In the Japan Cup (G1, 2,400m) on November 30, the list of key runners expected to represent Japan begins with Danon Decile (JPN, C4, by Epiphaneia), winner of the 2024 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1, 2,400m). After his Derby victory, he attempted to step up in distance but was beaten to sixth in the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger, G1, 3,000m) and then to third in the Arima Kinen (G1, 2,500m). However, he returned to his winning ways from the start of his four-year-old season in January, scoring his first win in eight months in the American Jockey Club Cup (G2, 2,200m). In April, he followed up by claiming his second G1 title on the international stage in the Dubai Sheema Classic (G1, 2,410m), where he smartly grabbed the lead from the defending champion inside the furlong pole and held off the chase from behind for a 1-1/4 length victory. The colt’s rating was boosted to 125 with the race, which included holding off the talented runner-up Calandagan, who has subsequently scored three consecutive G1 victories. Danon Decile, despite being well defeated to fifth in the International Stakes (G1, 2,050m) following Dubai, is looking to bounce back to form with his G1 challenge in the Japan Cup.

Two Japan Cup hopefuls coming off the Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1, 2,000m) on November 2 are winner Masquerade Ball (JPN, C3, by Duramente) and third-place finisher Justin Palace (JPN, H6, by Deep Impact). Masquerade Ball was third in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, G1, 2,000m) and then runner-up to Croix du Nord by a mere 0.1 second in the following Tokyo Yushun. Following a five-month break, he headed directly to the Tenno Sho (Autumn) and justified his post-race favorite status by claiming his first G1 title, besting a strong field of seven proven G1 winners with impressive turn of speed from mid-stretch. With the win, he became the first three-year-old since Equinox in 2022 and fifth overall to win the Tenno Sho (Autumn) against older foes. All four of his career wins have been on left-handed tracks and the colt is 3-1-0 out of four starts at Tokyo Racecourse. His connections will carefully assess the three-year-old’s condition before deciding on another start this year, but Masquerade Ball would definitely be among the top of the Japan Cup list.

Justin Palace is not to be underestimated as a threat in major events, but he was overshadowed by the dominant winners of the past two Japan Cup races, Equinox and Do Deuce, who are in his same age group. The son of Deep Impact, whose retirement from racing has already been announced as of the end of this year, will enter the Japan Cup and also the Arima Kinen if fit to run. Justin Palace is winless since claiming the 2023 Tenno Sho (Spring) (G1, 3,200m) and disappointed to fifth in both the Japan Cup and the Arima Kinen last year, followed by two sixth-place finishes in the Osaka Hai (G1, 2,000m) and the Tenno Sho (Spring) early this season. But the six-year-old has not quite slowed down yet, turning in an impressive late charge from behind to finish third in the Takarazuka Kinen (G1, 2,200m) and then returned from his summer break to close from mid-division and finish third in the Tenno Sho (Autumn).

Deep Monster (JPN, H7, by Deep Impact) landed his first graded victory in his 26th career start, the Kyoto Daishoten (G2, 2,400m), one of the prep starts towards the Japan Cup in recent years. In the race, the son of Deep Impact took advantage of an inside draw (gate 3) in an 18-horse field to save ground in mid-pack, then kicked into gear along the rails to grab the lead at the wire, 1/2 length in front of Sunrise Earth. The tough seven-year-old has remained healthy and has started in seven consecutive graded events this year. This past summer he scored back-to-back thirds in the Kokura Kinen (G3, 2,000m) and the Niigata Kinen (G3, 2,000m) before showing off his talent at 2,400 meters in his latest start.

Sunrise Earth (JPN, C4, by Rey de Oro) and Admire Terra (JPN, C4, by Rey de Oro), second and fourth respectively in the Kyoto Daishoten, are also targeting the Japan Cup. Sunrise Earth won the Hanshin Daishoten (G2, 3,000m) in March in dominating fashion, taking an early lead and then pressing the pace after allowing a rival to take over during the long 3,000-meter trip. The colt had plenty of stamina to regain the lead once entering the straight and pulled away to an overwhelming 6-length victory. He was well beaten by more than five lengths to fourth in the following Tenno Sho (Spring), but he was second in the Kyoto Daishoten, where he dictated the pace and held the lead to best all but the winner at the wire.

Admire Terra, third in the 2024 Kikuka Sho just a nose behind runner-up Redentor, who subsequently won the Tenno Sho (Spring), has improved this year to win two in a row, the Osaka-Hamburg Cup (Open Class, 2,600m) in April and the Meguro Kinen (G2, 2,500m) in June. Although fourth in his comeback start following a summer break in the Kyoto Daishoten, the four-year-old is hoped to improve in his second start of his fall campaign. Rey de Oro, the sire of both colts, was the 2017 Tokyo Yushun victor and second in the Japan Cup that year.

