Sho Tajima, assistant trainer

“Normally, he’s a horse that you have to be concerned about keeping him settled, but from the start of the Kyoto Daishoten he just wasn’t making headway. We couldn’t find a specific cause for it, he just wasn’t feeling it. Last year, he suffered atrial fibrillation (an irregular heart rhythm) and couldn’t finish the race. So, this time, the jockey (Akira Sugawara) most likely was remembering that and wasn’t able to push him too hard. After that race we kept the horse at the training center instead of sending him to the farm. And, we’ve gone back to zero again and have been preparing him for the race from the ground up. He’s been working hard in morning trackwork. Last week on Wednesday (Nov. 13) he trained up the hill course and clocked 55.1 seconds, which was in line with what was planned. With each bit of work, he has improved. We also worked him up the hill over last weekend. And I think with that, he should switch on mentally. It’s the Tokyo 2,400 this time and that’s a stage he has performed well on. I’m looking forward to him making a comeback.”

Yu Ota, assistant trainer

“In the Shuka Sho, except for when she turned for home and had to search for a clear path, I was pretty much able to watch the race calmly. She started as she usually does and, overall, I think the race went smoothly and she ran as she usually does. She went to the farm for some time off after that and returned to the training center in good shape on Nov. 7. We gave her a good long run on Nov. 10 to build her base by last week. And last week on Nov. 13, we upped the difficulty of her workout a step and had her work ahead of another horse and pace herself. Her overall time was good and this workout demanded her to work proactively the whole way. Overall, as of last week her condition is not up to where it was last race, but physically she’s on the up and up and I get the impression she’s much stronger. There’s been no major change in her footwork, and I don’t think the 2,400 meters will pose any problems. The level of the competition takes a leap up, but I’m very interested to see just how much she can improve.”

Noriyuki Hori, trainer

“I gave him complete rest over the summer in anticipation of the fall season. He seemed to be fresh, but even with all his work, he was still rather sluggish. His responses were dull. He did have to deal with some interference in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) but he simply wasn’t on the bridle well in the early and final stages. He didn’t take the bit and the blinkers he wore didn’t seem to have any effect. I’d have to say he was still not quite ready. He has stayed at the training center to prepare for the race. He didn’t have great fatigue from his last start, his eating is good and he seems to be in good health. On Nov. 14 after work, he weighed 504 kg. In his work last week on Nov. 14, I didn’t put the blinkers on and because he had just raced, he was well forward and his responses had improved a bit. He ran solidly the whole way but his breathing was still a bit labored. But he has shown some progress in that his mood has gotten better since his last race.”

Yutaka Take, jockey

(regarding the Tenno Sho (autumn))
“I could feel that he was in good condition. I was a bit worried because the pace was slow, but he made a fantastic effort in the final stage and, with 200 meters to go, I thought he would win. I once again confirmed his excellent late speed, and am very aware that giving him that kind of trip is important.
(last week’s fast work) There isn’t much time between races, but everything has gone smoothly. He’s on his toes and I was again asked to give him a solid workout. There was no damage from the last race and his footwork is very good.
(regarding the horses from overseas) I heard about Auguste Rodin's participation early on. He’s the last generation sired by Deep Impact and he’s an Epsom Derby winner. For a horse you can call Europe’s best to make the Japan Cup his last run is a very big thing. And for me to be riding a Heart’s Cry-sired horse (who died last year) is another one of those things that makes racing so interesting.
(Take’s fifth JC win on the line) I have ridden many excellent horses, and have had joyous moments and frustrating moments. Last year, due to injury, I couldn’t ride Do Deuce in the Japan Cup, but this year I’m in all the way. This horse has at most two more starts and I want to ride in such a way that leaves no room for regrets.”

Tomohito Ozeki, trainer

“His trip to the Juddmonte International Stakes at York went well and he went to the gate in good condition. The lineup was a formidable one and this guy couldn’t race to his fullest ability. Still, I think he made a very good effort. When he arrived back in Japan, he had lost weight, but he wasn’t terribly fatigued, so I started slowly getting him ready for here. We gradually upped his workload and we were soon seeing his usual supple footwork. Last week, he worked over the woodchip course with a partner. He was a little bit too excited in places but we had him wait patiently behind the other horse. It was tough for the rider but the horse remained patient and I think he’ll go to the race on the up and up. It’ll be his first time over 2,400 meters, but looking at his past performances, I think that will suit him. He’ll be able to settle well in the race.”

