Yasuo Tomomichi, trainer

“In his work leading up to the Kyoto Daishoten, I could see that he was doing well and eager to run, as he was in the race as well. But the horses on the inside were gaining ground that day and the margins for those racing close to the front look like it depended on whether they had run on the inside or the out. His prep has gone well and Yuga Kawada rode him on Nov. 19 working together with another horse. It was a good solid workout and the horse was eager to run and he moved well. There’s no problem with the course or the distance and it would be OK if the ground was a bit soft. He’s been able to bring out his best when there’s a good pace in the race. Looking at what the top finishers in the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) have done, I’d say that this one can hold his own and I’m looking forward to the race.”

Keisuke Miyata, trainer

“Even with the slow pace in the Tenno Sho (Autumn), the jockey (Keita Tosaki) remained well in tune with the horse. The front didn’t open up in the straight, but she had kept a lot in reserve and even quickened once past the finish line. She went to the farm for a bit after that, where they took care of her weakpoint, her hooves. And when she returned to the training center, there were no longer any problems with her hooves. Jockey Tom Marquand rode her on Nov. 20 to get a reading on her and there were no complaints about her condition. She was unruly in the gate in her previous race, so with the start being in front of the stands this time, I’m considering putting a hood on her. The competition is strong and the extra distance is a point of concern. It will be a challenge.”

Yoshinori Ito, assistant trainer

“He was in good shape for the Tenno Sho (Autumn) but the competition was stiff. He traveled in second or third position, and I may be asking too much, but I did want him to be amongst those battling for the top position. Still, his lap times in the final 3 furlongs were right up among them so you can’t say his racing was at all bad. He stayed at the training center after that and after a bit of time off, we started his preparation once again. He’s eating heartily and last week on Nov. 20, we had jockey Yuji Tannai ride fast work to get a reading on things. The colt’s at the same level as before his last race. In the Tenno Sho, he broke well and got a nice position. And considering the fast final laps he clocked, physically he’s definitely improving. I think he has improved gradually to be pretty near top condition.”

Takashi Saito, trainer

“He had a tough run in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, with the outside draw and not being able to move inside for cover, he was pulling at the bit. The horse he’d beat in the prep won, so I don’t think the loss was due to a lack of ability, but was due to something else that didn’t go well. After quarantine he returned to Ritto on Nov. 11 and he didn’t move well in places in his first fast work on the flat, but I expected that to improve. It did and on Nov. 19, Croix du Nord was looking much improved, clocking 83.4 seconds over 6 furlongs with strong urging from jockey Yuichi Kitamura. I still wish he would use his hindquarters more, but he’s definitely on the up and up. You don’t have to worry about him traveling well. He always does. We’ll consider his Arc run to have been a good experience and now I want to reset and start anew. I’m hoping he’ll make good use of his racing sense.”

Noriyuki Hori, trainer

“He didn’t take the bit at all in his most recent race, the Grade 3 Niigata Kinen on Aug. 31. And because his training menu hadn’t changed at all, in his work I’ve tried him in blinkers and other tack. Two weeks ago on Nov. 20 jockey Daisuke Sasaki rode him in fast work and he did have some fast lap times. He had shown improvement last week compared to the week before that. He’s back on his feet and mentally in a good place too. But somehow there’s something I can’t put my finger on.2

Daisuke Sasaki, jockey

(after Niigata Kinen, finished 13th of 16)
“His start was very good and he was well in hand the whole way, with no problems. However, heading out of the backstretch things got difficult for him and he put his head up and seemed to be in pain.”

Shogo Yasuda, trainer

“I think if he had led at York he would have been more relaxed but with him in second position chasing the pacmaker he got quite worked up and his breathing wasn’t good, which made for a difficult race. With the intense summer heat here, I decided to let him spend the summer in England, and once back in Japan, we started his preparation. I didn’t see any difficulties that could have arisen from the travelling. His prep has gone smoothly. I rode him for his first workout on Nov. 12 and his movement was good. Keita Tosaki gave him a hard workout over the Ritto flat on Nov. 20 and he got a good time too, clocking 78.2 seconds over 6 furlongs. The woodchips were quite torn up at the time of his workout, so he worked on the outside of the track and we pushed him hard enough that mosd horses would have stopped toward the end, but this one passed the line still looking very good.”

