The 58th Sprinters Stakes Handicapper's Report on the Japanese Contenders

Toshin Macau

Mama Cocha

Mad Cool

Namura Clair

Satono Reve

Win Marvel

The Sprinters Stakes, initially established in 1967 as a major 1,200-meter sprint race for three-year-old and up, was designated as a G3 event in conjunction with the new grading system implemented in 1984. The race was then upgraded to G2 in 1987 before becoming a G1 sprint race in 1990 and assumed Part I status to become an international G1 event in 2006. (Japan was promoted to Part I country of the International Cataloging Standards in 2007.) Since 1990, the race was held in the year-end Nakayama meeting before shifting to the current date of fixture in 2000—the final weekend of the early fall meeting. The Sprinters Stakes now positions itself as the highest mark for sprinters together with the Takamatsunomiya Kinen (G1, 1,200m) held in spring.

Since the race opened its door to foreign-trained entries in 1994, 30 runners that exceed the number that have run in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen have challenged the title among which three, Silent Witness (AUS) from Hong Kong, Takeover Target (AUS) from Australia and Ultra Fantasy (AUS) from Hong Kong have succeeded in taking home the title in 2005, 2006 and 2010, respectively.

Japan has not been able to produce a true world class sprinter since Lord Kanaloa (JPN), who not only won back-to-back titles in this race in 2012 and 2013 but also the internationally recognized Hong Kong Sprint that earned him a rating of 128—the closest after that would be Gran Alegria (JPN) with 118 who stepped down from mile races to win the 2020 Sprinters Stakes. So again, this year’s title is wide open to any of the runners in the line-up including the two Hong-Kong based sprinters.

Toshin Macau (JPN, H5, by Big Arthur, out of Yukino Mermaid): 114S, 7 wins / 19 starts
Focusing on short-distances since the summer of his three-year-old season, Toshin Macau is a winner of four grade-race titles and has been consistent in finishing within fourth place in other starts at 1,200 meters except for the Takamatsunomiya Kinen in 2023 (15th) and 2024 (sixth) where he failed to make use of his speed over soft/yielding track conditions. He comes off a victory in the Centaur Stakes (G2, 1,200m) on September 8, where he wore down 2023 Sprinters Stakes winner Mama Cocha, who had taken an early lead at the homestretch, with a tremendous late charge to win by half a length—the victory earned him a rating of 114. This will be his first Sprinters Stakes challenge but the son of Big Arthur has marked a victory over the same course and distance when claiming the Ocean Stakes (G3, 1,200m) in March this year and is hopeful of capturing his first G1 title in the coming race.

Mama Cocha (JPN, M5, by Kurofune, out of Buchiko): 112S, 6 wins / 16 starts
A full sister to white G1 winner Sodashi, Mama Cocha herself is a bay who, following a win in the Azuchijo Stakes (Listed, 1,400m), showed her potential as a sprinter when stepping down to 1,200 meters for the first time in the Kitakyushu Kinen (G3) and finished second. She immediately landed her first G1 title in as many attempts in her next start, the Sprinters Stakes, where she was forwardly positioned, assumed an early lead soon after the final turn, and successfully held off the challenge from Mad Cool by a nose. While beaten in two starts thereafter, the Kurofune mare just missed by half a length while carrying an added penalty of 2kg in her latest start, the Centaur Stakes, for which she was given a rating of 112 and appears well prepared towards defending her title in the coming G1 race.

Mad Cool (IRE, H5, by Dark Angel, out of Mad About You): 116S, 6 wins / 13 starts
A consistent sprinter, finishing within the money in all of his past sprint starts in Japan excluding a ninth in the 2023 CBC Sho (G3, 1,200m) when he showed symptoms of having suffered a mild heat stroke, the son of Dark Angel closed in impressively and just missed by a nose to Mama Cocha in the 2023 Sprinters Stakes and avenged his defeat this year in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen in which he led in early stretch and prevailed by a head after being challenged by Namura Clair for his first G1 victory. Although unsuccessful in his two overseas stints, the 2023 Hong Kong Sprint (G1, 1,200m) and the 2024 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (G1, 1,200m) where he was beaten to eighth and 11th, respectively, he is the top-rated sprinter in Japan together with Obamburumai (JPN, C4, by Discreet Cat), given a rating of 116 for his victory in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen.

Namura Clair (JPN, M5, by Mikki Isle, out of Sun Queen): 111S, 5 wins / 18 starts
Winner of four grade-race titles in the 2021 Kokura Nisai Stakes (G3, 1,200m), the 2022 Hakodate Sprint Stakes (G3, 1,200m), the 2023 Silk Road Stakes (G3, 1,200m) and the 2023 Keeneland Cup (G3, 1,200m), the Mikki Isle mare has yet to claim a G1 title while proving competitive at the highest level in her third-place performance in the 2022 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas, G1, 1,600m) and runner-up efforts in two consecutive Takamatsunomiya Kinen starts in 2023 and this year. Nevertheless, her reliability in exerting a good turn of speed at the stretch could carry her to victory any day, depending on the race development, and a first G1 win in the coming race would be no surprise. She is rated 111 for her runner-up effort in this year’s Takamatsunomiya Kinen.

Satono Reve (JPN, H5, by Lord Kanaloa, out of Ciliege): 113S, 7 wins / 9 starts
The son of legendary sprinter, Lord Kanaloa, Satono Reve is also brother to Hakusan Moon (JPN, by Admire Moon), who became one of very few horses that defeated Lord Kanaloa when taking the 2013 Centaur Stakes. Blessed with qualities from both his sire and dam, Satono Reve’s talent as a sprinter has flourished this year with three consecutive wins in the Shunrai Stakes (Listed, 1,200m), the Hakodate Sprint Stakes and the Keeneland Cup, and the way he won the latter two—biding his time in the front seat early and striding away at the stretch to a comfortable victory—has the quality to threaten the best sprinters in his G1 debut. He is rated 113 as of his victory in the Keenland Cup.

Win Marvel (JPN, H5, by I’ll Have Another, out of Cosmo Marvelous): 114M, 7 wins / 23 starts
Win Marvel rose to stardom as one of the top sprinters of his generation with three wins including the Aoi Stakes (G3, 1,200m, limited to three-year-olds) and finished second when faced against older horses for the first time in the 2022 Keenland Cup. He validated the effort with another second in his following start and G1 debut, the Sprinters Stakes, and scored his second grade-race victory as a four-year-old where he won a hard-fought rally in the 2023 Hanshin Cup (G2, 1,400m). Into his five-year-old season this year, he has continued to remain prominent with two more graded victories in the Hankyu Hai (G3) and the Keio Hai Spring Cup (G2), both at 1,400 meters, and is rated 114 for his win in the latter.