Bellagio Opera

Norihiko Kishimoto, assistant trainer
“After the Satsuki Sho, he spent some time at the farm. Since returning to the training center on May 4, he has been getting good times and everything has been going well. Jockey Kazuo Yokoyama rode him last week over the woodchip course and he said that he’s still soft but he has potential. He has been adding muscle on different areas bit by bit and I think he has improved. Yokoyama was on Ho O Biscuit in the Satsuki Sho so he was right behind this horse, and apparently saw him suddenly move up and shoot to the top going into the homestretch. He wondered why he’d done that, and was able to figure it out in trackwork. He figures he’s better racing to the left. I think the horse won’t come into his own until later, but he has already got good results and I think it says a lot that he has been able to rise to this level. The high pace did him in in the Satsuki Sho, but I think he deserves another look.”

Dura Erede

Manabu Ikezoe, trainer
“After the UAE Derby, one of his fetlocks didn’t seem right so we changed our targeted race and had him return to the training center a month ago. He’s eager to run, so I’ve been careful to not have him overdo it up the hill course. We are giving him pool work as well. I’d wanted to give him hard work from last week and we did that, pushing him hard in the final stage over the woodchip course. His time was fine. He’s working well with the rider from the start and I think his balance is good. This week I’ll be able to give him the final touches. Whereas he still may have some excess weight and his turn of foot may not be up to the level of some of the others, he makes up for that with his stamina, which is enough to handle 2,400 meters. More important than worrying about how well in tune with the rider he is, I want him, above all, to be able to run his own race.”

Gruner Green

Ikuo Aizawa, trainer
“He had an inside draw for the Satsuki Sho, so I had instructed the jockey to send him forward. He traveled as I’d wanted, but the horses who raced further out turned out to have had the advantage. After that, I kept him at the training center and prepared him for this race. As one could imagine, the ground in the Satsuki Sho had really taken a lot out of him. Still, he recovered well. He’s back on his feet and has gotten a lot of work. Last week, he had a good hard workout running alongside an older horse. We’re slowly getting rid of the fluff, and it’s always good that he’s relaxed and calm. He’ll go to the gate on an upswing and this time it’s Tokyo, where he has won nicely before. The position he can get isn’t that important. I’m hoping he’ll be able to give it his all.”

Hearts Concerto

Ryo Takei, trainer
“Unfortunately, all his good trackwork hasn’t translated that well to his races, but last race he did break away from the pack and gain ground. Before that race, I had had him running in a group of three in work, so he did reap something from his training. He had a hard workout on May 17 running in amid two other horses. It was the hardest work he’s had after a race and I’d say it was his best. Also, because he recovered faster than I’d expected him to, I knew that it was just the perfect workload. The rider got a good reading on him too. I knew he was a good horse from before his debut and I had my eye on the Derby, so that’s the reason I paired him with Kohei Matsuyama. It’s great to be here. The winner in his last race was very strong, but I think he has a chance of turning the tables on him.”

Ho O Biscuits

Takeshi Okumura, trainer
“He had a good position in the Satsuki Sho and was traveling with the flow. But the pace really picked up and the ground was pretty bad. In addition, since he was racing again with only three full weeks in between, he may not have had enough time to fully recharge. I don’t know if it’s because he has matured and is stronger, but he came out of the race well and recovered quickly, which I think was really something. Two weeks ago in work, I had him out in front and another horse try to run him down. Then last week, I put another horse out in front and had this one to chase him. Both times, I had the rider take note of his action under the different circumstances. He carried himself quite well. I have no complaints with his work. With five weeks in between races, I was able to do everything I needed to. Looking at his muscling and how he won both times before, I’d say he shouldn’t have a problem with the distance.”

Hrimfaxi

Naosuki Sugai, trainer
“In the Satsuki Sho, though he got good cover behind another horse and was able to draw on everything he’d learned in previous races and trackwork, However, the going was bad, which was a shame. I wouldn’t say so much that he stopped running, but that he just became disgusted with it all. He was a bit tired after that race, but recovered well and everything has gone smoothly. Jockey Hayato Yoshida rode him on May 17 alongside another horse on the flat course. This horse was relaxed, which is the most important. I expect to see improvement this week. The race is to the left and the wide-open Tokyo course are both pluses. I think he’ll work well with the rider, travel well and be able to handle the distance. I’m also hoping for clear skies on raceday. If he has a fast track, he’ll be able to bring out his best.”

