Ask Victor More

Yasuhito Tamura, trainer
“Since the beginning of the year, this has been the planned rotation for him, so as not to overdo things and just make the horse himself feel fresh. I have been very pleased with the way he’s been moving in training, especially his top speed in the final furlong. He might seem the type to pull in a race, but I think over a distance his stamina comes into play more, so there’s no concern with the extra distance. The stable staff have done a great job with him. It will be interesting to see how he can do this time, particularly if he gets to run his own race.”

Hironobu Tanabe, jockey
“Not so many of the horses in the race have experience over 2,400 meters, but I want to do my best in getting him into a good rhythm so that he can try his best over the distance. He is not far off the top horses in the race, so I want to ride him well.”

Ask Wild More

Nobuyuki Tashiro, assistant trainer
“There is no tiredness about him and he’s showing a lot of improvement, especially mentally, so I think the transportation to the track isn’t a problem. He is a horse for the future, but even now he shows a lot of ability. I don’t think there’ll be a lot in it between him and the other horses in the race, so I’m looking forward to his run here.”

Be Astonished

Yuzo Iida, trainer
“He is in good shape, moving well, and not showing any negative effects from his last race. He has been running smoothly in his recent races, even though last time his result wasn’t the best. He is getting used to a longer distance in a race. He has run well at Tokyo, so I’m not worried about him racing left-handed. If he gets to run with a good rhythm, we’ll see what he can do.”

Danon Beluga

Noriyuki Hori, trainer
“He recently weighed about 501kg, and he’s coped well with his workload in training. In his last work, he showed he’s fit and knows when to take the bit, and he’s probably better now than he was before the Satsuki Sho. He is a horse that obeys instructions, and we take care to let him do what’s best for him. He has trained solo, but has finished off his work well. He seems to be a horse that responds well to the left-handed track and its sweeping turns, and I’d like the ground to be good on the day of the race.”

Desierto

Takayuki Yasuda, trainer
“He has done very well in his recent work with the jockey, running smoothly and setting a final furlong time of roughly 10 seconds, so that proves he’s giving it a lot. He has a big stride, so he should find it easy to run at Tokyo. It will be all about him starting well and getting into the flow of the race. Ideally, he’ll be well forward in the run.”

Do Deuce

Yasuo Tomomichi, trainer
“In his final training on the polytrack, there were no problems, and everything’s the same as it was before the Satsuki Sho. Looking at his footwork, I think he can handle any type of ground. He is an easy horse to deal with, so there’s nothing to worry about with him at all. Although it’s his first time over the trip, he’s run over 1,800 and 2,000 meters, but has handled them both with ease.”

Yutaka Take, jockey
“He has good racing sense, and I don’t think it matters what the ground condition is like. I have always had the ride on him, so I’ve been able to see him develop, including when he was good enough to become the 2-year-old champion. He has a lot of ability, so even at this high level, he must have a chance.”

Equinox

Tetsuya Kimura, trainer
“He has kept his condition since his last race, and he’s probably better for having that run. It has been the same pattern with stable mate Geoglyph, but with Equinox, jockey Christophe Lemaire has just been putting him through his paces. I don’t see any problem with the 2,400 meters at Tokyo, as he’s already produced a good result at the track.”

Yu Ota, assistant trainer
“We have had the jockey check things over regarding the horse’s footwork and rhythm. He has won a graded race at Tokyo, so returning to that track is a plus. The extended distance isn’t a worry either. Everything has gone well in training with him, so I want things to continue that way, and I hope that he gets to the race in best condition.”

Christophe Lemaire, jockey
“He is relaxed, and knows what to do, so he’s been running smoothly. The Derby has been his target, and with the condition he’s in, the timing is just right.”

Geoglyph

Tetsuya Kimura, trainer
“It was a hard race last time, so he deserved his break. He returned to the stable looking really well and is full of energy. Jockey Yuichi Fukunaga has just checked the horse’s rhythm with a lead horse in this final week. He is in similar condition to how he was for the Satsuki Sho.”

Yu Ota, assistant trainer
“He has been running smoothly, and his breathing is good. I think there’s still more to come from him. We won’t know about the distance until we try, but I think he’ll handle things well and get into the flow of the race just fine.”

Yuichi Fukunaga, jockey
“The staff at the farm and stable have got him in great condition. It will be important to see how the track is riding on the day. He is a talented horse, so it shouldn’t be difficult for him to adjust to the 2,400 meters. It is good to have another chance to ride him.”

