The G1 Satsuki Sho lost a bit of its lustre when the undefeated champion 2-year-old colt Danon Premium (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) sustained a stone bruise earlier this month and was ruled out of this 2000-metre contest. However, 16 other quality colts are stepping forward for the second Classic of the Japanese season at Nakayama this Sunday.
Group 1 winner Time Flyer (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) is one of the main protagonists. Successful in the Listed Hagi S. last October at third asking, he dropped a spot in the G3 Radio Nikkei Hai Kyoto Nisai S. in the wake of Grail (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) on Nov. 25. The colt regained his winning form in the Dec. 28 Hopeful, defeating GSW Gendarme (Kitten's Joy). The bay was fifth in the Listed Wakaba S. at Hanshin on Mar. 17 in his sophomore bow and will leave from stall one.
“He's come back well after his last race, and the jockey's been putting him through his paces, particularly working on the horse's ability to finish strongly,” said Time Flyer's trainer Kunihide Matsuda. “He could be a Derby horse, but in the meantime, he's back at the course and distance where he won a Group 1 last year, and so must have a good chance.”
Wagnerian (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) was undefeated in his first three starts, including the G3 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai S. at Tokyo on Nov. 18. He suffered his first loss to the benched Danon Premium–Gendarme was third–in the G2 Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho locally over course and distance on Mar. 4.
“He's been working well and his breathing's good,” said trainer Yasuo Tomomichi. “He's calmed down a lot. There'll be more runners this time, and I don't think the pace will be slow, but with the power this horse has got, and maximizing that to its full potential, he must have a chance.”
Yet another scalp claimed by the missing Danon Premium, Stelvio (Jpn) could make it a Classic double for his young sire Lord Kanaloa, after his paternal half-sister Almond Eye (Jpn) (Jpn) captured the G1 Oka Sho on Sunday. Runner-up to the aforementioned juvenile champ in the Oct. 7 G3 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup and the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S. at Hanshin on Dec. 17, Stelvio was first past the post in the G2 Fuji TV Sho Spring S. on Mar. 18.
The lightly raced Kitano Commandeur (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) is facing group company for the first time Sunday. A winner in a 2000-metre Hanshin newcomers' race on Dec. 23, the colt returned on Feb. 25 to win the Listed Sumire S. there upped 200 metres.
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