By Alan Carasso
Group 1 racing in Japan resumes this weekend with the running of the February S., a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic in early November. A field of 14 is set to face the starter, including a trio of previous February winners, but a couple of relatively unexposed gallopers look to make their mark in their respective first attempts at the top level.
Inti (Jpn) (Came Home) is the favourite ante-post at a shade over even money as he looks to extend his current winning skein to seven straight. Well beaten on his career debut 22 months ago, the 5-year-old homebred annexed his next five appearances by a combined 30 lengths and in his first start of 2019, was the easy two-length winner of the G2 Tokyo TV Hai Tokai S. (1800m) at Chukyo Racecourse (see below, gate 4).
“He got his first graded win last time, and it was a good win,” said legendary jockey Yutaka Take, who has been in the saddle for his four most recent wins. “I felt the horse had ability the first time I rode him, and he's gotten stronger since. He's quick, too, and can maintain things to the finish. I don't think there's a problem with the track, including the turn and the long homestraight.”
WATCH: Inti makes it 6-for-7 in the Tokyo TV Hai Tokai S.
Copano Kicking (Spring At Last) carries a similarly imposing record of seven-from-nine into his first dip of the toe into Group 1 waters. A $19,000 Keeneland September buyback turned $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream juvenile, the 4-year-old enters the February S. off back-to-back scores in Group 3 company, including the G3 Negishi S. (1400m) over the Tokyo main track Jan. 27 (video, gate 11). He tries the mile for the first time Sunday (Click here for more on Copano Kicking).
“I think mentally the horse is stronger and he's developed well, generally,” said trainer Akira Murayama. “The 1600 meters is unknown until he tries it. If he does stay, his future looks bright.”
Gold Dream (Jpn) (Gold Allure {Jpn}) posted a narrow victory in this as a 4-year-old in 2017 before going down by a neck to Nonkono Yume (Jpn) (Twining) in defence of his title 12 months ago. He cuts back to 1600m off a 3/4-length defeat at the hands of Omega Perfume (Jpn) (Swept Overboard) in the G1 Tokyo Daishoten (2000m) at Ohi Dec. 29.
Moanin (Henny Hughes) set a Tokyo track record of 1:34 flat in winning the 2016 February S. and the New York-bred retains his zest for racing, as evidenced by his victory in the valuable Keeneland Korea Sprint (1200m) last September. He was most recently a well-held fourth to Copano Kicking in the Negishi S.
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