Kenichi Fujioka, trainer
“She won her debut over 1,200 meters, and then handled 1,400 and 1,600 meters well. She goes easily to the front, races nicely balanced and in tune with the rider. She responds well when asked for more. She has good racing sense, typical of her bloodline. For now, she has been performing well. She had a short rest at the farm and her preparations have gone well. She doesn’t get worked up and things look good. On March 30, she worked up the hill under the jockey (Yusuke Fujioka) and clocked 51.4 seconds over the four furlongs, with the final furlong in 12 seconds. I had wanted to push her hard in work last week, and her footwork was good as usual. This week, the jockey gave her a solid run on the flat. She will be up against a lot of horses she hasn’t met before and how well she’ll compare is key, but I don’t think there’ll be that much of a difference between her and the others.”

Anegohada

Shozo Sasaki, trainer
“Things were tough for her in the final stage of the Fillies’ Revue, but that came from racing from a forward position. With that in mind, I’d say she really did a good job. She worked up the hill on March 30. She has been holding back recently, so I had her train with another horse on the hill to have her switch on and the results were satisfactory. She has improved with each race and I think she’s close to what she was at her best. The Hanshin Juvenile Fillies unfolded in such a way that made for a difficult race for her, but she traveled almost too smoothly and had nothing left for the finish. This indicates that a trip where she moves up very gradually would be best for her. With the right trip, I think she can do well in the mile.”

Belle Cresta

Naosuke Sugai, trainer
“She had an inside gate in the Queen Cup, which made getting a clear run in the far turn and then into the straight difficult. After things opened up, she really showed her strength over the final furlong. On March 30, jockey Hayato Yoshida rode her and she trained with another horse. She crossed the line after that horse, an older horse that runs very well in work, but this one’s work was fine. I think she’ll improve with that workout. The jockey gave her another hard workout this week. In the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, she had an outside draw, couldn’t get cover and was keen. However, even when she can’t get a smooth trip, she’s been competitive at the graded-stakes level. It is a Grade 1 but if she can get a good trip, I think she has a chance.”

Circle of Life

Sakae Kunieda, trainer
“Though she was coming back from time off for the Tulip Sho, she wasn’t in bad shape. But she was a bit more high-strung than usual. On raceday, the frontrunners were holding their ground, so with that in mind, the jockey (Mirco Demuro) sent her forward from the gate. She was a bit keen and wasn’t able to gain ground well in the finish. We kept her at the training center after that, and she has gotten regular work. In her workout on March 30, I put a horse in front of her and since we’d just taken her hood off, her responses were good. It was a good workout. Since she has lost her winter coat and let off steam with the last race, she’s sharpened up. She won the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, so the trip to the track shouldn’t be a problem and the course suits her. If she can run her own race, I think she has a chance to revenge her loss in the Tulip Sho.”

Takahiro Mizuno, assistant trainer
“I think she was quite strong in the Anemone Stakes last out, but she was competing against other one-win horses, so this time will be the real test. She still is weak in some areas, but I think she’ll show quite a lot of improvement this time. Last week, the jockey (Miyabi Muto) rode work but we couldn’t get a time because of a clock malfunction, but I estimate it was about 65.5 seconds over the five furlongs. In that workout, she ran behind another horse and looked like she had a more to give. She went to the Ritto Training Center a week before the race, and this week we just breezed her on the flat. She has good racing sense and can go forward with ease. However, with the long straight and the pace of a Grade 1, I think it might be better to race from further back. The competition will be tough, but I’m hoping she’ll do her best.”

Hidenori Take, trainer
“She did poorly in her debut on turf, but that was because she got frightened under way and put the brakes on. Though she has only raced on dirt since then, we discussed it and decided to race her on turf again. She has speed and her work hasn’t been bad. She was a second faster than I’d wanted her to be in her workout this week, but the jockey (Yoshihiro Furukawa) got a good reading on her. I think she can handle the race well enough.”

Hitoshi Ogino, assistant trainer
“The draw doesn’t matter and she can handle both dirt and turf. She has speed and can take the lead, so with the inside gate, she can have a ground-saving trip. Her condition has improved and she has a lot of potential. Key will be how she can handle the mile.”

