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Danon Fantasy Claims 70th Hanshin Juvenile Fillies with Remarkable Late Charge

Race favorite Danon Fantasy measured up to the expectations of her fans by showing a powerful late charge from toward the rear to claim this year’s Hanshin Juvenile Fillies and extended her winning streak to three. While succumbing to second in her debut start to Gran Alegria who subsequently claimed a graded victory against male contenders, the daughter of Deep Impact broke her maiden in her second start in September and came off her first graded win in the Fantasy Stakes (G3, 1,400m) in November. She is the second filly to claim both the Fantasy Stakes and the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies following Peace of World in 2002. This win marks trainer Mitsumasa Nakauchida’s second JRA-G1 win following last year’s Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes title with Danon Premium. He has scored seven wins out of 12 graded races for two-year-olds. For jockey Cristian Demuro, this is his third JRA-G1 title following his win in last year’s Hopeful Stakes with Time Flyer.

Making a clean break from stall 13, Danon Fantasy was eased back and settled comfortably toward the rear, third from last. The Deep Impact filly took a wide route turning the last corner and, though briefly caught between horses entering the lane, produced an impressive burst of speed in the stretch to take command 100 meters out. With Chrono Genesis challenging strongly on the outside, Danon Fantasy found another gear in her last strides to cross the wire in front.

“The filly was relaxed and when I saw the second favorite come outside us after the fourth corner, I told her it’s time to go, we have to fight, and she responded really well. She responds very quickly and has a very good turn of foot. She’s a good horse and I think she will have a very good chance in the Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) next year,” commented Cristian Demuro.

Second pick Chrono Genesis, who was forced to race second from last after a poor break, tagged behind Danon Fantasy throughout the race. The daughter of Bago dueled strongly with the eventual winner in the homestretch, traveling the fastest in the last three furlongs, but finished 1/2 a length short in second.

Other Horses:
4th: (4) Schon Glanz—ran inside winner in 15th, switched to outside, accelerated in last 100m
5th: (3) Pourville—saved ground in 5th, met traffic 250m out, switched to outside, showed effort
6th: (5) Meisho Shobu—chased leader in 2nd, took lead at early stretch, weakened in last 100m
7th: (10) Tanino Mission—traveled in 12th, showed brief effort inside, never threaten
8th: (14) Savoir Aimer—ran in 14th, lacked needed kick at straight, never a threat
9th: (12) Red Anemos—raced in 8th, passed tired rivals, unable to reach contention
10th: (17) Tolochenaz—settled 2nd from rear, passed tired rivals along rails
11th: (18) Meisho Keimei—traveled 4-wide in 10th, quickened briefly, outrun in last 200m
12th: (15) Rosen Krieger—sat 4-wide in 6th, faded after 200m marker
13th: (7) Win Zenobia—raced 3-wide in 7th, never fired and dropped back at stretch
14th: (8) Love Me Fine—advanced to 3rd, raced 3-wide, ran gamely until furlong pole
15th: (16) Glacier—traveled 3-wide in 13th, lacked needed kick at straight
16th: (2) Jodie—hugged rails around 9th, failed to find clear path at stretch
17th: (1) Belles Soeurs—set pace, faded after top of stretch
18th: (6) Star Quartz—positioned in 4th, met traffic 300m out, lost momentum

THE 70TH HANSHIN JUVENILE FILLIES (G1)
2-year-old Fillies, 1,600 meters (about 8 furlongs), turf, right-handed
Sunday, December 9, 2018     Hanshin Racecourse      11th Race    Post time: 15:40
Total prize money: ¥ 140,200,000 (about US$ 1,275,000 <US$1=¥110>)
2yo: 54kg (about 119 lbs), 3 kg allowance for Southern Hemisphere-bred born in 2016
Safety factor: 18 runners

1. 1.Danon Fantasy (JPN), bay, filly, 2-year-old
   Deep Impact / Life For Sale (Not For Sale)

   Owner: Danox Co., Ltd.	Breeder: Northern Racing
   Trainer: Mitsumasa Nakauchida	Jockey: Cristian Demuro
   4 Starts, 3 Wins
   Added money: ¥ 66,288,000	Career earnings: ¥ 103,417,000

   
   
2. 2.Chrono Genesis (JPN), gray, filly, 2-year-old
   Bago / Chronologist (Kurofune)
   

   Owner: Sunday Racing Co., Ltd.	Breeder: Northern Racing
   Trainer: Takashi Saito	Jockey: Yuichi Kitamura

   
   
3. 3.Beach Samba (JPN), dark bay or brown, filly, 2-year-old
   Kurofune / Fusaichi Airedale (Sunday Silence)
   

   Owner: Kaneko Makoto Holdings Co., Ltd.	Breeder: Northern Racing
   Trainer: Yasuo Tomomichi	Jockey: Yuichi Fukunaga

* Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (G1)
Races for two-year-olds were held for the first time in 1946 at Tokyo. As the number of contenders increased, championship races that determine the top two-year-olds of the season—the Asahi Hai Sansai Stakes (predecessor to the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes) and the Hanshin Sansai Stakes (predecessor to the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies)—were established in eastern and western Japan, respectively, in 1949. The two races were designated G1 status in conjunction with the new grading system implemented in 1984. In 1991, the two races were divided by gender into two separate G1 events; the Hanshin Sansai Himba Stakes for two-year-old fillies and the Asahi Hai Sansai Stakes for two-year-old colts and geldings, then renamed “Hanshin Juvenile Fillies” and “Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes”, respectively, in 2001. The Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, which initially started as a 1,200-meter sprint race, was extended to 1,400 meters in 1960 and to 1,600 meters in 1962. In 2010, the race was opened to foreign runners.
Recent winners of the race include many successful G1 champions such as 2006 winner and 2008 & 2009 Horse of the Year Vodka (JPN, by Tanino Gimlet) who is the current race record holder at 1:33.1 over the mile distance; 2008 champion and 2010 Horse of the Year Buena Vista (JPN, by Special Week); and 2009 champion Apapane (JPN, by King Kamehameha) who subsequently won the Triple Crown titles for three-year-old fillies—the Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas, G1, 1,600m), the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks, G1, 2,400m) and the Shuka Sho (G1, 2,000m)—in 2010.
This year’s key contenders coming off the Artemis Stakes (G3, 1,600m; Oct.27) were winner Schon Glanz, runner-up Beach Samba and the Aster Sho (1,600m; Sep.8) winner Glacier who finished 11th. Notable runners coming off the Fantasy Stakes (G3, 1,400m; Nov.3) were winner Danon Fantasy and runner-up Belles Soeurs. The field also included Red Anemos, Pourville, Chrono Genesis, Jodie and Rosen Krieger who came off a win in the Saffron Sho (1,600m; Sep.30), the Rindo Sho (1,400m; Oct.7), the Ivy Stakes (1,800m; Oct.20), the Akamatsu Sho (1,600m; Nov.18) and the Shumeigiku Sho (1,400m; Nov.18), respectively. Vodka’s daughter Tanino Mission who registered a win in her debut and previous race (1,600m; Oct.20) was also among the lineup.