Justin Palace

Haruki Sugiyama, trainer
“I think he’s better for his run in the Satsuki Sho, and things have gone as expected since then. It will be his first time at Tokyo, but I think the course will suit him, and he should find more over the longer trip. I want him to get a good position in the race, so that he can use his big strides to make a difference when it counts.”

Mirco Demuro, jockey
“He has posted good times in training, and he’s been more relaxed this week compared to last week. He has got plenty of stamina, so the longer distance will be good for him.”

Justin Rock

Tatsuya Yoshioka, trainer
“He is in about the same condition as he was for his last race. He has a nice big stride, and I don’t think it makes any difference to him when it comes to left-handed or right-handed tracks. The Tokyo course looks to suit him.”

Killer Ability

Takashi Saito, trainer
“After finding his rhythm in the early stages of his training, he’s picked up speed from the third corner onwards. His responses have been better going into this race than they were before the Satsuki Sho, so I feel that he’s in very good condition. He has been fine with his gate practice. He is probably better racing to the left, and I want him to get a good start and get into the flow of the race as best he can.”

Lord les Ailes

Mitsumasa Nakauchida, trainer
“His times in training have been better than I would have thought, so it shows he’s in good shape. The jockey’s been getting a feel for the horse, and I’ve been pleased with things.”

Taku Fukunaga, assistant trainer
“There have been no problems with him, and he’s in good condition, showing no tiredness from his last race. It was good to see him run so well last time over the same course and distance as this race. He has a big stride, and I’d like to see him run even nearer to the front. Despite the strong opposition, he seems to be improving, and he could run a big race if he finds a good rhythm.”

Matenro Leo

Mitsugu Kon, trainer
“We have just been monitoring his condition and giving him work accordingly. He didn’t get the best ground in his last race. Also, he wore blinkers in that race, but this time we’ll try cheekpieces to get him to relax a bit more. I feel he’s improved recently, and racing left-handed should be fine. The Derby’s been his target, so hopefully he’ll run a good race.”

Matenro Orion

Mitsugu Kon, trainer
“I don’t think he’s needed such hard training, given the time between races. In training, like his last race, we’ve asked him to pick things up from off the pace. He will be going from a mile to 2,400 meters this time, but he doesn’t need to get a quick start. On his dam’s side, the distance shouldn’t be an issue. He ran well at Tokyo last time, so that was a good race to lead him into this one. The owner will have a couple of horses from the stable in the race, and it’s to be hoped chances come their way.”

Onyankopon

Shigeyuki Kojima, trainer
“I have been pleased with his training, where he’s closed well at the finish. This week, he ran from the front and looked good. His best distance might be about 2,000 meters, but he doesn’t have a tendency to pull, and he’s back at the track where he has won. He should get into the flow of things. With his improvement, I’d like to see him run a big race to further his career from now.”

Piece of Eight

Yutaka Okumura, trainer
“There is no problem with his condition and he seems refreshed. He has been sharper this past week than the previous one. The Triabit seems suitable for him, with the distance this time being longer. He has just had the three races, but I feel there’s a lot more to come from him, and he’s shown what he’s capable of so far. It will be his first time over the distance and racing left-handed, but essentially, he’s a well-balanced horse, so I think he can adjust to things. One point will be for him to stay calm.”

Yusuke Fujioka, jockey
“He is sharp and is running strongly. The bit seems fine for him. Obviously, he’s still developing, and it’s the same for many of the other runners. While the distance and running left-handed are a couple of unknowns, he doesn’t lean, and he changes leads smoothly.”

Pradaria

Manabu Ikezoe, trainer
“He is nice and relaxed, and has been running smoothly in training, racing left-handed on the woodchip course, but not overdoing it. The jockey knows all about the horse. It is hard to know how he will shape up against the strong horses coming from the Satsuki Sho, but looking at his times, there doesn’t appear to be a lot in it.”

Kenichi Ikezoe, jockey
“His times in training have probably been the best up to now, and he seems in great shape. There hasn’t been long since his last race, so I’ve been careful not to do too much with him. He didn’t run in the Satsuki Sho, but I think he’s a good enough horse that can match up to the runners from that race.”

Seiun Hades

Shinsuke Hashiguchi, trainer
“He soon recovered from his last race and there was no damage from it. I am not worried about the extra distance this time, as I think he can adjust to things. He generally starts well and gets a good position, from where he can settle into a race quite naturally. It will be the first Derby runner for the stable, so I’m excited about that and hope he can put in a good showing.”