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

Lovcen

Cavallerizzo

Basse Terre

Admire Quads

Green Energy

Realize Sirius

Matenro Gale

Reichsadler

Zoroastro

Following on from the fillies last week, it’s the turn of the colts this coming Sunday (April 12), when the Grade 1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) will be run at Nakayama Racecourse, and it’s the first leg of the Triple Crown for colts, ahead of the Grade 1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) and the Grade 1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger), which are the other two races later in the year.

The race’s history goes back to 1939, when it was first run at the former Yokohama Racecourse. It was transferred to Tokyo four years later, when it also got its current name. It moved again to Nakayama in 1949, and just a year later the distance was set at what it is now, 2,000 meters, having previously been run over 1,850 meters.

The Grade 1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) is run over the inner turf course, and takes in just over a circuit of the inner oval. It’s the same course and distance of the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes, a race run in December for promising 2-year-olds, whose connections have an eye on the first colts’ Classic, if they think their horses are good enough. The Grade 1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes is another race for top 2-year-olds, although run over the shorter distance of a mile at Hanshin, but also towards the end of the year.

Winners of those races, Lovcen and Cavallerizzo – the latter being voted Best Two-Year-Old Colt of 2025 – head the 21 nominations for this year’s Grade 1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas). No geldings are allowed to run, and all the runners carry a set weight of 57kg. Big-name winners over the years that jump off the page include Deep Impact (2005), Victoire Pisa (2010), Duramente (2015) and Contrail (2020). Contrail was the last Japanese Triple Crown winner, and the last first favorite to win the Grade 1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas). There have been 24 Satsuki Sho winners go on and win the Derby, and just 8 Triple Crown winners in Japanese horseracing history.

Qualifying races have included the Grade 2 Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho Deep Impact Kinen, run over 2,000 meters at Nakayama in March, from which the first three place-getters qualify, and the Listed Wakaba Stakes, also run in March, but at Hanshin, where the first two home receive an automatic entry. All five of these runners are among the nominations for Sunday’s big race.
The last ten years have seen just two first favorites win the race, and last year’s winner, Museum Mile, set a new race record, when winning in a time of 1 minute, 57.0 seconds. This year’s winner’s check is JPY 200 million (in the region of USD 1.3 million).

The 86th 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 be available later in the week.

Here’s a look at some of the runners expected to play a part in the race:

Cavallerizzo: The colt by Saturnalia will be having his first run of 2026 this Sunday, having most recently been seen winning last year’s Grade 1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes over a mile at Hanshin at the end of 2025. Comments from assistant trainer Sho Tajima were: “Two starts ago, he pulled quite a bit in the race, and ended up running on the outside of the eventual winner. In the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes, his last race, he ran smoothly and showed what a good turn of foot he has. It was a strong win.” Visiting Australian jockey, Damian Lane, gets the ride on Cavallerizzo.

Lovcen: Winner of last year’s Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes, the colt by World Premiere has had one run as a 3-year-old, and finished third in the Grade 3 Kyodo News Hai (Tokinominoru Kinen) over 1,800 meters at Tokyo in February. Trainer Haruki Sugiyama said: “In the Kyodo News Hai, he got off to a good start, but he was too lively and it was a struggle to keep him settled. It wasn’t a smooth race for him. However, his final three-furlong time was 33.4 seconds, so despite the way he ran, it was a pretty good race for him.” Jockey Kohei Matsuyama continues his association with Lovcen.

Basse Terre: The son of Kitasan Black is looking for a hat-trick of wins here, after winning his last race, the Grade 2 Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho Deep Impact Kinen over the course and distance of the Satsuki Sho. Trainer Takashi Saito said: “His hindquarters are still weak, and he doesn’t run so straight. There are also a lot of traits that he shows as a young horse. Despite all of this, I was pleased with his win in the Yayoi Sho, and I think he has a future. Since returning from the farm, he’s been running smoothly, and we’re making sure he’s not too switched on.”

Admire Quads: From the stable of Yasuo Tomomichi, Admire Quads has done little wrong in his career so far, and he was third last time to Basse Terre in the Grade 2 Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho Deep Impact Kinen, not beaten by much. Trainer Tomomichi said: “It was his first time at Nakayama last time, and over a distance of 2,000 meters, but there wasn’t much in it at the finish, and I was pleased with his performance. It was a good enough prep race, and he’s been at the stable since that run.”

Green Energy: Trainer Yuki Uehara could well have three runners in the race, and this colt by Suave Richard has won his last two races, the latest of which was the Grade 3 Keisei Hai run over 2,000 meters at Nakayama in January. “He got a bit further back than I thought last time in the Keisei Hai,” the trainer said. “Fortunately, the jockey (Keita Tosaki) did a good job to change things around, keeping the horse patient in a group of horses, before finishing well on the inside. The horse returned to the stable at Miho from a break at Champion Hills Farm on March 18.”

Realize Sirius: The colt is three wins from four starts, and his latest win came in the Grade 3 Kyodo News Hai (Tokinominoru Kinen) at Tokyo in February. Trainer Takahisa Tezuka said: “His first piece of work since returning from the farm was on April 1 and he moved well. His time was a bit quicker than I expected. His weight hasn’t changed since he was a 2-year-old, and even though he looks slim, he weighs about what he did for his last race.”

Matenro Gale: The colt by Epiphaneia has always been in the first three from five starts, which have included a second-place finish over 2,000 meters at Nakayama. He won well last time in a Listed Race at Hanshin in March. Trainer Kenji Nonaka commented on the colt: “He didn’t always start so well in his maiden races, but when winning on ground which was loose and not to his liking, I considered him to be a horse with a lot of potential. Even though he finished second in the Keisei Hai, he still ran a good race.”

Reichsadler: Another runner for trainer Yuki Uehara, the colt by Siskin has only had one run as a 3-year-old, but he was only just beaten in the Grade 2 Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho Deep Impact Kinen at Nakayama in March, and he already has a strong course win at Nakayama to his name. Recent comments from the trainer were: “He wasn’t ready for the Kyodo News Hai, so we passed on that, but he ran a good second last time. He was a bit slow away, so that’s something we need to think about from now.”

Zoroastro: It will be the colt’s first run at Nakayama, but he’s had success at different tracks, and his latest win came in the Grade 3 Kisaragi Sho, run over 1,800 meters at Kyoto in February. Trainer Keisuke Miyata said: “The Kisaragi Sho was postponed due to the snow at Kyoto, which made things a little difficult, but he overcame this and ran a good race. Things have been good with him since then, and he returned to the stable at the end of March after a stint at the farm.” Jockey Mirai Iwata takes the ride on Zoroastro for the first time.

Forte Angelo: Making his first appearance since last year’s Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes, when he finished second to Lovcen, the colt by Fierement looks to be another with a chance this Sunday. Trainer Yuki Uehara commented on the horse: “He has good racing sense and is flexible. He hasn’t run since the Hopeful Stakes, but the 2,000 meters at Nakayama would look to suit him well. He returned to the stable from Northern Farm Tenei on March 17, and mentally he seems to be in the right place.”

Sources: Keiba Book