Hiroshi Kanetake, assistant trainer

“From his last start, we had him in a milder bit and I think that was reflected in how balanced he was under way. And, most importantly, the jockey did a real good job guiding him through the race. We sent the horse to the farm after that and he returned on Nov. 11. He was pretty heavy when he came back. On Nov. 13, we intentionally gave him a long workout to get him back in shape, but he still had excess on him so we put the jockey up on Nov. 20 and with an eye to getting a time, we pushed him hard. I do think he will lose the excess with this one strong workout. The lineup is formidable but if he runs nicely balanced, he should be to gain ground in the final stage. Ideally, we’d have a soft surface.”

Tomohito Ozeki, trainer

“He had something of a setback at the farm and he returned to the training center heavy. The results were unfortunate in the Kyoto Daishoten (eighth place) but as a step to this race I don’t think it was so bad. Jockey Alexis Pouchin rode work on Nov. 19 to get a reading on the horse. With improvement from the last race and having returned leaner to the training center this time, I think he’s much more on his game. He worked with an open-class horse, this one starting behind and circling around to his training partner’s outside and they both crossed the line together. I had wanted a good hard workout so things went according to plan. The other horse can move, so he was a good sparring partner. I think this will bump Durezza’s condition up even more. He has competed against Calandagan three times and he has yet to finish ahead of him so I’m hoping he can turn the tables this time on home turf. He’s in the same shape as he was for this race last year.”

Takeshi Okumura, trainer

“I had imagined any number of possible situations in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) and it turned out to be the very worst situation. The frontrunner dropped the pace and this one couldn’t get cover on the inside, so he ran tense the whole way. The race unfolded in a very difficult way. Slow pace, very fast final stage. Because of all this, he was very worked up and tense when he came back to work and he couldn’t concentrate properly. On Nov. 16 he relaxed and on Nov. 19 we were able to give him his usual workouts. It’s his fourth start back since time off, so I don’t know about any improvement but he is in the same condition he was for his most recent race. He performed well in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) and we’re back again at the Tokyo 2,400. If he leads or holds back a bit, he can do well. But it’s his rhythm that will be most important.”

Haruki Sugiyama, trainer

“His breaking well in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) was huge. But, since the race came down to the best turn of foot in the final stage and he hadn’t been able to get a clear run in the straight, it did hurt. If there had been a bit more pace or if he’d drawn a bit wider, it would have helped. And, perhaps, he could have taken a few more risks. He stayed at the training center afterward and mid-month clocked 56-some seconds up the hill course. Cristian Demuro rode on Nov. 19 working with another horse. This one waited patiently behind the other before moving out and crossed the line together. I’ve had him in blinkers for his last two starts and they seem to be effective. With 3 full training weeks in between races, things are going smoothly. From the Tenno Sho to the Japan Cup, the additional ground this time will be a plus. I’m hoping he’ll be able break nicely like last time, travel in a good position, and preferably have a fast track.”

Takahisa Tezuka, trainer

“The Tenno Sho (Autumn) was our target for the fall season and I think the conditions suited him. The pace was slow but he didn’t lose his balance and pull. He traveled very nicely and Christophe Lemaire did a great job. The colt carried less than the older horses and a lot of things came together for him. He got into position nicely and gradually increased speed and ran well to the end. After going to the farm, he returned to Miho on Nov. 13. And on Nov. 19 and Nov. 26, I Junji Shimada rode him in work. Last week, his training partner was running out in front at a good clip and this one clocked well. The sheen on his coat is better than it was for his previous race. He has never needed hard workouts to get in shape, so I’m happy having him maintain his condition. I don’t see any particular problems caused by the race conditions, but the start in front of the stand and the extra distance aren’t exactly pluses. There is little time between races, so his mental state does concern me somewhat. Key will be whether he can keep a lid on his emotions.”

