Two-year-old fillies are spotlighted in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, a Grade 1 turf event over about one mile with a top prize of US$433,405.

Despite its name, the race will be held at Kyoto on Sunday at 1:40 a.m. EST, Saturday at 10:40 p.m. PST, due to renovation work at Hanshin.

Though the race, first held in 1949, has shape-shifted over the years, this year’s running is considered its 76th. 14 years from opening to foreign-based horses, the race’s 2024 lineup features a landmark, the first competitor from abroad. She’s May Day Ready from the U.S. and she comes with a resume boasting three wins, as well as a second in international Grade 1 competition, accomplishments none of the Japanese runners can match. And she’s set to have legendary rider Frankie Dettori in the saddle.

Standouts based in Japan include the Grade 3 winner Brown Ratchet and Run for Vow, the latter a Grade 2 champ and the top earner of Japan’s nominees. The remaining 23 nominees comprise something of a punter’s nightmare, a wealth of up-and-coming talent, many unproven at the higher levels, but promising, and not to be dismissed at this early stage in their careers. From them, oft-mentioned names are Vip Daisy, Teleos La La, Dantsu Elan and Caught Alliciant.

Many of the Japan-based hopefuls have only two starts behind them, two have only one, and with only 15 assured a gate, the biggest hurdle for the 10 fillies tied for earnings will be getting past the lottery for the remaining two berths. Since 1991, four fillies that won the race had gotten into the gate by the luck of the draw, including Vodka in 2006, Tall Poppy in 2007, Buena Vista in 2008 and Joie de Vivre in 2011.

Normally, when held at Hanshin, the Juvenile Fillies acts as a perfect stepping stone to the first of the filly classics, the Oka Sho (G1), also held over a mile at Hanshin and scheduled to be held there in April. This Sunday, however, the race will be on the Kyoto outer course: straightforward, unbiased, and challenging. Starting off in the backstretch, there is about 2 1/2 furlongs to the first turn, which significantly lessens any bias of the gate position. The Kyoto outer course is known for the climb at the end of the backstretch for about 150 meters, then the sharp drop around the bend where the tempo picks up.

All fillies will carry 121 pounds. The Hanshin Juvenile Fillies is the 11th race on Kyoto’s Sunday 12-race card. Post time is 1:40 a.m. EST.

Here is a look at some of the likely popular picks.

May Day Ready: In a country dominated by dirt races, May Day Ready’s experience over turf is unusual. Not only have all her four starts been on grass, they’ve all been at different tracks. After debuting with a win at Sarotoga, the daughter of Tapit conquered Kentucky Downs, then continued her streak with a win of the Jessamine Stakes (G2) at Keeneland, before skidding to a not-too-shabby second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar. May Day Ready has proven herself more times than any on the home team over distances of a mile and 1 1/16 miles, on both fast going and slightly heavy. Trainer Joseph Lee, who has lived in Japan and has been traveling to and from the country for years, knows his way around, as does May Day Ready, who has been well acquainted to her new surroundings since arriving in Japan on Nov. 20. Calm, composed, curious, the one big question is whether her talent will translate well in her first performance over a clockwise track.

“Her exercise this morning (Saturday) went well and we’re very happy,” Lee said. “Frankie (Dettori) came and watched the filly work and said that she looks to be in good form too. In tomorrow’s race, we’re going to leave it up to Frankie but anything could happen in a race, so we just hope that she can just give her best and come back safely.”

Brown Ratchet: By Kizuna, out of the mare Forever Darling, Brown Ratchet’s strength is her keen racing sense. The Northern Farm-bred filly is a half sister to the globe-trotting Forever Young, third in this year’s Kentucky Derby and third in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Brown Ratchet easily topped colts in her debut over 1 1/8 miles at Nakayama, then competed in the fillies-only Artemis Stakes (G3) over the Tokyo mile. Racing handily in both, she easily adapted to the varied paces and displayed a strong late drive in both, clocking 11.2 seconds and then 11.0 seconds over the final two furlongs of the Artemis. Proven racing in both directions, she’s a big mover that should take well to the Kyoto outer course. Leading jockey Christophe Lemaire, currently ahead of runner-up Yuga Kawada by 31 wins, is expected up.

Vip Daisy: Also unbeaten in her two career starts, the Satono Diamond-sired Vip Daisy handled the fast pace well in her debut at Chukyo, then displayed versatility next out in the Shigiku Sho at 1 1/8 miles at Kyoto on Oct. 12. Patient amid the early slow pace, she let rip and clocked 33.3 seconds over the final three furlongs to win. Looking good in work, she posted a time of 51.8 seconds up the Ritto hill Nov. 27. “From her two races, I’d say she can do well from any position,” says trainer Takeshi Matsushita. “I’m looking forward to the race.”

Teleos La La: The Miho-based Teleos La La, a striking filly weighing close to 1,100 pounds, has raced exclusively over 1 1/8 miles, her most recent start over the Kyoto outer course. Both her wins were wire-to-wire, both with excellent final 3-furlong times. This will be her first mile and, if she can handle a faster pace, her late speed should serve her well. “With it being the second meet in a row at Kyoto, the times shouldn’t be too fast, which is a plus,” says trainer Toshiaki Tajima.

Run for Vow: A Lord Kanaloa filly, Run for Vow returns from a win over the Kyoto mile in the Nov. 9 Daily Hai Nisai Stakes (G2). She was up against colts, but traveling well midfield amid a relatively slow pace, she neatly pulled away with 200 meters to go and clinched the race. Slow away in her first two starts, she has improved at the break, but a faster pace this time will up the demand on stamina. Yuichi Fukunaga eyes his first top win as trainer. Fukunaga won this race three times as a jockey and, since opening his stable this past March, has already notched 15 wins, among them two graded races.

Dantsu Elan: Debuting with a win over the Niigata mile, Dantsu Elan (also by Lord Kanaloa) next posted 3-1 over two 1,400-meter tests at Kyoto, her most recent a win of the Kyoto Sho Fantasy Stakes (G3). Unlike her two previous races, in the Fantasy Stakes over sloppy going she was able to race from further back and keep something in reserve for the finish, a style that should stand her well over a furlong longer this time. “Her trackwork since the Fantasy Stakes has been good, as it always is. I think she has ample chance,” says Ritto-based trainer Masaru Honda.

Other runners of interest are:

Caught Alliciant, by Saturnalia, is 1-2 from two starts over the mile, her most recent the Niigata Nisai Stakes (G3). If she can nail the break and weather the trip from Miho, this girl likely has latent potential that will stand her well in her first race to the right.

The Ritto-based Arma Veloce aced her debut and leapt to the Grade 3 level, where she competed against colts in the Sapporo Nisai Stakes and missed the win by a nose. Versatile, she should be able to adapt well to her first mile this time out.

Mistress hails from the Yoshito Yahagi stable. She won her debut over the Niigata mile, scored a second at Tokyo in the Artemis Stakes (G3). This will be her first race to the right, but she was on her right lead from the top of the straight home last out. Closer to home and a flat stretch should prove additional pluses.

Pay heed to Shonan Xanadu. She scored a 2-1 in her first two starts, both over the Kyoto mile. She returned on Oct. 26 after a 4-month spell to finish third in the Artemis Stakes over the Tokyo mile. She’s Ritto-based, primed and ready.