Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) (G1) - Preview

Lovcen

Congestus

Realize Sirius

Going to Sky

Reichsadler

Audacia

Green Energy

Japan Racing Association top-level action remains at Tokyo Racecourse for the fourth week in a row and what race could better follow last Sunday’s history-making Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) than the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby). It is a tradition, an icon, a beloved event.

On Sunday, May 31, the host venue will mark the 93rd running of the Japanese Derby, which is the second leg of the Triple Crown of racing organized by the Japan Racing Association. The JRA Triple Crown consists of the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) run over 2,000 meters at Nakayama in April, the Japanese Derby run over 2,400 meters at Tokyo and the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) over 3,000 meters at Hanshin in October.

Of the near 8,000 Thoroughbred foals born in 2023, only 20 colts, 11 of them graded stakes winners, have been nominated for the turf event. That is a less-than 2.3 percent chance of participating.

Only 18 of those 20 will have a chance of landing a spot in the lineup, and the opportunity to vie for a first-place prize of JPY300 million, or a share of a purse boasting JPY651 million.

Tokyo Racecourse is known for its spaciousness, sweeping turns, long homestretch, and the long upward slope beginning soon after the final bend. It is also known for its unforgiving demands on strength, stamina and talent. At the young age of 3, it’s quite a test.

The race starts in front of the grandstand and completes just over one lap around. The inside gates are considered somewhat advantageous in the Derby and the pace tends to be slow. The last 10 runnings have seen the race favorite has won three times, finished second three times, and finished third twice. Over the past decade, a double-digit longshot did win once (Roger Barows in 2019), and finished third twice.

All runners will carry 57kg.

Post time for the Japanese Derby (the No. 11 race) is 15:40 on the Sunday card of 12 at Tokyo. The Grade 2 Meguro Kinen follows as the last race of the day.

Here’s a look at some of the standouts.         

Lovcen: After acing his debut in November, Lovcen leaped to the heights and scored an astounding victory in the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes. Two months later, he scored a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Kyodo News Hai Kinen, then went on to capture his second G1, the Satsuki Sho, 3/4 length ahead of runner-up Realize Sirius, with a record time of 1 minute, 56.5 seconds. The Derby distance will be 400 meters longer than anything Lovcen has experienced, but with his solid record and three wins over 2,000 meters, coupled with his ability to race well from any position, he is likely to be a favorite in this race. His third in the Kyodo News Hai Kinen also gave him experience at Tokyo. Trainer Haruki Sugiyama commented: “He’s quite muscular, but from his bloodline, I don’t think he’ll have a problem (with the distance). Racing at his own rhythm will be key.” Lovcen’s sire is the new Deep Impact stallion World Premiere, whose top wins were the 2019 Kikuka Sho and the 2021 Tenno Sho (Spring). If Lovcen can win the first two Triple Crown events, it’ll be the first time since Contrail notched both six years ago.

Congestus: Congestus debuted late last year, on Dec. 28, the day of the Arima Kinen, which means his racing career will be only three months old on Derby Day. A son of Triple Crown winner Contrail, Congestus has swept all three starts thus far, most recently his first graded event, the Grade 2 Kyoto Shimbun Hai. “I think his most recent race was a difficult race, but he won, which was big,” trainer Tomokazu Takano said. “I feel he’s maturing with each race and his performance reflects that.” The dark bay colt’s time in that race was only 0.2 seconds shy of the course record. Congestus has raced in the 2,000-2,200 meter range, but has yet to race to the left, which is the direction of the Tokyo course. Based at Ritto, he has already made the trip east successfully for his debut run at Nakayama.