Shinsuke Hashiguchi, trainer

“The Tenno Sho (Autumn) was his first race since the Epsom Cup in May, so I gave him lots of work and he went to the gate in good shape. But, the slow pace and the resulting fast final stage did not favor this horse. Still, he was able to get to within a respectful spot, so I don’t think it was that bad of a race. Looking at his last two starts, I’d have to say he is without a doubt suited to Tokyo and I have prepared him all along with the Japan Cup in mind. Hideaki Miyuki rode him up the hill course on Nov. 19 (Akihide Tsumura has the ride on Sunday) and the horse was nicely balanced and moved very well. There was no damage from his last race and I think he’ll be in the same condition on Sunday. It looks like he’ll be able to handle 2,400 meters and I think he can still do well in a race decided by the fastest late time.”

Yukihiko Araki, assistant trainer

“After he returned to Japan and went through quarantine he stayed at the farm and returned to the training center on Nov. 8. He had a respiratory illness so we’ve been careful to keep the dust down in his stall, but there is absolutely no problem and he is full of energy. The jockey rode work on Nov. 12 and though the horse did get a good time, he wasn’t fully on his game so we had him work together with two other horses on Nov. 19 and that did the trick. He’s showing improvement. The most important thing is that he is coming along well. And since his owner is Susumu Fujita, the same as for (this year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic winner) Forever Young, I want this horse to do well for his owner too.”

Noriyuki Hori, trainer

“He has recovered from his last outing, the Copa Republica Argentina, and he is showing improvement. There were only 2 full training weeks between that race and this one, but he’s suited to the Tokyo course, and I have decided to race him here after closely observing if he was fit enough for it.

Koichi Ishizaka, trainer

“He doesn’t do well in the hot summer months so I felt we just barely made it in time for the Oct. 5 Kyoto Daishoten. But, he did a good job. Some immaturity showed itself when he straightened for the finish, but he ran on, and really showed how much he has matured. I think he has greatly improved. The Japan Cup was my main target and I had the jockey Kenichi Ikezoe ride to give us a reading. He said the horse’s movement was completely different. If his prep continues to go well, I think he’ll head into the race in good condition. We can see the improvement from the previous race. The sheen on his coat and his muscle tone are visibly improved. The competition will be stiff and he’s going to need even better acceleration, but I’m looking forward to seeing how he’ll do.”

Noriyuki Hori, trainer

“The pace was slow in the Tenno Sho (Autumn), but the main reason for his result (8th out of 14) was because the jockey urged him on over the fastest lap over a course with a hill when he was already running well. So he had nothing left later on. No horse would have. I’m afraid it was an outright riding mistake and very unfortunate. Damian Lane apologized to me after returning from the track. After that, the horse has been eating well, his health is good, his hooves are good, the sheen on his coat and his muscling are good and he recovered immediately. I was getting good times from him just 11 days after the race and he’s actually ahead of schedule. After his workout last week, he started showing improvement. His lap times have been fast and he’s moving on his own initiative. I see no sign of the soft palate problems that had affected his breathing earlier, and all has been going smoothly.”

Yasuo Tomomichi, trainer

“The heat had affected him in the Takarazuka Kinen but he’d gotten back to a good place for the Sankei Sho All Comers and went to the gate in good shape. His performance wasn’t bad (finished in third) and the winner Regaleira went on to win the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup as well. Mirai Iwata rode work on Nov 20 in a group of three horses over the woodchip course. This horse raced outside and behind the other two and he was able to get ahead of them a bit in the end. He’s never one to get flashy times but I think he moved well enough. I don’t think he’s changed much with age and I would say that his condition has stabilized. He’s become a bit slow at the break recently so I think the spaciousness of Tokyo and its long straight will be good for him. He has power, so a somewhat soft track would be OK. A strong pace would be better than a slow one that comes down to a test of who has the fastest turn of foot.”