Metal Speed

Makoto Saito, trainer
“He was fourth in the Satsuki Sho. It’s a Classic after all, so it wasn’t going to be easy. Despite it being a tight rotation for him, he put up a good fight and showed his strength in a number of places. He went to the farm for a short time afterward and returned to the training center on May 6. He has had some tightness in his back but this comes from his growth spurt now and it’s not a problem. He’s fully recovered from his last race. Jockey Akihide Tsumura rode work last week. This horse worked alongside another and Tsumura pushed him hard over an additional furlong. It was a good solid workout. Since he’ll be racing to the left this time, we checked how he was carrying himself and decided that he doesn’t need the right blinker anymore, so took that off. The only concern is the distance. He has no problems with balance and the jockey has a good reading on him. I’m looking forward to the race.”

Nocking Point

Yu Ota, assistant trainer
“Overall, his performance in the Mainichi Hai was good and he showed his strength. It was his first time over 1,800 meters and I feel that more distance will make it easier for him to travel well. He went to the farm for a bit after that race and everything has been going smoothly since he returned to the training center. He seems to be improving day by day and he’s now looking sharp in his workouts. The jockey (Hiroshi Kitamura) gave him a hard workout last week and his time was good. I’m not worried about the extra distance this time. In fact, I think it will make things easier to come together for him well.”

Pax Ottomanica

Kazutaka Ikeuchi, assistant trainer
“The small field of the Principal Stakes helped, as did the way the race unfolded. He finished the race with still something in his tank, which has helped in preparing for this one and should help in the race. I let him take it easy for a week after the Principal Stakes and we concentrated on his recovery, both mentally and physically and he’s looking good. There’s not much time between races, so we haven’t been upping the intensity of his work. I think things have gone well. I do have some concerns about the distance. He has the speed to get a forward position, but he’ll need to break well and the pace and the way things unfold will need to work in his favor.”

Phantom Thief

Yutaka Take, jockey
“This morning (May 24) before I rode, I heard that he has been doing well and coming along as planned. He had a hard workout last week so I was told not to do too much today. His movement in work was extremely good. He had a good air about him and I think he’s in quite good shape. His response in the stretch was excellent and he was very much in tune with me. When I gave him a light signal, he responded very well and shifted into a higher gear. After that, I eased off and held him back a bit in the finish. He has a great deal of potential and doesn’t seem to have any particular quirks. Rather than a very sharp turn of foot, he has stamina and determination. I look forward to bringing that out in the race. His overall strength is high and his temperament is good. Of course, there’s a lot we won’t know until the gate opens, but everything that could be done going into the race has been done. I haven’t ridden him in a race but I’ve watched all his previous races and think the Tokyo 2,400 meters should suit him.”

Satono Glanz

Yasuo Tomomichi, trainer
“In the Kyoto Shimbun Hai, he didn’t respond as well as he usually does at the critical point, but he did run solidly to the end. He came out of the race well and we were soon back doing 15-15 in track work. On May 17, he clocked 58.1 seconds over five furlongs. There isn’t much time between races, so that was sufficient. I had him work to the left over the woodchip course on May 21 and I expect that to be his last important workout before the race. From what I’ve seen from his races, I think the long stretch of the Tokyo 2,400 meters will suit him. I think he needs more time to fully come into his own. He’s still soft somewhat, but even so, he’s on a three-race winning streak. He is getting stronger with each race. The lineup is strong, but I think he can hold his own even in a G1.”

Season Rich

Kazutaka Ikeuchi, assistant trainer
“To be honest, until he won in the Mainichi Hai, I had had my doubts about how he’d do. However, the jockey did great at the break and did a really good job overall. The horse had gotten a lot stronger over a short period of time and all the experience he’s had up against strong competition to that point certainly stood him well. He went to the farm for a bit after that and came back to the training center at the end of April. Most importantly, he has been able to handle all the work we asked of him. Jockey Keita Tosaki rode him last week and said that his balance was a lot better than it had been. It’s his first time at 2,400 meters, so I can’t say anything much there, but I have my hopes up that he’ll be able to use his new level of maturity to his best and I’m looking forward to seeing how well he can do.”

