Anegohada

Shozo Sasaki, trainer
“In the Fantasy Stakes, just before the final turn she was behind a horse that started dropping back. This one quickly got out of the way but the pace was also slow. Still, she raced well-balanced and placed fifth. With a race like that I think she shouldn’t have any problem with a bit more distance. I kept her at the training center to prepare for here. Last week she worked up the hill and all looks well. She’s persistent, with a real competitive spirit. She also wraps things up well and I think the long stretch of the Hanshin outer course will suit her. In the race before last she sort of ran to the outside, so the reasons for her two losses are pretty clear. She has power and I think she’ll be good with the torn-up condition of the track now.”

Belle Cresta

Naosuke Sugai, trainer
“She finished second in the Artemis Stakes last out and she made her own move and went for the win. She was out in front until just moments before the finish line. It was her first graded-stakes race and I think she displayed talent. It was a good race. On Dec. 1 she did her fast work working alone up the hill. The jockey (Kohei Matsuyama) rode and she got a solid work that should improve her heart and lungs. Her movement was good and the jockey said she felt good. Comparing her to her sister (G1 winner Admire Lead), who was unruly and difficult to condition, Bella Cresta is relaxed and much easier to work with. Everything has gone according to plan and this week just fine-tuning will be enough. It will be her first time racing to the right but I don’t have any concerns. The shape of the Hanshin outer course should suit her. I’m hoping she’ll give us a performance that will show promise for next year.”

Circle of Life

Sakae Kunieda, trainer
“She broke well in the Artemis Stakes and went with the flow, then in the stretch showed some very sharp footwork. Her win at Nakayama when she broke her maiden wasn’t that exciting, but it was good she won in an orthodox way here. She went to the farm for a bit after that, and things have gone smoothly since she returned. Last week, because of the condition of the track, we moved her fast work to Thursday. She worked with another horse and we pushed her hard in the final stage and she was pretty spent. But she normally doesn’t get this kind of work so, with the trip to the track, this week we won’t do much. She has also kept her condition from her last start. I think the distance she gets will get longer in the future but she won her last start over the mile and a long stretch suits her. The Hanshin outer course gives me no cause for concern and, looking at her pedigree, she shouldn’t be troubled by a rough track either.”

Keiji Yoshimura, trainer
“As in her debut at Kokura, she broke well last out in the Rindo Sho. She travelled from a good position, made her move and closed the gap to win. I was confident she could handle 1,400 meters so things went as expected. She went to the farm after that and then prepared with this race as our goal. She doesn’t get overly excited and, in a good way, things have gone as they usually do. Jockey Kazuo Yokoyama rode her on Dec. 2 and gave her a solid workout on the flat. Her movement and time were both good. It’s a furlong longer this time but she doesn’t go all out in the beginning so I’m not worried about her settling well. If she can race from about midfield with a nice rhythm, I think she’ll have some good footwork to show in the final stage. I’m hoping she’ll be able to do well here too.”

Masashi Fukayama, trainer
“She was showing signs of fatigue after her last start, so we sent her to the farm for some rest and refreshment. She raced on dirt last start, but she still doesn’t have the strength for it and it looks like turf suits her more. She debuted over the mile (finished 12th of 13) but she’s a different horse now and I think she’ll be able to handle it well now. She came back to the training center on Nov. 24 and looked nicely filled out and in good condition. I think she’ll go to the gate with a weight of over 450 kg. She’s gotten better with each race and I do think that 1,600 meters is within her capability. The competition is strong and this is the stable’s first Grade 1 bid. I’ll do my best to get her in the condition that can bring her as close to the top finishers as possible.”

Takeshi Okumura, trainer
“In her last race, the heavy favorite was a bit keen and that was just enough to help this one to overtake her in the final stage. But I once again was reminded of just how much talent Kimiwa Queen has. In fast work last week, I had her start behind another horse, catch up and overtake that horse and she did so easily. Her preparation has gone exceedingly well. She’ll have the trip to Hanshin this time, but I’m planning on having her ready after a solid workout this week as well. I don’t know how the distance will be for her. In her sixth-place finish over the Niigata mile, her last workout just prior had been somewhat lowkey. But a harder workout like she had before her last race seems to have had her on her game and got results. And I’ve been preparing her with that in mind. It’s a G1 and it’s not going to be easy but, unlike her dam, this girl’s strong points are that she is easier to work with and much more maneuverable.”

Lovely Your Eyes

Yoichi Kuroiwa, trainer
“She didn’t break well in the Keio Hai Nisai Stakes, so she raced further back than I’d thought she would. Though it was unexpected, she did wait patiently in amid the others and I think she did a good job going around. And to have gained ground in the end and had an overall good race were good things to take home from that. She had lost a bit of weight so I kept her at the stable to work on getting her recovered. She started working on the flat course from two weeks ago and since she wasn’t putting on weight like I wanted her to she got a hard workout last week and that has improved her balance. Her constitution is good and her tendency to lug out has been corrected. Her overall form is better. I plan to ship her in the day before the race. Looking at her past races and her pedigree, I think the mile is within her capabilities.”

Namur

Tomokazu Takano, trainer
“As in her first start at Chukyo, her late speed in the Akamatsu Sho at Tokyo was superb. And she ran nicely balanced and well in hand despite the slow pace, then showed us her speed in the final stage. She feels fantastic to ride. She has a build that allows for a real ease in the way she moves and I thought from early on that she would be a good racer. She has met my expectations. After the Akamatsu Sho, she went to the farm and came back to the training center on Dec. 1. I won’t be pushing her too hard this week. Last race she was a bit unruly in the gate, so I’ll be checking how she is in that respect up to the race. It will be her first time racing to the right, but normally she warms up in the round pen, then works on the woodchip flat course and I don’t see any asymmetry in her movement, so I think she’ll be OK.”

