Takarazuka Kinen (G1) - Handicapper's Report on Japanese Contenders

Satono Crown

Satono Diamond

Vivlos

Kiseki

Danburite

Strong Titan

Staphanos

The Takarazuka Kinen (G1, 2,200m), established in 1960, is an “All-Star” (Grand-Prix) G1 event where top runners of all distances selected through fan votes gather to determine the overall JRA turf champion of the first half of the season whereas the Arima Kinen (G1, 2,500m) is held in the same manner in December. The top 10 horses selected by fans from the list of JRA registered horses (excluding those that are winless or yet to start in a race) that have submitted their declaration to start are eligible to run regardless of earnings. The race opened its door to foreign runners in 1997 when Seto Stayer (AUS, by Bellotto) from Australia became the first challenger from abroad and finished ninth but none ran after that until this year; Hong Kong’s top middle-distance runner Werther (NZ, G7, by Tavistock) will be the first overseas challenger in 21 years and second overall to make his bid for the Takarazuka Kinen title.

Satono Crown (JPN, H6, by Marju) is the defending champion and the highest rated runner among the Japanese field. His first G1 title came in Hong Kong when winning the 2016 Hong Kong Vase (G1, 2,400m). After his victory in the Takarazuka Kinen last year, he continued to excel in the fall, just missing by a neck to two-time Horse of the Year Kitasan Black (JPN, by Black Tide) in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1, 2,000m). However, his hard-fought effort over testing ground in the Tenno Sho affected his following starts in the Japan Cup (G1, 2,400m) and the Arima Kinen in which he disappointed to 10th and 13th, respectively. He made his first long-distance travel to Dubai in March this year for the Dubai Sheema Classic (G1, 2,410m) but, disturbed by the horse next to him who was fractious in the gate, the son of Marju (IRE, by Last Tycoon) was unable to show his best in the race. He performs particularly well over 2,200 meters at which he has won not only the 2017 Takarazuka Kinen but also the 2016-17 Kyoto Kinen (G2, 2,200m) and expectations are high for the powerful six-year-old to bounce back to his winning ways in the coming race. He is pre-rated at 122I,L.

Satono Diamond (JPN, H5, by Deep Impact) was the leading vote-getter for this year’s Takarazuka Kinen. A winner of the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger, G1, 3,000m) as a three-year-old who went on to claim the Arima Kinen against his seniors in the same year, the son of Deep Impact (JPN, by Sunday Silence) held high expectations in the following year in which he kicked off with another grade-race victory in the Hanshin Daishoten (G2, 3,000m) prior to his overseas endeavor to France in the fall. However, he was unable to perform over the grass in Europe and was fourth in the Prix Foy (G2, 2,400m) and 15th in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1, 2,400m). He was third in his comeback start this season in the Kinko Sho (G2, 2,000m) while demonstrating a good turn of speed at the stretch. He was also unlucky in the Osaka Hai (G1, 2,000m) where he was unable to find a clearing from racing inside early and finished seventh. He has a record of three wins (two G2 titles) out of four starts at Hanshin Racecourse where the coming race is to be held. He is pre-rated at 120E.

Vivlos (JPN, M5, by Deep Impact) is internationally recognized for her victory in the 2017 Dubai Turf (G1, 1,800m) – she was runner-up in the same race this year. As a three-year-old, the Deep Impact filly missed the cut in the first two legs of the fillies’ triple crown, the Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas, G1, 1,600m) and the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks, G1, 2,400m) but promptly won the third jewel, the Shuka Sho (G1, 2,000m). The coming race will be her comeback start since the Dubai Turf and while her recovery after the strenuous trip remains a concern, she appears to be handling her training at Ritto Training Center very well towards the Takarazuka Kinen. The extra furlong will be another factor for the five-year-old mare who is mostly raced between 1,800 and 2,000 meters. Her final rating as of the end of last year was 117M.

The standard of this year’s four-year-olds proves to be high with Suave Richard (JPN, C4, by Heart’s Cry) and Mozu Ascot (USA, C4, by Frankel) landing G1 titles earlier this season in the Osaka Hai and Yasuda Kinen (G1, 1,600m), respectively.

Kiseki (JPN, C4, by Rulership), who topped the three-year-olds last year in the Kikuka Sho, is slated to run in the Takarazuka Kinen. While he has not been at his best after his Kikuka Sho triumph, finishing ninth in both the Hong Kong Vase and the Nikkei Sho (G2, 2,500m), he is expected to improve from just 10 career starts since his debut in December of his two-year-old season. He is pre-rated at 118E.

Another emerging four-year-old is Danburite (JPN, C4, by Rulership), a grade-race winner in the American Jockey Club Cup (G2, 2,200m) in January this year. While beaten by Kiseki last season in both the Kobe Shimbun Hai (G2, 2,400m, fourth) and the Kikuka Sho (fifth), he proved consistent throughout his three-year-old classic starts, finishing third and sixth in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, G1, 2,000m) and the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1, 2,400m), respectively. Although he ran out of steam at the stretch in his previous start in Hong Kong’s Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1, 2,000m), he is usually known to be extremely tenacious with lasting speed. His final rating last year was 116I and is pre-rated 114L.

Strong Titan (USA, H5, by Regal Ransom) is well worth a look as a possible factor in this race, having come off a record-breaking victory at Hanshin Racecourse less than a month ago. While less spectacular on paper compared to the aforementioned members, the son of Regal Ransom (USA, by Distorted Humor) demonstrated a fine turn of speed which won him his first grade-race victory in the Naruo Kinen (G3, 2,000m) while timed in 1:57.2 over 2,000 meters and appears to be in great condition. He has turned in runner-up efforts twice over testing ground last fall in the October Stakes (Listed, 2,000m) and the Andromeda Stakes (Listed, 2,000m), but is said to perform better on firm going so his chances may depend on the track condition on the day of the race. His is rated at 109I.

Staphanos (JPN, H7, by Deep Impact), while yet to claim a G1 title, has proved competitive in a number of major events. While his only grade-race title came a while ago in 2014 in the Fuji Stakes (G3, 1,600m), the son of Deep Impact has registered runner-up efforts in three G1 starts – Queen Elizabeth II Cup and the Tenno Sho (Autumn) in 2015 as well as the Osaka Hai last year. He comes off an unfortunate 11th-place finish following a disadvantage at the homestretch in the Niigata Daishoten (G3, 2,000m). His trainer, Hideaki Fujiwara, is currently JRA’s leading trainer (as of June 10), eight wins ahead of his nearest rival, with 36 wins and has another starter in the All-Star race. Perform a Promise (JPN, H6, by Stay Gold) is an improving six-year-old who won his first grade-race challenge in the Nikkei Shinshun Hai (G2, 2,400m) in January followed by a close third in the Meguro Kinen (G2, 2,500m). Staphanos is rated 118I and Perform a Promise 107L.