Yasuo Tomomichi, trainer
“I would have liked for him to have had a fast track in the Satsuki Sho, but his overall performance there wasn’t bad at all. He stayed at the training center after that and we targeted him for here. He had a good, hard workout on the flat woodchip course on May 17, got a good time, and the rider got a good reading on him. He said he was moving better than he had been before his previous race. A lefthanded track suits him and from his performance in the Sumire Stakes (2,200 meters) I’d say 2,400 meters should be within his reach. He has been getting stronger with each race. The lineup is full of good horses, but I’m expecting him to do well.”

Shonan Bashitto

Naosuke Sugai, trainer
“He was really laidback after the Wakaba Stakes. I think he had improved even more going into the Satsuki Sho. The pace in that race had really picked up and yet he moved on his own coming out of the backstretch. I think he did very well to make it to fifth place. He showed his strength. Since then, things have all gone smoothly. He got bigger after the Satsuki Sho. He’s growing and every time he races, he gets better, so he’s very dependable. Jockey Mirco Demuro rode work last Wednesday (May 17) and took him over the course. The woodchips were pretty rough at that time of morning, but it was a good bit of work. This horse raced over 2,200 meters from pretty early on, so the extra distance should be OK. Also, I think the spaciousness of Tokyo should suit him. I’m hoping he can get a good run that allows him to give it his all.”

Skilfing

Tetsuya Kimura, trainer
“His fast work on Wednesday (May 24) went as planned and it went well. I’m relieved. I believe the rider, with the race in mind, made sure to establish good communication between him and the horse and then urged him on as he turned into the stretch. He responded well. Back at the stable, he’s always energetic and, though I wouldn’t say he has grown especially, there are no major changes, he’s been able to handle all the basic work and do everything necessary. After the Aoba Sho, I was glad to see that he came out of the race well, and I consider him to be a very reliable horse. He works well with the rider, listens well and responds well to what the jockey asks of him. His appetite is good, he doesn’t go off his feed, he’s got quite a fighting spirit and can run at a good speed at length. I think all his experience at Tokyo should stand him well.”

Sol Oriens

Takahisa Tezuka, trainer
“His fast work on Wednesday went as usual, but since he had a hard workout last week the plan was to have him line up with the other horse in the end. He finished a bit ahead, but his time was what I had expected and his breathing and footwork were good. He does change leads more often than other horses but I think that’s just a habit with him. Better he changes than doesn’t. I think his performance in the Satsuki Sho was good. I had had my doubts about whether he could do well over the heavy ground and how he would do with the inside gate and the big field. But he came though well on all points. In his trackwork, he has been taking the bit better with each race and is much more forward than before. I consider him on a par with the other horses his age. He’s capable of an excellent performance in the Derby. Up against others of his age, I think 2,400 meters is well within reach. I think the ground and the times will be fast and I think those conditions suit him. I’m not worried. On the contrary, I’m happy to see him race on fast ground.”

Tastiera

Noriyuki Hori, trainer
“He returned from the farm on May 3. For a colt, he doesn’t have a very good appetite, but it is better now than it was before the Satsuki Sho. His weak point, his right hind leg, was bad after that race but that is all better now and he’s in good shape. With the change in environment between the farm and the training center, he’s been a bit high strung and we’re giving that extra attention to get his head in the right place. Over the last furlong in last week’s work, we saw that his concentration was better. This time, he moved his ears forward twice, but didn’t raise his head or go off the bit and lose speed as he had before. He was paying attention to the rider. He has the same quirks as his sire Satono Crown. He’s young and I’m getting updates from the same person who had been in charge of his sire and he says this horse is gradually getting better. The horse grasped the lessons of his work on May 18 and this should carry over to this week’s work.”

Top Knife

Masaki Kon, assistant trainer
“Unlike his other races, he raced from the rear In the Satsuki Sho and the pace was fast. He was running behind the winner and he did run well in the final stage. On May 14, he looked good working up the hill course and his overall condition is good. Last week, he got a good time too, even though he was running on the outside of another horse. He moved well over the final stage too. Things are going well. This time will be his second time racing to the left and I’m looking forward to seeing how he’ll do over the wide-open Tokyo course. He’s shown us a lot of different racing and I’m hoping that he’ll use that to his advantage here.”