Shin Emperor (FR, C4, by Siyouni), who won his first two starts as a two-year-old and tied for second in last year’s Japan Cup, has raced outside Japan in three starts this year. In February he scored his first win in 15 months in the Neom Turf Cup (G2, 2,100m), which he won wire-to-wire. But his success did not last as he finished seventh and sixth respectively in the Dubai Sheema Classic in April and the Irish Champion Stakes (G1, 2,000m) in September. The plan to race him in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe was cancelled due to respiratory issues (bronchiolitis, lower respiratory tract inflammation [LRTI] and a mild case of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage), so he was flown back to Japan in hopes of recovering in time for the Japan Cup.

Durezza (JPN, H5, by Duramente), 2023 Kikuka Sho victor and last year’s other Japan Cup tie-runner-up, kicked off this year with a third in the Dubai Sheema Classic behind Danon Decile and Calandagan. However, in the Takarazuka Kinen, where he was unable to handle rain-sodden ground, the horse was heavily defeated to ninth. Coming off a summer break in the Kyoto Daishoten, the five-year-old encountered another disappointment, despite closing up to second position, when he failed to sustain his bid and dropped back to eighth at the wire.

Tastiera (JPN, H5, by Satono Crown), winner of the 2023 Tokyo Yushun, was the runner-up in the two remaining Triple Crown starts, which earned him Best Three-Year-Old Colt of that season. Winless since his Derby victory through to the end of last season, the son of Satono Crown claimed his second G1 title in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1, 2,000m) in Hong Kong this past April. In the latest Tenno Sho (Autumn), the five-year-old bay led 300 meters out after traveling in around fifth position, but weakened in the last 150 meters to finish eighth.

Croix du Nord (JPN, C3, by Kitasan Black), the Best Two-Year-Old Colt of 2024, commenced the current season with a second in the Satsuki Sho, followed with a win in the Hopeful Stakes (G1, 2,000m) and then grabbed his second G1 title with a convincing victory in the Tokyo Yushun. He later claimed the Prix du Prince d’Orange (G3, 2,000m), his first start abroad, but his Arc challenge resulted in a disappointing 14th. If the Derby winner enters the Japan Cup, he will face Masquerade Ball, whom he has beaten three times in as many starts. However, if he doesn’t return to form in time he will aim for the Arima Kinen instead.

• Brede Weg (JPN, M5, by Lord Kanaloa), victor of the 2023 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1, 2,200m) and fourth in a pair of mile G1 events, is coming off a tenth in the Tenno Sho (Autumn).
• Cosmo Kuranda (JPN, C4, by Al Ain), winner of the 2024 Yayoi Sho Deep Impact Kinen (G2, 2,000m), runner-up in the following Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, G1, 2,000m) and 12th in the Tenno Sho (Autumn).
• Danon Beluga (JPN, H6, by Heart’s Cry), victor of the 2022 Kyodo News Hai (G3, 1,800m) an entrant in the past three Japan Cups—fifth in 2022, sixth in 2023 and ninth in 2024.
• Ho O Biscuits (JPN, H5, by Mind Your Biscuits), victor of the Hakodate Kinen (G3, 2,000m) in 2024, who went on to register a third in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) that year but finished 13th in the same race this year.
• Seiun Hades (JPN, H6, by Silver State), winner of the 2023 Tanabata Sho (G3, 2,000m) and more recently the Epsom Cup (G3, 1,800m) this past May, was seventh in the Tenno Sho (Autumn).
• Struve (JPN, G6, by King Kamehameha), winner of the Nikkei Sho (G2, 2,500m) and the Meguro Kinen (G2, 2,500m) before finishing tenth in the Japan Cup last year, is coming off a fifth in the Copa Republica Argentina (G2, 2,500m) on November 9.
• Yoho Lake (JPN, H7, by Deep Impact), a three-time graded winner, including in the Kyoto Kinen (G2, 2,200m) this February, who was third in the Osaka Hai in April and is coming off a third in the All Comers (G2, 2,200m) in September.
• Substitute: Sun Stockton (JPN, H6, by World Ace), who has four wins between 1,800 and 2,400 meters on turf, is coming off an 11th in the Brazil Cup (Listed, dirt, 2,100m) on October 19.

Four foreign runners initially accepted invitations to the Japan Cup, but three of them—Goliath (GER, G5, by Adlerflug) from France and both Los Angeles (IRE, C 4, by Camelot) and Queenstown (IRE, G5, by Galileo) from Ireland—have since cancelled. French-based Calandagan (IRE, G4, by Gleneagles) registered four consecutive runner-up efforts at G1 level, including this year’s Dubai Sheema Classic. He landed his much-awaited G1 title in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (G1, 2,400m) in June then added two more G1 victories, the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1, 2,390m) in July and the Champion Stakes (G1, 1,990m) in October.