Realize Sirius: Winning his debut by a margin of seven lengths, Realize Sirius went on to win by four lengths in the Grade 3 Niigata Nisai Stakes over 1,600 meters. Returning after four months, he finished in fifth place in the 1,600-meter Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes. Two months later, he won the Kyodo News Hai, then, in the Satsuki Sho, was runnerup only 0.2 seconds behind the winner. He is sired by new stallion Poetic Flare, who raced predominately over middle distances in England and Ireland, and scored in the Top 3 of six G1 competitions (including two wins). Based at Miho, Realize Sirius has two wins at Tokyo, one over a mile and one over 1,800 meters. Three for three racing to the left, this will be his first test at a distance further than 2,000 meters. An assistant to trainer Takahisa Tezuka says, “His more recent race was over the tighter Nakayama track and he did feel the pinch in places, so I think he’ll give a much better performance over the more spacious Tokyo course. He settles well and up against his peers, I don’t think he’ll have any problems with the extra distance of 2,400 meters.” Tezuka is also fielding Audacia here and hopes, with a Derby win, to become the fifth trainer in Japanese racing history to bag all five of what are known as the “Classics” - the Oka Sho, Satsuki Sho, Japanese Oaks, Japanese Derby, and the Kikuka Sho.

Going to Sky: After a winning debut in early October last year, the Contrail-sired Going to Sky finished third the following month in the Grade 3 Kyoto Nisai Stakes. Entrusted to the Miho-based trainer Yuki Uehara, Going to Sky trained at Ritto in preparation for his first start of the year, the Grade 3 Kisaragi Sho in mid-February. A late break and a 16-kg weight gain from the previous start were likely factors in his sixth-place finish, his only finish off the board (yet only 0.3. seconds behind the winner). Last out, however, he took on the Grade 2 Aoba Sho over the Tokyo 2,400 meters. Despite a wide draw, he aced the race to win by 3/4 length and tied the race record of 2 minutes, 23 seconds. Going to Sky is two for two at Tokyo and three may be the charm. That said, no winner of the Aoba Sho has gone on to win the Japasnese Derby. Expected to take the reins on Sunday is Yutaka Take, who has six wins of the Derby. He eyes a lucky seventh win of the Derby, his first in four years since he won aboard Do Deuce in 2022.

Reichsadler: A highly consistent runner, the bay Siskin colt Reichsadler has posted a win, a second and two thirds from his four career starts thus far. Though he has failed to reach the winner’s circle in his last three races, the level of those races took a big leap. From his debut, he jumped to the Grade 2 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes over 1,800 meters at Tokyo (where he suffered interference), then to the Grade 2 Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho Deep Impact Kinen over 2,000 meters at Nakayama, and most recently, to the top-level Satsuki Sho. In that race, he was keen through the first turn, then settled at a formidable speed and advanced powerfully in the final stage to make third only 0.3 seconds behind the winner. Miho-based and proven at Tokyo, the extra distance this time may work to his advantage. He is one of four colts being fielded by trainer Yuki Uehara. The 36-year-old Uehara opened his barn in 2023 and is keen to land his first big race. He commented of Reichsadler: “This time he has had more time between races than he had going into the Aoba Sho, so it has made his preparation easier. Everything has gone smoothly since and I do believe he has improved.”

Others to watch are:

Audacia has posted a two wins and two seconds over a range of 1,600-1,800 meters. After wearing a shadow roll helped him concentrate and land his first win on his third start (all at Tokyo), then he went on to win the Grade 2 Spring Stakes at Nakayama while topping Satsuki Sho fourth-place finisher Ask Edinburgh. His dam, Lily Noble, was second to superstar Almond Eye in the 2,400-meter Japanese Oaks, indicating he is likely to handle the distance this time out.

Not to be overlooked is Green Energy. After time off due to bleeding, he returned in the Satsuki Sho, but the trip didn’t suit. Prior to that, he had advanced from far off the back to land the Grade 2 Keisei Hai at Nakayama and in the start previous, he had broken his maiden with a blistering 32.9 seconds over the final three furlongs at Tokyo. Expected up is Keita Tosaki, hungry for a Derby victory after posting a frustrating three seconds from 11 Derby rides.

Comments: Keiba Book, Nikkan Sports