Haruki Sugiyama, trainer

“As he needed just a little bit more in the Takarazuka Kinen, there were some worries about the Tenno Sho (autumn), but overall he turned in a solid performance and I think it was a really good comeback. I’m quite relieved. This time, there isn’t much time between races. After the Tenno Sho we took great care to determine that there wasn’t any damage and though our focus was on tending to him, I didn’t really feel there was any damage. I had the jockey ride fast work last week just to get a reading on the horse. He easily clocked a nice time and though he was a bit slower than I’d like in the final stage, I had given orders to not push him, so the horse was still waiting for a signal. All has gone smoothly. He’s good over long distances, but at times he’ll lose the race at the break. The more distance we have, the more chance there is to make up for a poor start. I think 2,400 meters will be good for him and I’ll have him in top shape for the race.”

Masanari Tanaka, assistant trainer

“After the Takarazuka Kinen, he had time off so he came back fresh for the Mainichi Okan. We had hoped to at least have a race where he would be able to extend in the final stage. So, despite his finishing order (11th of 14), he did keep running until the end and gained ground. I don’t think it was a poor performance. He had some more time off after that and we brought him back with this race as our target. On Nov. 9 he worked up the hill course for a time of 52-some seconds. We pushed him hard last week on Nov. 14 working with another horse. That horse could move so this one never pulled away from him but it was a very good workout. He’s been seeking the bit and we’re seeing some good forward momentum. He is definitely in better shape. The competition is a step up here but I don’t think the longer distance will present a problem, so we’ll just have to see how far he can get.”

Yukihiko Araki, assistant trainer

“His Arc bid ended in disappointment, but after returning to Japan, everything has gone smoothly. He came back to the training center on Nov. 6. Before we’d gone to France, it had been hot, and he hadn’t improved much. Compared to then, his condition now is much, much better. On Nov. 13, he worked together with two other horses and his footwork was good. The jockey also commented that the horse was back to his usual self. I’m hoping he’ll continue to improve up to the race. Looking at his Japanese Derby result (third place) and how he performed in the Irish Champion Stakes, I think that his better direction may be racing to the left. The 2,400 meters suit him and he looks like he’ll go to the gate in the kind of shape that’ll allow him to bring out his best, so I’m looking forward to the race.”

Takahisa Tezuka, trainer

“In the Tenno Sho (Autumn) he was returning from time off and he was in good condition. The race itself wasn’t bad but in the straight when the rider moved him in between horses it did seem to bother him. And it was around there he just didn’t seem to have enough. I didn’t send him to the farm but kept him at the training center to prepare for here. This will be his first time to take on a race with only a full 3 weeks in between, but he doesn’t look to have lost any weight and I think he’ll continue to be in good shape. And on Nov. 13, he got a better time than I thought he would and his running was nice and solid. I’d say he’s stronger overall and I expect him to show improvement from last race. The Tokyo course itself suits him. He’s had good results in G1s before. In the Satsuki Sho and the Takarazuka Kinen, races in which he both got good results, he moved up on the outside in the final stage. I’ll be discussing things with the jockey but I think a similar tactic would work well for him amid this lineup.”

Mizuki Takayanagi, trainer

“The trip to Meydan was her first overseas outing but her preparation went well and she was in good shape. She has always had a tendency to lean to the right, so in the Sheema Classic she lugged out around the bend, which I think made the final stage just way too difficult for her. Even comparing her to other Japanese horses, I don’t think she gave us her usual performance. She went to the farm after that for a nice long rest, then returned to Miho at the end of October. Yuga Kawada rode her fast work on Nov. 14 and we had him check how she was doing on the turns. When we clock her, her times are good and her footwork was as expected. It’s not bad compared to her work the week prior to this race last year. She’s improving with each bit of work she gets. She won the Oaks and she gave a good performance (third place) in this race last year. So, the conditions suit her. If she can draw on all she has, I think we won’t see anything like her last race in Dubai (finished 8th out of 12).”

Noriyuki Hori, trainer

“It would seem the ground didn’t suit him in the Takarazuka Kinen. The jockey pushed him forward early and he had nothing left. He came back to the training center on Oct. 3, and on Oct. 14 after work he weighed in at 484 kg. With this race as our target, I allowed myself lots of time to get him up to peak and everything has gone smoothly. He’s come along well with all the work he’s gotten and in fast work last week he was able to pick up smoothly and on his own. His wind is good too and I think he’s in good shape. I think he’ll be able to give it what he has.”