Fine Needle

Fine Needle (JPN, H5, by Admire Moon) is presumed to be a strong favorite. The son of Admire Moon (JPN, by End Sweep) won this year’s Takamatsunomiya Kinen impressively, racing in a forward position early before pinning down Let’s Go Donki (JPN, M6, by King Kamehameha) at the wire for a nose victory. His only defeat this spring was in Hong Kong, the Chairman’s Sprint Prize (G1, 1,200m), in which he was four-lengths behind winner Ivictory in fourth with Lucky Bubbles another 1-1/2 lengths behind in fifth. Undefeated in all three starts in Japan this year, the five-year-old bay is undoubtedly Japan’s top sprinter and despite coming off a four-month break following his trip to Hong Kong in his latest Centaurus Stakes (G2, 1,200m), he took over the lead easily at the stretch before pulling away and besting the field by a comfortable margin. Fine Needle can be expected to further improve with one start under his belt and make use of his speed which allows him to keep up in front then shift into gear at the stretch. He is rated at 116S as of his victory in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen.

Red Falx

Red Falx (JPN, H7, by Swept Overboard), winner of the past two Sprinters Stakes title, aims to accomplish his third consecutive victory in the race. He defended the title successfully last year with an impressive late speed from behind, positioned 10th rounding the last corner, in a race that was run at a considerably slow pace – the first half was timed at 33.9 seconds and the latter half at 33.7. The son of Swept Overboard (USA, by End Sweep) can make use of his speed both from behind and positioned further up and has also proven competitive over mile distances such as the Yasuda Kinen (G1, 1,600m, 3rd) and the Keio Hai Spring Cup (G2, 1,400m, 1st) in 2017. Coming off a long break is not an issue for the gray horse who won his second Sprinters Stakes title coming off a third-place finish in the Yasuda Kinen in June last year. He was rated 116S,M (third in the Yasuda Kinen and his win in the Sprinters Stakes) at the of the end of 2017 and his most recent rating is 113M as of his third-place finish in the Hankyu Hai (G3, 1,400m).

 

Seiun Kosei

Seiun Kosei (JPN, H5, by Admire Moon) won the 2017 Takamatsunomiya Kinen and, while winless for more than a year since, the son of Admire Moon regained his true form in June this year when claiming the Hakodate Sprint Stakes (G3, 1,200m). His improvement began to show in January in the Silk Road Stakes (G3, 1,200m) where, carrying top weight of 58 kg, the five-year-old dictated the pace and held on well for second behind Fine Needle. He was beaten in his next two starts, but when winkers (fleece rollers applied to the cheek piece) were used in his latest start, the Hakodate Sprint Stakes, Seiun Kosei grabbed the front from the innermost draw and prevailed by a nose at the wire. He is rated at 111S as of his win in the Hakodate Sprint Stakes and sixth-place finish in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen (2018).

Let's Go Donki

Let’s Go Donki (JPN, M6, by King Kamehameha) was runner-up in three consecutive JRA-sprint G1 events while just missing by a nose to Fine Needle in this year’s Takamatsunomiya Kinen. The winner of the 2015 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas, G1, 1,600m), the King Kamehameha (JPN, by Kingmambo) mare has also proven useful at mile but her late speed from behind and from further up front is regarded to be more effective in a fast run pace, usually common at shorter distances. Her rating 111S is as of her runner-up effort in the 2018 Takamatsunomiya Kinen.

Ares Barows

Ares Barows (JPN, H6, by Deep Impact) comes off back-to-back wins in the CBC Sho (G3, 1,200m) and the Kitakyushu Kinen (G3, 1,200m) which made him the Summer Sprint Series champion of this season. Only just making his open-class debut this year, the “hot tempered” son of Deep Impact (JPN, by Sunday Silence), who had no choice but to race far behind the pace to stay in rhythm earlier in his career, was significantly under control in his second grade-race challenge in the CBC Sho, winning the race, and validated the win in his next start, the Kitakyushu Kinen. His newfound ability should also allow him to explore beyond his usual racing style from mid-pack or behind. He is rated at 110S as of his victory in the Kitakyushu Kinen.

Nac Venus

Nac Venus (JPN, M5, by Daiwa Major) comes off her first grade-race victory in the Keeneland Cup (G3, 1,200m), one of the Sprinters Stakes trials held on August 26, besting the field of 16 by 2-1/2 lengths. Consistent in six starts, all at 1,200 meters, this season in which she finished within the money in all but one (5th), the Daiwa Major (JPN, by Sunday Silence) mare is once again scheduled to be partnered with Joao Moreira who guided the five-year-old mare to victory in the Keeneland Cup. She is rated at 110S as of her third-place finish in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen and victory in the Keeneland Cup. Her racing style is up front or a close to the pace.

Once in a Moon

Snow Dragon

Once in a Moon (JPN, M5, by Admire Moon) and Snow Dragon (JPN, H10, by Admire Cozzene), who finished third and fourth, respectively, in the 2017 edition of the Sprinters Stakes, are also included in the lineup this year. Once in a Moon comes off a victory in the Toki Stakes (1,400m) as was the case last year for her second Sprinters Stakes challenge. Her final rating of the 2017 season was 110S as of her third-place finish in the sprint G1, but she is rated 102M as of her latest victory in the Toki Stakes. Snow Dragon is a G1 winner of the 2014 Sprinters Stakes but has been winless for four years since and the coming G1 will be his first start in three months after the CBC Sho. He is rated at 109S (D) as of his third-place finish in the Hokkaido Sprint Cup (dirt, 1,200m).

Two female runners trained by Naoyuki Morita are worth noting for their achievements during the summer. Daimei Princess (JPN, M5, by King Halo), winner of the Ibis Summer Dash (G3, 1,000m) run over a straight course at Niigata Racecourse, was also runner-up in the Kitakyushu Kinen. She is rated at 105S as of her victory in the Ibis Summer Dash and her usual racing position is close to the pace. Another Morita-trained filly, Love Kampf (JPN, F3, by Shonan Kampf) was runner-up in the Ibis Summer Dash by 0.2 seconds, third in the Kita Kyushu Kinen and runner-up again in her last start, the Centaur Stakes. The promising filly, who is seen either making the pace or close behind, is rated 101S.