extra gear when asked for it. He’s run a strong race over the 2,000 meters at Nakayama, but not only that, he’s shown speed over a mile, so his versatility should stand him in good stead here.”

Shigeyuki Kojima, trainer
“He is relaxed, which is good, but he’s a horse that’s still developing, so it makes it hard to know quite where he is. His back has seemed a little on the heavy side, so the jockey has worked him with this in mind. I think he’ll be about right for the race. I don’t feel he has to go forward from the start, but somewhere in midfield or further back would be good, as long as he can find his racing rhythm.”

Hironobu Tanabe, jockey
“He’s been relaxed in training. I think he could gain from the experience of his last race, and my job is to think about how to ride him to get the best out of him here. I’m not worried about the draw.”

Persian Knight

Yasutoshi Ikee, trainer
“His responses have been good, and his movement is sharp. He seems the type to run over middle distances or even further, going on his pedigree. He’s mentally strong, and with his light footwork, I think he’ll have no problem coping with the Nakayama track.”

Mirco Demuro, jockey
“I think he’s in similar condition to his last race, and his movement is good. I think he has a good chance if things go smoothly for him.”

Ippo Sameshima, trainer
“In his last race, he just got to the front a bit early and started to hang. So he’s been training with a slightly larger blinker on his right side, in order to correct this. All being well, and I know it’s a Grade 1, he’ll be able to keep a straight course, and get in a stronger finish than last time.”

Ryuji Wada, jockey
“He was a bit restless last week, but this week he’s more relaxed. I hope he can run his own race and get a good result.”

Rey de Oro

Daisuke Tsumagari, assistant trainer
“He’s a horse that always shows what he can do. He gets into a race well and has a good turn of foot. He’s coming off a layoff, and it is a Grade 1, but with what he’s shown us so far, there’s no reason why he can’t run a big race here.”

Kazuo Fujisawa, trainer
“He’s got good results previously at Nakayama. We’ve just eased him along in training with this race in mind, and now he’s looking sharp and ready to switch on.”

Satono Ares

Daisuke Tsumagari, assistant trainer
“Possibly because of it being his first race after a spell last time, he started a little slowly, and it wasn’t a typical race for him. We want things to be different this time. He just needs things to go smoothly and get his powerful late charge in.”

Kazuo Fujisawa, trainer
“He’s a horse that’s better for having had a run, and it was a slight disappointment last time. He is by Deep Impact, so I think he should get the extra distance no problem.”

Keita Tosaki, jockey
“His timing wasn’t so good last time, but you can’t say he’s a horse that doesn’t start well. Hopefully he’ll race with the others this time. He feels good to ride, and showed good footwork at the finish in his last piece of work.”

Suave Richard

Yasushi Shono, trainer
“It’s the first time for him to be in a race with a lot of runners and to take on the Nakayama course. He doesn’t fly out of the gates, but as we saw with his finish last time, somewhere around midfield would seem fine for him to get going later on in the race. He’s shown what he can do in training, with good responses, and I think he can show his strength here in the race too.”

Hirofumi Shii, jockey
“I think it’s a good rotation for him and things have gone well coming into this race. The Nakayama course is different from Tokyo, with its wider expanse. It’s a full gate this time, so I want to ride him as skilfully as I can, particularly going into the first corner. I would like the track to be firm.”

Trust

Hitoshi Nakamura, trainer
“Things have gone as expected with him, coming along in his own way. He’s just been working up the hill at his own pace. He should be ready just to switch on come the race. I’m not worried about the distance or the opposition, just getting him to perform at his best, which means just preserving him for his best effort on the day.”

Win Bright

Yoshihiro Hatakeyama, trainer
“It’s good training a horse like this. He’s always very well in himself. It’s hard to know where he stands in relation to some of the other horses in the race, but I think he can give a good account of himself here. The distance shouldn’t be a problem, and he’s run well at Nakayama, winning twice. I’m not worried about the draw, and will leave things to the jockey.”

Masami Matsuoka, jockey
“He looks well in his coat, and he gets better with each race, especially when he finds good rhythm. It’s never easy to know how a race will unfold. He’s never run the trip, but I’m not worried about that. If it does come up soft, everybody will want to run on the outside, but I might just take a run on the inside, we’ll just have to see how things pan out.”