Lilac

Ikuo Aizawa, trainer
“In the Fairy Stakes last out, the jockey was confident but I was very nervous watching. She ran really well, though. After that, she had some time off at a nearby farm and came back to Miho in early February. The Oka Sho has always been our main target. She has maintained good condition, and since we’ve only gradually upped the training, she has stayed calm and cool. Last week, jockey Yuichi Fukunaga rode her and they looked good together. He spent a lot of time with her, including gate practice, and I think he got an excellent reading on her. I also had her practice loading into the van and there were no problems. Last race, she got upset behind the gate, but normally she’s a good starter. I am hoping she’ll be in a good mood this time.”

Lovely Your Eyes

Yoichi Kuroiwa, trainer
“Not only was the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies her second start in just over a month, we also had the long trip to the track and she lost weight during that. She was quiet in the gate and, unlike in the Keio Hai Nisai Stakes, she broke well. She traveled a bit further back than I had imagined she would, but even amid the pack, she waited patiently, then ran at speed over quite a distance. She went to the farm afterward and returned to the training center in early February. I think she is in a good place, both physically and mentally. Last week, jockey Ryusei Sakai was up to check her responses. Her movement was good and he got a good reading on her. She hasn’t matured that much from the end of the last year, but has maintained her condition. I think her weight will be up on raceday. She settles well and has no problem in amid the pack. I think the spacious track will allow her to give it all she has.”

Namur

Tomokazu Takano, trainer
“In the Tulip Sho, she lost running room in the straight and had to switch to the outside. Still, despite the tough trip, she won and really showed her talent. As for the break, she has gotten a lot better but is still rising up a bit in front when the doors open. We are still taking care to watch this so she doesn’t lose too much ground. That race did take a lot out of her, so she went to the farm for a bit and they did a great job there. She came back in great shape on March 25 and last week worked up the hill. She was a little faster than I’d wanted her to be, but she has really improved. This week, she had only a light workout. I think she needs to have more weight in the future, but she’s a good eater and there’s no need to look for big gains at this point in time.”

Namura Clair

Kodai Hasegawa, trainer
“I really hadn’t thought she could lose the Fillies’ Revue, but she still showed of her talent. We can learn from the loss. She came out of the race well with almost no signs of fatigue. The jockey rode her work on March 30 and I was surprised at the time she clocked. When I was on the other horse and looking at her from alongside, she looked good and seemed to be concentrating. It was a very good workout. She has let off some steam with her last start and no longer tenses up. She has come along nicely and I think she has matured mentally more than you can tell just by looking at her. I am hoping she’ll be in a good frame of mind on raceday.”

Personal High

Takahide Ando, assistant trainer
“Missing the break last out in the Flower Cup hurt in the finishing order. Even though she was slowed in amid the others, she was able to gain ground. In the stretch, she did shrink back when another horse moved in on her. She is still immature in some ways, but does show a lot more presence than before. She came out of the race well and after returning from Nakayama has been eating heartily. She has had gate practice, so if she starts well, I think she’ll be able to ride the pace.”

Yukihiko Araki, assistant trainer
“The draw is great and with this gate (No. 4), I think she’s got to take the lead. Her work has been going well and we plan to have her in cheekpieces this time. She has talent and the stable has always had high hopes for her. Key will be whether she can maintain her concentration.”

Tomonori Sugiura, assistant trainer
“In the Tulip Sho last out, she traveled in the rear just like she did in her debut. She squeezed through some tight spots and really showed guts. She handled the high pace too and I think it was a very strong second. She stayed at the training center after that and all has gone as planned. She is very much on her toes, as usual. The jockey just breezed her last week and this week, and I think she’ll go to the gate in excellent shape. It is a plus that the venue is the same as her last race. This is the first time she’s had races so close together. I think she’s competitive here, so I’m hoping she’ll handle the tight rotation well.”

