The favorites couldn’t get the job done in the Sprinters Stakes (G1) Sept. 29 at Nakayama Racecourse and the Hong Kong raiders also came up short, leaving it to long shot Lugal to pull out the win with the aid of a picture-perfect trip.
Lugal, a 4-year-old son of Duramente , had been away from the races since March 24, when he finished 10th as the favorite in Japan’s only other grade 1 sprint, the Takamatsunomiya Kinen (G1). After that race, his first try at the top level, he was diagnosed with an injury to his left front leg.
The injury seemed a thing of the past as jockey Atsuya Nishimura got Lugal away cleanly and set him up in third position behind Puro Magic, who set a blistering early pace. After saving ground throughout the 1,200 meters (about 6 furlongs), Lugal charged to the front while climbing the stretch incline and held off a pack of oncoming rivals.
Toshin Macau, another long chance, was a neck back of the winner in second with Namura Clair and last year’s winner, Mama Cocha, another pair of necks behind in third and fourth.
The favorite, Satono Reve, was seventh and the Takamatsunomiya Kinen victor, Mad Cool, got home 12th.
Hong Kong’s Victor the Winner, who finished third in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen, was prominent early but finished sixth. Traveling companion Mugen was 13th.
“The track is very fast here at Nakayama these days,” said winning trainer Haruki Sugiyama, “so a sharp break was crucial. Since he disappointed to 10th in the spring’s Takamatsunomiya Kinen despite being first pick, our team truly did our best for him to bounce back.”
Sugiyama said the victory, especially over proven local sprinters and the foreign invaders, opens possibilities for Lugal.
“We’ll carefully consider his future racing options, which will probably include overseas campaigns,” Sugiyama said.
Victor the Winner wasn’t disgraced after starting from the No. 14 gate and tracking the fast early pace.
“I think he ran a reasonable race,” said trainer Danny Shum. “It was a fast pace and (jockey) Joao Moreira gave him every possible chance. I’m not disappointed. Our next target will be the Hong Kong Sprint (G1) in December.”
Moreira agreed the course “probably played in favor of the front runners. The winner was actually sitting in third in the race on the fence two lengths in front of me and he just kept that distance. … At the end of the day, I don’t think it was a bad race. The horse tried his best and I’m very pleased with that.”
Mugen’s jockey, Karis Teetan, said the 1,200 meters “could have been a bit too short for him.”
The Sprinters Stakes was opened to foreign horses in 1994 and Hong Kong runners have won twice—Silent Witness as favorite in 2005 and Ultra Fantasy, a long shot, in 2010.
The outcome throws into question the 2024 Japanese sprint championship. With Mad Cool and Lugal splitting the only two top-level sprints on the calendar, Namura Clair should get some consideration. The 5-year-old daughter of Mikki Isle finished second to Mad Cool in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen, three lengths ahead of Victor the Winner.
