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Jantar Mantar Shines as Top Three-Year-Old Miler in NHK Mile Cup

Jantar Mantar, sent to post second pick, displayed a strong run to rule in this year’s NHK Mile Cup and took home his second G1 trophy. Undefeated in all three starts last season, which included victories in the Daily Hai Nisai Stakes (G2, 1,600m) and the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes (G1,1,600m), the son of Palace Malice was duly named Best Two-Year-Old Colt of 2023. He kicked off his three-year-old campaign with a second in the Kyodo News Hai (G3, 1,800m) in February and had just come off turning in a third in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, G1, 2,000m) on April 14. For both trainer Tomokazu Takano and jockey Yuga Kawada, this is their first JRA-G1 victory since the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes win with the colt. Takano is now the proud owner of seven G1 titles while Kawada now boasts 27.

Jantar Mantar broke sharply from a wide stall and was settled in around fifth, next to the race favorite in the backstretch, before gradually making headway after the third corner to hit the straight in third. After a tenacious climb up the stretch hill, the dark bay colt kicked into gear, took over the front before the 200-meter pole and charged home in a comfortable 2-1/2-length victory.

“I had every confidence in my colt. Once we were off, I knew he was going to win, there were no doubts in my mind. He ran in good rhythm and showed his true strength. Concerns of his tight schedule—his latest Satsuki Sho start being only three weeks before—obviously was nothing to be worried about. I hope I can prove he is the best miler in Japan in the future,” commented Yuga Kawada who rode his second NHK Mile Cup winner after Danon Scorpion in 2022.

2023 Best Two-Year-Old Filly and race favorite Ascoli Piceno secured an early position in fifth to sixth before making her bid rounding the final turns with much left in the tank but found herself trapped behind horses in early stretch. Under jockey Christophe Lemaire, who just made his comeback after recovering from injuries sustained in March in Dubai, the Daiwa Major filly struggled for room and clipped heels but found her stride once on a clear path along the rails near the 200-meter marker and surged from there with good speed to steal second place.

Tenth choice Logi Leon ran around eighth behind the top two favorites, met traffic at the top of the stretch but found an opening at the 400-meter pole and launched a strong charge but while unable to cut the gap with the winner, was pinned by the fast-closing runner-up just before the wire, securing third place by a neck.

Other Horses:
4th: (12) Gonbade Qabus—traveled wide around 9th, launched 2nd fastest late kick but was too late
5th: (4) Ipheion—settled around 6th on rails, checked 300m out, ran willingly thereafter
6th: (7) Channel Tunnel—sat around 11th, passed rivals one by one in last 200m
7th: (3) Di Speranza—raced around 12th, drifted 300m out, showed effort thereafter
8th: (10) Water Licht—sat wide around 12th, failed to respond to reach contention
9th: (18) Arsenaal—broke poorly, ran 2nd from rear, circled wide, showed fastest late kick but belatedly
10th: (8) Enya Love Faith—settled wide around 6th, lacked needed kick at stretch
12th: (2) Noble Roger—saved ground around 9th, unable to reach contention
11th: (17) Yukino Royal—raced wide around 15th, even paced at stretch
13th: (1) Danon McKinley—hugged rails around 12th, showed effort after meeting traffic at early stretch
14th: (11) Arranger—traveled around 15th, struggled to find clear path, never threatened
15th: (15) Mask All Win—prominent in 2nd or 3rd, took brief lead at early stretch, dropped back
16th: (13) Strauss—unhurried and trailed in far rear, no factor
17th: (5) Bond Girl—rallied for lead then eased back to 2nd, checked 300m out, lost momentum
18th: (9) Captaincy—rallied for lead, sustained lead, checked 300m out, faded

THE 29TH NHK MILE CUP (G1)
3-year-olds, Colts & Fillies, 1,600 meters (about 8 furlongs), turf, left-handed
Sunday, May 5, 2024           Tokyo Racecourse          11th Race           Post Time: 15:40
Total prize money: ¥ 281,800,000 (about US$ 1,999,000 <US$1=¥141>)
3-y-o: 57 kg (about 126 lbs), 2 kg allowance for Fillies, 2 kg allowance for Southern Hemisphere-bred born in 2021
Course Record: 1:30.5         Race Record: 1:31.4 [Danon Chantilly (JPN, by Fuji Kiseki), 2010]
Safety factor: 18 runners      Going: Good to Firm       Weather: Fine

Turnover for the Race alone: ¥ 18,004,887,200       Turnover for the Day: ¥ 27,632,015,900       Attendance: 51,087

Winner= 6 starts: 4 wins, 1 second & 1 third / Added & stakes money: ¥ 133,864,000 / Career earnings: ¥ 320,528,000

* NHK Mile Cup (G1)

While races in Japan for three-year-olds had been programmed mainly to facilitate those aiming towards the middle-long distance three-year-old Classics as typified by the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1, 2,400m), the interest in speed races is growing both within and outside Japan, and earning much respect as the traditional Classics. In 1996, JRA reorganized its races in order to accommodate and promote the three-year-olds suited to short distances and established the NHK Mile Cup which was named after its sponsor Nippon Hoso Kyokai (Japan Broadcasting Corporation)—Japan’s only public broadcaster. The race was designated as an international race in 2009.
Past NHK Mile Cup winners include subsequent derby winners King Kamehameha (JPN, by Kingmambo; ’04) and Deep Sky (JPN, by Agnes Tachyon; ’08) while El Condor Pasa (USA, by Kingmambo; ’98) and Kurofune (USA, by French Deputy; ’01) won the Japan Cup (G1, 2,400m) and the Japan Cup Dirt (G1, dirt, 2,100m), respectively. 2019 champion Admire Mars (JPN, by Daiwa Major) went on to claim his third G1 title in the Hong Kong Mile (G1, 1,600m) against strong older foes that year.
This year’s G1 mile event featured a number of runners who earned their berths performing well in two trials: runner-up Bond Girl and third-placed Yukino Royal in the New Zealand Trophy (G2, 1,600m, Apr.6), while winner Ecoro Bloom (JPN, by Daiwa Major) was withdrawn due to a fracture in his right foreleg; and Di Speranza, Arranger and Channel Tunnel, who were the top three in the Arlington Cup (G3, 1,600m, Apr.13). Also entered was Danon McKinley, winner of the Falcon Stakes (G3, 1,400m, Mar.16), another prep race in March, in which 2023 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes (G2, 1,800m) winner Strauss was ninth. The field also included the 2023 Best Two-Year-Old Filly Ascoli Piceno and 2024 Fairy Stakes (G3, 1,600m) victor Ipheion who had come off a second and an 11th, respectively, in the Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas, G1, 1,600m, Apr.7). The 2023 Best Two-Year-Old Colt Jantar Mantar, third-place finisher of the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, G1, 2,000m, Apr.14), and Gonbade Qabus and Noble Roger, respective victors of the 2023 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup (G3, 1,600m) and the 2024 Shinzan Kinen (G3, 1,600m) were also at the gate.