Presage Lift

Yu Ota, assistant trainer
“She won her second start even with the much stronger competition. She is very good at maneuvering, so there wasn’t a problem there and she was able to save a lot for the stretch. Her break was better than in her debut. After the Queen Cup, she went to the farm. Apparently, it was difficult getting her fully recovered, but the staff did a really good job and she returned to the training center on March 25. She also no longer has problems with sore shins. She has started having problems taking the bit on the right side and she doesn’t have the weight she had before. These are things we have to take care of. She has a strong sense of self and is normally very laidback. A new track or the long haul in the van aren’t anything to worry about. We just have to try and see how it goes.”

Toru Hayashi, trainer
“The most important thing about her last start in the Anemone Stakes was that she raced calmly. At the crucial point, the eventual winner was far out in front, but this one wasn’t at all bothered by the horses close on her heels. I think she gained a lot from that race. She stayed at the training center after that and worked up the hill course last week with emphasis on the final push. I had no complaints and it looks like she has improved. Her strongpoint is that she’s able to pick up the pace gradually and then race at top speed for quite a distance. She executed the Nakayama course well, but I think the Hanshin outer course will suit her even more. I am looking forward to seeing what she’ll give us.”

Stars on Earth

Mizuki Takayanagi, trainer
“The Fairy Stakes was over the right-handed Nakayama course and she bore to the right, so the jockey couldn’t move her out in the stretch. She raced at Tokyo before that, racing in a familiar direction and she traveled well. In the stretch, however, it was actually more difficult than it looked and she lost by a neck. I think her bearing to the right has been part of the reason for losing in her last two races. She went to the farm for a bit and after returning to the training center, had worn a cheekpiece only on her right side but I didn’t see any big change. I changed her bit for her workout on March 31. She doesn’t bear to the right in work or at least it’s not noticeable. Her footwork was good, so she’ll race with the equipment on her now. I think she still needs more acceleration towards the finish, but she does have talent and I’m hoping things will come together for her.”

Sublime Anthem

Nobuyuki Tashiro, assistant trainer
“In the Fillies’ Revue, she was a bit slow from the gate but kept her cool and travelled well. When she came up the inside and split the ranks, she showed some very nice speed and gained ground well. In the finish, there were horses coming up on the outside but they couldn’t catch her. I think it was a stronger win than the head margin to second place would indicate. The jockey did a really good job. As is the normal routine, she went to the farm for a short time and came back refreshed. Her work last week was just to tune her up, but she turned in a good overall time as well so all is going well. She has kept her condition even with a lot of solid workouts and improved with each race. She has learned racing, so the 1,600 meters shouldn’t be a problem. She no longer tenses up and is able to race relaxed. She can run at a good speed over distance so I think the outer course will be a plus. The lineup is a step up for her, but I think she can be competitive.”

Voller Blute

Keisuke Miyata, trainer
“Two starts ago in the Artemis Stakes, she got bumped by another horse and that got her quite upset. As we gave her a lot of afterward, she was able to calm down and go to the Kobai Stakes in a good mental state. She travelled well, which of course factored in her winning. She went to the farm and returned to Miho on March 24. Her weight hasn’t changed much, but compared to the colder months her muscle tone is much better now. On March 31, she trained on the woodchip flat course for the first time in a while. She was calm and breathing well. It was a good workout. She picked it up over the final 100 meters and ran well after the finish too. The Hanshin outer 1,600 meters should suit her. If the ground is fast on the outside, I think she’ll be right up there with the others.”

Water Navillera

Koshiro Take, trainer
“Even though the main target was the Oka Sho, she was still in pretty good shape for the trial Tulip Sho. She was calm upon arriving at Hanshin Racecourse and she raced well. The difficulties she encountered along the way were unfortunate, but I think if she can do well amid all that, she can handle just about anything. She went to the farm for only about 10 days to let off steam and has gotten regular work since returning to the training center. The jockey (Yutaka Take) rode her on March 30 and she looked fine. As I’d expected, she showed improvement from last week. If she can break well as usual, she should do well, as she can conduct herself well and is not distracted by the others. Everything we’ve done has been for this race. Her condition is good and I’m looking forward to the race.”