Namura Clair

Kodai Hasegawa, trainer
“The time between the Fantasy Stakes and the race before that was the longest between races that she’d had to date and I think she was a bit frustrated before the race. I’d never worried about that before. She lost the race but she was a bit keen in the first half and I think that was a factor. Until the last race I hadn’t left the race hood on her but she does respond strongly to horses coming up behind her so I’ve left it on her since then while working to help calm her. Her last race allowed her to let off some steam and I think the short time between races this time is a good thing. She always responds well to the rider and I don’t think she will not be able to handle the mile. How well she settles will be key though. If she settles well, she’ll be able to run well. If things go as they should I think she has a chance.”

Namura Lycoris

Masahiro Maruta, assistant trainer
“After she passed her gate test at Ritto, and completed her fast work, we shipped her to Sapporo for her debut. And from there she did look like she could run well, but winning a graded-stakes race was better than we had imagined she could do. She’s a very good eater for a filly and I think having had three starts in a row all in Hokkaido was good for her. She came back to the training center from the farm on Nov. 11 and has gotten regular work since. Jockey Fuma Izumiya rode her for her workout with another horse on Dec. 2. We wanted him to check her responses, and her time was sufficient. She settles well under the rider so the distance should be OK. It will be her first time to ship to the track for a race but she’s not a hothead, so I think she’ll be OK.”

Yoshito Yahagi, trainer
Godai Fukuoka, assistant trainer
“Her appetite is good and she came out of the Akamatsu Sho just fine. Things have gone smoothly since. Her weight was up 10 kg for that race but she was in good condition. She was sent forward from the gate and took the lead, but she has great maneuverability too and she can race from further back as well. She has the spring and lightness of foot of her sire Deep Impact, and I think the wide-open, spacious Tokyo track was good for her. There shouldn’t be any problem with her racing to the right this time.”

Yoshihito Kitade, trainer
“She was able to win on her debut (Hanshin 1,600 meters). I’d been worried about her but she didn’t get overly excited and she broke well from the gate. In the stretch she came up the inside and gained ground. It was a nice win. She came out of the race quite well and hasn’t been wired up, but is nice and calm. I don’t see a problem with the tight rotation of only one full week in between. I’m hoping it’ll be a good experience for her to be competing alongside strong horses and I look forward to seeing how she’ll improve in her second start.”

Haruki Sugiyama, trainer
“She was fast away from the gate in her debut. The pace was slow as well but there was no worry about her settling. I think a right-handed track will be OK and I have no concerns about the venue.”

Kosei Miura, jockey (last start)
“In her debut, her response at the break was good and she settled nicely after that. She traveled in second position without any trouble. She’s a small horse and I don’t know how she’ll do with a move up in class and things get much tougher. But she won her debut on talent.”

Koichi Ishizaka, trainer
“Oddly, her times were really good in the summer but she didn’t get good results. Physically, she wasn’t quite solid yet. But with some time off she came back greatly improved. She got good results over 1,800 meters and won that and I think she can handle anything from the mile to 2,000 meters.”

Tomonori Kanaori, assistant trainer
“I think her success last out was due largely to the good work she’d been doing mornings. She’s still not quite solid but she came out of the race well. If the track is very fast, I think she’ll be able to show an even better turn of foot.”

Sternatia

Yuya Tsuchida, assistant trainer
“She lost in the Saudi Arabia Royal Cup but she was up against well-bred colts. She herself did a good job waiting patiently amid a slow pace and she put in a very good race. She went to the farm for a bit after that and, since returning to the training center, things have gone well. Until two weeks ago we had her work alone so she wouldn’t switch on too much but last week she worked with another horse and got more on her game. When she closed on the other horse her responses were good and sharp. Jockey Christophe Lemaire rode her this week on Wednesday to get a reading on her and I think he’ll go to the gate with a good impression of her. It’ll be her first long trip to a track, but she doesn’t get too tense before a race, so I think she’ll take it in stride. It’s a G1 and if the pace is fast, that will make things easier for her. I think she has a chance up against other fillies of her age.”

Hisashi Shimizu, trainer
“It was a nice debut win at Chukyo 1,600 meters. And since then, work and her prep have gone smoothly. Last week she showed some real nice footwork in fast work too. It looks like I’ll be able to have her in good shape for Sunday. I’m not worried about her racing to the right either.”

Yusaku Kugita, assistant trainer
“She finished third last out. The jockey did a good job of dropping the pace and she was able to do well in her first trip over the mile. Her balance was better than it’s ever been. She came out of the race well and I’m not worried about it only being one full week between races. The lineup is strong, but she has good racing sense and doesn’t need to lead. She led this last time but she’s shown a lot of flexibility in her racing style, so I think she’ll do a good job executing this course.”

Water Navillera

Koshiro Take, trainer
“She’s getting a lot more work than she had in the beginning but she hasn’t lost weight. That’s her strong point and she also is a lot more muscled than she was in the summer. She had a bit of time off and things have gone smoothly since she came back. There’s not much time between races so I’m not giving her too much work. The jockey (Yutaka Take) rode on Dec. 1 and she moved well. She’s had good results over tricky courses up to now so I don’t think the Hanshin mile is anything to worry about. She does tend to get agitated once out on the track but before going to the gate and there are some other things to worry about, but once she’s racing, she does well. Even if she’s sent forward, she can run well, so I’m hoping she’ll get a trip that’ll bring out her best.”