Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) (G1) - Preview

Croix du Nord

Giovanni

Faust Rasen

Masquerade Ball

Eri King

Piko Chan Black

Nishino Agent

Vincentio

Museum Mile

Satono Shining

After the exciting Grade 1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) last week, the first colts’ Classic of the year will be run this coming Sunday (April 20) at Nakayama Racecourse in Chiba Prefecture, just a short distance outside of Tokyo. The race is the first leg of the Triple Crown series of races for 3-year-old colts, and sets the winner up for a tilt at the other two races and a shot at stardom, reserved for just a select number of very special horses.

First run at the former Yokohama Racecourse back in 1939, the Grade 1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) was transferred to Tokyo Racecourse four years later, at which time it got its current name. It was then switched to Nakayama Racecourse in 1949, and in 1950 the distance was set at 2,000 meters, having previously been run over 1,850 meters.

The race is run on the inner turf track at Nakayama, and invariably attracts plenty of nominations, as the colts set out on a possible path to glory. Looking back over the past two decades, big name winners have included the great Deep Impact (2005), Victoire Pisa (2010), Duramente (2015) and Contrail (2020), the latter being the last Triple Crown winner in Japan.

There have been 21 nominations this year for the maximum field of 18, and all colts (no geldings are permitted to run) carry a set weight of 57kg. The first three horses to finish in the official trial races (the Grade 2 Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho Deep Impact Kinen and the Grade 2 Spring Stakes) receive an automatic entry, as well as the first two home in the Listed Wakaba Stakes, and all these horses are among the entries. The remaining berths are given on prize-money levels, and barring no withdrawals, it will come down to Tjuta and G T Adamant having to draw lots for the final place in the line-up.

Record time for the race was set just last year, when Justin Milano won in a time of 1 minute, 57.1 seconds. This year’s winner’s check is JPY 200 million (in the region of USD 1.3 million). Only two first favorites have won in the past ten years, and Contrail was the last one to win in 2020. Twenty-four Satsuki Sho winners have gone on to win the Grade 1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby).

The 85th running of the Grade 1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) will be Race 11 on the Sunday card at Nakayama, with a post time locally of 15:40. Final declarations and the barrier draw will come out later in the week.

Here’s a look at some of the colts expected to take on Sunday’s race:

Croix du Nord: The colt by Kitasan Black is an exciting prospect, and will probably go to post as a very short-priced favorite, in what will be his first run as a 3-year-old this Sunday. He was last seen winning the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes last December, which is run over the course and distance of this week’s race. Trainer Takashi Saito said. “Last time in the Hopeful Stakes, he got a position quite naturally, and the jockey rode him well. It was the horse’s first run at Nakayama, but he ran a strong race. He’s had a break at Northern Farm Shigaraki since, and on returning to the stable, he looks about the same, and things seem as usual with him.” Jockey Yuichi Kitamura will be looking for his seventh JRA Grade 1 win aboard Croix du Nord.

Giovanni: Jockey Kohei Matsuyama has struck up a good partnership already with the Epiphaneia colt, having won on him twice and finished second three times in the horse’s five career starts. Trained by Haruki Sugiyama, the trainer is pleased with Giovanni’s progress so far, commenting, “He was able to get a good position in the Wakaba Stakes, although the pace was slow to begin with. When the pace quickened later in the race, he used his legs well to adjust, and I thought he ran a good race. He ran nice and straight, with the second horse on his inside, so we could learn from this. I think he should be able to run well at any track.”

Faust Rasen: The colt by Mozu Ascot finished third in last year’s Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes, and in one run this year achieved a good win in the Grade 2 Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho Deep Impact Kinen over 2,000 meters at Nakayama in March. In both his latest races, he was able to circle the field mid-race and managed to control things from the front, making it difficult for the other runners to catch him. Explaining this running style, assistant trainer Shunei Kikumoto said: “He found himself at the back in his last race, but when ridden with speed, he could quickly change things around. It was a good result with the ground as it was, and as a horse that doesn’t need to find a closing turn of foot, he seems better when he brings his stamina into play, like he did in that race.”

Masquerade Ball: Apart from a slightly disappointing run in last year’s Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes, the colt by Duramente has won his other three races, including his latest, the Grade 3 Kyodo News Hai (Tokinominoru Kinen), run over 1,800 meters at Tokyo in February. Trainer Takahisa Tezuka commented on the colt: “He had a break at the farm after his last race, before returning to the stable at the end of March. He looks about the same, although there seems to be a better feeling about him than before. He’s been working as usual on the uphill track, and he’s done well enough when considering the ground at the time of his work.”

Eri King: From the stable of Mitsumasa Nakauchida, Eri King is unbeaten in all three of his starts, which have included two over 2,000 meters, the latest of which was the Grade 3 Radio Nikkei Hai Kyoto Nisai Stakes last November. It will be his first run as a 3-year-old, and assistant trainer Taku Fukunaga explained the reason for this. “He’s had a fetlock injury, but it wasn’t too bad,” the assistant trainer said. “He’s able to return for this race, and looking at him, he hasn’t gained any weight. Things seem as usual with him, and we have been careful about his legs in training. We’ll just have to see to what level we can get him to before the race.” Jockey Yuga Kawada looks set to team up with the trainer once again, in a bid for another top-level win for them both.

Piko Chan Black: Another horse that disappointed in the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes as a 2-year-old, put his career back on track last time, with a narrow win in the Grade 2 Spring Stakes at Nakayama in March. Trainer Yuki Uehara said: “He didn’t show his true ability in the Hopeful Stakes, so for his last race, we changed the bit and it helped him run a lot better. His mental condition is an important point. The jockey understands him better now, and realizes that the horse doesn’t need cover when the others start to make their move.”

Nishino Agent: The colt by Isla Bonita has already proved himself at the Nakayama track, and his latest win there came in the Grade 3 Keisei Hai over 2,000 meters in January. He seems to be improving quite fast, with his maiden win coming just two starts ago. Trainer Naoto Chiba said: “He can get a bit tense, so we’ve tried getting him to concentrate more in training, as he gets to know what to do. His times haven’t been especially fast, but we’ve had a good level from which to work him, as we continue to up his preparation before the race.”

A few others to note are Vincentio, Museum Mile and Satono Shining. Vincentio will be ridden by Christophe Lemaire on his return to Japan after two weeks away, and the colt is from the stable of Kazutomo Mori, the trainer of last week’s Grade 1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) winner, Embroidery. Museum Mile will be ridden by Joao Moreira, who’s looking for another Grade 1 win on this stint in Japan, while Satono Shining is another runner for leading trainer Haruki Sugiyama, and the colt is coming off a strong win in the Grade 3 Kisaragi Sho over 1,800 meters at Kyoto in February.