Copano Kicking

Akira Murayama, trainer
“It’s been as usual with him at the stable. Last week and this week we haven’t pushed him too hard. He’s a horse that posts good enough times in training. I think mentally the horse is stronger and he’s developed well generally. The 1,600 meters is unknown until he tries it. If he does stay, his future looks bright. I think the jockey can get the best out of the horse, and it would be great for racing if a female jockey could win a Grade 1 race.”

Hirokatsu Shintani, assistant trainer
“Previously over 1,400 meters, he couldn’t maintain things to the finish. However, he’s progressed and that isn’t the case now. While it remains to be seen how he handles the trip, he’s more mature and I believe in his ability, thinking he can run a strong race here.”

Gold Dream

Osamu Hirata, trainer
“He’s in good shape now and the jockey (Lemaire) reported that too after his training on the Feb. 6. The horse has a lot of power. I think the course and the distance are the best for him, and he should be able to get a good result here.”

Christophe Lemaire, jockey
“He’s a powerful horse on dirt and is able to run on from behind and go after the horses in front of him. He’s especially good running on in the final 300 meters. One factor is to keep him up to the job when he hits the front, so I need to be careful with this. He’s become better at the start, relaxed in the gate, and able to get a good early position. His results at Tokyo have been good, and if the pace is good and things go smoothly, he must have a good chance.”

Inti

Kenji Nonaka, trainer
“His last piece of work was good, showing his speed in the last furlong, and his overall movement was good. He’s traveled to Kokura, so I’m not worried about transporting him this time. There are some things to consider, like the start on turf, and just the one turn in the race. The gate could be a factor, and obviously the opposition’s strong. However, I have the image of him running a good race, in the way that he has been doing, by being up with the pace and then dictating things. I’m looking forward to his run.”

Yutaka Take, jockey
“He got his first graded win last time, and it was a good win. I felt the horse had ability the first time I rode him, and he’s gotten stronger since. He’s quick too, and can maintain things to the finish. I don’t think there’s a problem with the track, including the turn and the long homestraight. I’ve heard he’s trained well, and I’m looking forward to the February Stakes and win a Grade 1 with him.”

Meisho Utage

Akio Adachi, trainer
“His times have been fine and there’s no change with him. There hasn’t been much time since his last run, so we’ve kept an eye on things with this in mind. Hopefully, he’ll break from the start well, and rather than having to run down the outside to the finish, he’ll be among the main group turning for home, and we’ll just have to see how he can keep going among the strong horses in the race.”

Moanin

Sei Ishizaka, trainer
“He’s in quite good shape, and things have been satisfactory with him, so his form hasn’t been bad. It’s hard to say about the distance with him, but after his last race, it looked like the extra furlong this time would be a plus. As a 7-year-old, it might be one of his last chances to win a Grade 1, so I’d like to see him do his best here.”

Nobo Baccara

Ryo Shimizu, assistant trainer
“He’s quite lively when he’s had a race and doesn’t show any tiredness after the last one. It feels like he should make a challenge at Tokyo again. In last year’s race, the frontrunners were able to get away from him. Ideally he’d be able to get a forward position, and while a mile might seem a bit long for him, if he can get a good position and save himself, that’s his best style of racing.”

Nonkono Yume

Yukihiro Kato, trainer
“He’s trained with two other horses and has shown his ability working together with them. Most recently he worked solo. He’s moved the same these past four years, just doing what he does, even though it might not be particularly eye catching. He’ll be going straight to the race from the Champions Cup this time. While there are a number of new horses this year, he’s still capable of running a strong race if the pace is good, and it can test his stamina.”

Hiroyuki Uchida, jockey
“He felt good in his work, not stopping after the post, and producing his usual efforts in training. I think he’s in a condition where he can get a good result. He’s flexible in a race, whether it’s racing in a group, or following other horses. It would be good to produce him in the same way as last year, when he picked up so strongly down the homestraight.”

Omega Perfume

Shogo Yasuda, trainer
“His balance was very good in his last race. It’s been important to not overdo it with him, and to make sure he doesn’t tighten up, so in his final workout, he didn’t go flat out at the finish. Mentally he’s strong. The race is 1,600 meters this time. He’ll transport over and have one night at the stable, so he should get to the race itself in the best condition to run.”

Mirco Demuro, jockey
“He doesn’t seem to have changed that much since last spring, but he ran well last time to win over 2,000 meters. He ran over a mile last May in the Seiryu Stakes, and it just took him a little while to pick up, so that’s a slight worry. I’m going for my third win in the February Stakes and you need a bit of luck, as well as the winning formula, so I want to do my best with this strong horse.”

Queen's Saturn

Kenji Nonaka, trainer
“The horse is in good condition and has trained well using his good footwork. He finished second in the Musashino Stakes, so I think the 1,600 meters at Tokyo is good for him. He’s the type to raise his game among strong opposition, and hopefully he’ll get into a good rhythm in the race and be able to use his footwork to his benefit,”

Success Energy

Yoshihito Kitade, trainer
“He’s been moving well in training, indicating that he’s in good shape and that his condition has improved. He seems really switched on and I think he can respond well over the 1,600 meters.”

Taku Narumi, assistant trainer
“He has a good appetite to the point of worrying about him gaining weight, but he’s a horse that improves with a run, and he’s showing no sign of tiredness. The distance this time is a bit of an unknown, but he shows no sign of stopping when he runs, like in his last race. As then, if he gets to run his own race, I don’t think he’ll run out of steam easily.”

Sunrise Nova

Hidetaka Otonashi, trainer
“He seemed a bit heavy last time (+2 kg), and he could have done with a bit of rain around. I think he’s in better shape now and is better suited to the mile.”

Kenichi Shono, assistant trainer
“He came out of his last race well, and I think he’s now in better condition. His last piece of work was strong, particularly at the finish. So he’ll go into the race near his best condition, and I think he’ll be suited to the track and distance.”

Sunrise Soar

Hiroshi Kawachi, trainer
“He’s trained well uphill when the track was in good condition and posted a good time (50.7 seconds), and in this last week we haven’t overdone it with him. He seems fired up enough. It’s been a while since he last ran at Tokyo, but he got a good result in the Musashino Stakes as a 3-year-old. I think it’s no problem for him to run well at Tokyo with his running style.”

Yoshio Oki, trainer
“He continues to run well and remains in good condition. While 1,400 meters might be his best distance, I think he can adjust to the longer trip. It’s a Grade 1, so the pace should be strong, but that’s the kind of race he needs. Even though his opponents are strong, I want him to try his best in the condition he’s in.”

Yuranoto

Kunihide Matsuda, trainer
“Since his wind operation, I’ve worried about him a little, but since then he’s been running, and running quite well, so it’s been good to have this consistency with him. There’s only been a short interval since his last race, but he’s posted good times in training. I think his last race over 1,400 meters should lead him into this one quite well, and hopefully between the third and fourth corners, he’ll be able to save a bit for the end. I’m looking forward to what he can do.”