Ammothyella

Mikio Matsunaga, trainer
“In her second race last autumn, she won a JBC (Japan Breeders’ Cup) race, and she improves for her races. When she transports to different tracks, she doesn’t lose weight now, and there was no damage after her last race, which was just a short time ago. She’s become as good as a male horse. This will be her first race over a mile, but she has speed, and the start on turf isn’t a worry. I hope she’ll get a clear run and find her own rhythm here, which is the most important thing.”

Ater Astraea

Shinsuke Hashiguchi, trainer
“She’s been working in her usual way, and while she’s not a horse to really catch the eye in training, she’s been moving well. This time at Tokyo, the wide corners and long homestraight should suit her running style. and I don’t see a problem with the start on turf either. She’ll hopefully find a good rhythm over the distance, and get to put in a good finish.”

Costa Nova

Tetsuya Kimura, trainer
“His training has been similar to how we want to see him run in a race, and we’ve judged things accordingly, given the short time between races. The horse is in good shape.”

Yu Ota, assistant trainer
“He’s keeping his condition well, and he should improve more for his run in the Negishi Stakes, as he does come on for his races. He’s been running over a distance in training, so there should be no problem at all with the extra 200 meters of the race this time. One of the keys in this next race will be getting a good start and a handy position in the early part of the race, but with the way he’s running, the 1,600 meters looks good for him.”

Derma Sotogake

Hidetaka Otonashi, trainer
“I’ve wanted him to move as well as the other horses he’s trained with to try and improve things with him mentally. It’s been a while since he’s run over 1,600 meters, but I hope he’ll find a good rhythm in the race.”

Masanari Tanaka, assistant trainer
“I think he’ll be better this time at the Tokyo track. There’s just been a short time between races, but I think he’ll keep his sharpness. He’s a horse with a lot of ability, but he does have to keep focused mentally. If he gets into the race well this time, he’s capable of doing a bit better.”

Dura Erede

Manabu Ikezoe, trainer
“There’s no change since his last race, and he’s been moving well in training, running left-handed on the woodchip course. He’s very steady mentally, and we’ve just confirmed things with his gate practice. Even though he hasn’t got a good result at Tokyo, the course and the way races are run there aren’t a problem for him, so I don’t worry about those things. It was unfortunate that he didn’t get a good result in last year’s race, so I hope things will be different this time.”

Emperor Wakea

Haruki Sugiyama, trainer
“He’s been training well, and the track condition has enabled him to post good times in his track work, so I’m pleased with him heading into the race. It’ll be the same course and distance that he won over last time, and I was happy he could do that, seeing out the extra distance, even though he’ll need to do it again. One question is how he’ll handle taking on the Grade 1 opponents this time, as it’s his first Grade 1. I want everything to go smoothly right up to the race.”

Gaia Force

Haruki Sugiyama, trainer
“On his return to the stable, he was quite lively, but he’s settled down since, and he’s been moving smoothly in training, with everything going as expected. He ran well in the race last year, and proved that with just the one turn, he can do well, so I hope he can produce his best again in another Grade 1.”

Helios

Shinji Kudo, trainer
“It’ll be his first run for the stable. He’s gradually got used to things. He looks well in his coat, and he moves with a nice light action. I’ll discuss things with the jockey when we know the draw. I want the horse to show his strength and do his best.”

Meisho Hario

Inao Okada, trainer
“He’s trained well and improves with his work. I think he has a chance with the ability he has.”

Atsushi Obayashi, assistant trainer
“He missed the Champions Cup with a slight problem with his hindquarters, so this became his next target. It’ll depend on how good we can get him just before this next run. The wide Tokyo course makes things easier. He has finished third in the race before, and he stumbled at the start that time. The start on turf is one of the big keys, but I want him to do his best and run a good race.”

Mikki Fight

Hiroyasu Tanaka, trainer
“He seemed a little heavy on his return to the stable recently, but with his training, he’s looking lighter and his balance is better, so things are as I would expect. He’s also becoming more mature. It’ll just be his seventh start, so there’s a lot we’re yet to find out about him. However, the distance of a mile looks suitable for him.”

Hiroyuki Yamazaki, assistant trainer
“We’ve had him chase down his training partners at the finish of his work, and he’s done his best with this, continuing well after the finish line. It’s always felt like he’d be a horse to improve with age, so it’ll be important for him to show that he’s developing the right way with a good run here.”

Mitono O

Koji Maki, trainer
“He’s had blinkers on in training, and has worked with his race jockey (Hironobu Tanabe). The horse’s reactions might have been just a little off his best, but he’s coming along nicely with his work. It’ll be his second time at Tokyo on the dirt course with the one turn, and despite things not going smoothly last time, I don’t think the condition of the race is a problem. He needs to get to run his own race.”

Hironobu Tanabe, jockey
“The blinkers have worked well, and things have been as expected with him in training. The course and distance of the race isn’t a problem, but he’ll need to find a good rhythm.”

Peptide Nile

Hidenori Take, trainer
“Considering his age, he’s doing as well as possible, and he’s kept his condition since last year. He’s done well enough in training, considering he’s had a bit of a break. He’ll be back at the course where he ran his best race over the 1,600 meters with the one turn, so I think he has a good enough chance once again.”

Yusuke Fujioka, jockey
“He seems as good if not better than he was last year, and he’s done everything I’ve asked of him in training. He really feels like a strong dirt horse with his big stride, and I want to do my best with him in the race this time too.”

Sunday Funday

Masanari Tanaka, assistant trainer
“Everything’s been as usual since his return to the stable in February. It’s good that he’s had regular races, and this has helped him stay in good shape. It should be a fast pace this time, so it will be all about him getting to run his own race and finding the rhythm that’s best for him.”

Katsuma Sameshima, jockey
“He moves well enough, despite him not always looking particularly quick in training. We won’t know how he handles the start on turf and the race with its one turn until we try. He runs best when he’s well up with the pace.”

Sunrise Zipangu

Hidetaka Otonashi, trainer
“There’s no real change with him, and there’s a nice light feel about him, even when he’s run without other horses around him in training. Despite losing his last race, he still managed to finish well.”

Masanari Tanaka, assistant trainer
“He’s in very good condition, and came out of his last race with no problems. The course and distance of this next race might make things a little difficult for him, although he’ll hopefully get a good finish in at the end. The key will be for him to get a good start, and get into the flow of the race as best he can.”

Tagano Beauty

Masato Nishizono, trainer
“There’s been no problem with his legs since he fell in his last race, and he’s in good condition, even though there’s just been two weeks between races. He needs to start well and get into the flow of things. In last year’s race, it looked like he could win at one point, but just lost out in the last 100 meters. It would be good if he could run as well again, and the Tokyo course does seem to be good for him. I really want him to win a JRA Grade 1 race.”

William Barows

Hiroyuki Uemura, trainer
“He’s refreshed after a spell at the farm, and his training’s been good. He seems to be stronger for it. He’s mostly run in races with four corners to take in, but this time’s different, and with the start on turf, we’ll just have to see how he gets on. With his light footwork, I think he runs best when the track condition is good.”