1 of 2 | Auguste Rodin, shown winning the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Turf, invades from Ireland for Sunday’s Grade 1 Japan Cup. Photo by Benoit Photography
Nov. 22 (UPI) — The Japan Cup takes center stage on the weekend horse racing schedule, with Hong Kong’s big international day right behind it on the calendar.
While there’s only limited action in North America, there’s still plenty of interest as the first leg of the “Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby” is the Saturday feature at Tokyo Racecourse.
Meanwhile, the fields for the Dec. 8 Hong Kong International Races, as announced this week, will feature an American horse for the first time since 2017.
Other than four graded stakes, two and Del Mar and Two at Churchill Downs, the North American action is largely about state-breds at Penn National, Fair Grounds, Charles Town, Gulfstream Park and, for province-breds, Woodbine.
Let’s have a look, shall we?
Around the world, around the clock
Japan
Last year’s Grade 1 Japan Cup always seemed to be about Equinox, who won every bit as impressively as expected en route to being acclaimed global Horse of the Year.
This year is a different story with a nicely competitive local group taking on the most ambitious foreign challenge in a long time.
Do Deuce, winner of the 2022 Yushun Himba or Japanese Derby and fourth in the 2023 Japan Cup, is back and fresh off a late-running win in the Grade 1 Tenno Sho (Autumn).
Cervinia, last-out winner in the Grade 1 Shuka Sho, looks to join Almond Eye and Gentildonna as the only 3-year-old filly winners of the Japan Cup.
Stars on Earth, a 5-year-old mare, has finished in the top three in seven of her eight Grade 1 starts, winning twice. And Justin Palace similarly has been “thereabout” in most of his top-level starts, most recently fourth in the Tenno Sho (Autumn).
The raiders are Goliath, romping winner of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in July (over Bluestocking, Rebel’s Romance, Auguste Rodin and Luxembourg among others); that same Auguste Rodin, a six-time Group 1 winner; and Fantastic Moon, winner of this year’s Group 1 Grosser Preis von Baden.
Auguste Rodin is the first foreign-trained offspring of the late Japanese champion sire Deep Impact to face the starter in Japan.
In another bit of an oddity, the Japan Cup lost last year’s runner-up, Liberty Island, to the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup but Goliath and Fantastic Moon hold entries for the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase on that same Dec. 8 program at Sha Tin Racecourse.
Their participation depends, of course, on their performance Sunday and recovery afterward.
Hong Kong
We’ll have more next week and beyond. For now, the list of selected runners released Wednesday by the Hong Kong Jockey Club for the four Group I internationals on Dec. 8 is enough to get the pulse pumping. Skimming the top:
Hong Kong superstar Romantic Warrior looks for his third win in the Longines Hong Kong Cup at 2,000 meters, but faces some talented rivals from Japan, Ireland, England and France.
Another Hong Kong superstar, Ka Ying Rising, likely will be the day’s “banker” when he lines up for the Longines Hong Kong Sprint at 1,200 meters.
His opposition includes the winners of the last two editions of the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint — 2023 victor Nobals, representing the United States after a six-year absence, and Starlust, the British-trained winner of this year’s running.
The Longines Hong Kong Mile looks strange without the retired Golden Sixty, who won three of the last four Miles and finished second in another. Voyage Bubble and Galaxy Patch look capable of picking up the baton, and Japan’s Soul Rush may be the best of the invaders.
The Longines Hong Kong Vase at 2,400 miles is usually the sweet spot for foreign-trained horses and this year looks like no exception, especially if Goliath, Fantastic Moon or both shuttle down from Japan.
The Road to the Roses
This week it’s the “Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby,” which kicks off Saturday in the Cattleya Sho at Tokyo Racecourse. It’s a four-race series and well worth noting, as last year’s winners included Forever Young and T O Password, who went on to finish third and fifth in the Run for the Roses.
When in doubt, bet the jockeys. Christophe Lemaire is aboard Clay King, a Nadal colt who’s been first and third in two starts. Ryan Moore rides Dragon Welds, a Kentucky-bred colt by Frosted. He won his only previous start.
Holly Doyle gets a leg up on Bolt Tesoro, a Thunder Snow colt, and Tom Marquand takes the call on Takano Babylon, by Henny Hughes. Both also are 1-for-1.
Nadal has three runners in the field including one of three fillies, retired undefeated in 2020 after winning the Grade II San Vicente, the Grade II Rebel and the Grade I Arkansas Derby for trainer Bob Baffert. He was the leading Kentucky Derby candidate when he suffered a leg injury that required surgery.
In other action:
Churchill Downs
Saturday’s $300,000 Grade III Commonwealth Turf for 3-year-olds has nine set to go 1 1/16 miles, and a case can be made for at least half of them. There should be worthwhile pari-mutuel returns.
By contrast, Too Sharp is a sharp 2-1 morning-line favorite in Saturday’s $300,000 Grade III Chilukki Stakes for fillies and mares. The Twirling Candy 3-year-old comes off a victory at Keeneland on Oct. 12.
Del Mar
Saturday’s $100,000 Grade III Native Diver Stakes has a contentious field of six going 1 1/8 miles on the dirt. Mixto, Ultra Power and Tarentino all find favor with the oddsmaker.
Eight fillies and mares are signed onto Sunday’s $100,000 Grade III Red Carpet Stakes at 1 3/8 miles on the turf. Forever After was second in the Grade III Dowager at Keeneland in her last, which seems to put her a cut above. Mrs. Astor was fourth in the same heat and is improving.
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