Many of Japan’s top 3-year-olds get a stiff stamina test in the third leg of the nation’s Triple Crown, the Kikuka Sho (G1) Oct. 20 at Kyoto Racecourse.
The Kikuka Sho, or Japanese St. Leger, is contested at 3,000 meters (about 1 7/8 miles) around three sweeping turns on the Kyoto outer turf loop. Onward from 2,400 meters (about 1 1/2 miles), that journey will be a novel one for the entire field.
The Triple Crown is not available as Justin Milano, winner of the Satsuki Sho (Japanese Two Thousand Guineas, G1) is passing on the race in favor of the 2,000-meter (about 1 1/4 miles) Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1). Trainer Yasuo Tomomichi cited Justin Milano’s “distance suitability” as a factor in that decision.
The distance didn’t deter the upset winner of the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1), Danon Decile. The Epiphaneia colt won the middle leg of the series at odds of 46-1 and won’t be available at anything like that price for the Kikuka Sho even though the 2,400 meters of the Derby is his longest trip to date.
He also has been idle since that performance May 26—his second straight long layoff between races.
“He showed how well he could run in the Derby, despite not having a run since the Keisei Hai (Jan. 14),” said trainer Shogo Yasuda.
Jockey Norihiro Yokoyama saw both pluses and minuses in Danon Decile’s status.
“He’s developed well and looks to have become a better horse over the time this summer,” Yokoyama said. “I’m a little anxious as it’s his first run of the autumn and over 3,000 meters. But he has a lot of ability so I want to get the best out of him. Finding a good rhythm will be important.”
If Danon Decile’s credentials are a little shaky, the remainder of the field could be even more questionable based on the distance challenge and some subpar form.
Meisho Tabaru came into the Satsuki Sho as winner of three of his four previous starts but reported 17th. He then was scratched from the Derby field. After a five-month break, he returned to win the Kobe Shimbun Hai (G1) Sept. 22.
Trainer Mamoru Ishibashi said the prep race will benefit Meisho Tabaru but, like most other trainers and jockeys, said the 3,000 meters is unknown territory.
“Jockey Suguru Hamanaka has been riding him in training and feels the horse is more relaxed now than he was for the Kobe Shimbun Hai … We won’t know about the 3,000 meters distance of the race this time until we try. But with the way he ran in the Kobe Shimbun Hai, if he can find a good rhythm again, we’ll get to see what he’s capable of. He does have plenty of stamina,” Ishibashi said.
Cosmo Kuranda finished second in the Satsuki Sho but sixth in the Derby. He returned to finish second in the Asahi Hai St. Lite Kinen (G2) Sept. 16. Urban Chic is back after winning that 2,200-meter heat but that was after finishing fourth in the Satsuki Sho and 11th in the Derby.
Peace One Duc has won three straight races but takes a huge jump in class in just his fifth career start.
Redentor boasts four wins, all below graded stake level and all with Christophe Lemaire aboard, but has not shown an affinity for anything longer than 2,200 meters. Also, Lemaire bails to ride Urban Chic.
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