Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) (G1) - Preview

2009 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks)

Twenty four horses have been nominated for a field of 18 for the 71st Grade 1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) on May 23 at Tokyo Racecourse, the second leg in the filly's Triple Crown.

The Japanese Oaks – perhaps the toughest to win of the three races with a distance of 2,400 meters brutal for 3-year-old females – is 800 meters longer than the Oka Sho, the Japanese 1000 Guineas held at Hanshin; only five horses since 1984 – when the Japan Racing Association began grading races – have managed to win the two races. Eight, on the other hand, have done the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) and Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) double. Buena Vista was the last to win both the Oka Sho and the Yushun Himba.

Originally, the Japanese Oaks was even longer, held over 2,700 meters at Hanshin in the fall. The race was shortened to 2,450 meters in 1940 and was readjusted to its current distance three years later. In 1946, the Yushun Himba was relocated to Fuchu where the race has since remained.

Tokyo Racecourse

Tokyo Racecourse is widely regarded as the fairest track the JRA has to offer, but it is also known to be the most demanding. The final straight where the Japanese Oaks starts stretches out 525 meters, slanting upward. The dimensions are particularly excruciating after a full lap around the oval, and the lead often changes over the last 100 meters. It takes a combination of speed, stamina and power from any horse to win at Fuchu, regardless of distance.

The race record was set by Robe Decollette in 2007, when she won by a time of 2 minutes, 25.3 seconds. The winner receives 97 million yen, and post time has been set for 3:40 p.m.:

Apapane APAPANE: The only Grade 1 winner in the field, Hanshin Juvenile Fillies and Oka Sho champion Apapane has had a stellar career so far, with four wins from six starts and a second- and third-place finish each. Despite the outstanding record, some wonder if Apapane – one of four fillies by Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) champion King Kamehameha among the nominations – can survive the 2,400 meters in the Japanese Oaks given her bloodlines; she is out of Salty Bid, a former sprinter who had marginal success as a racehorse. But both trainer Sakae Kunieda and jockey Masayoshi Ebina aren't concerned about the distance because Apapane is so emotionally mature for a 3-year-old filly. "There's nothing anyone can do about her pedigree, so I'm not going to lose any sleep over it," Ebina said. "At this point in her career I don't think it will be a disadvantage and the fact is, none of the other horses have raced at this distance yet. Her dam barely lasted 1,200 meters so they're clearly very different. Physically and mentally, she's more like King Kamehameha. She's nice and easy going usually, never panics. It's why she's always raced well and generally with girls at her age, they're very sensitive. Her mental strength is a huge asset. She's such a well balanced horse."

Apricot Fizz APRICOT FIZZ: The prized filly of former star jockey Futoshi Kojima's stable, Apricot Fizz is expected by her trainer to return to winning ways this Sunday after finishing fifth in the Oka Sho as the second favorite, two lengths out of first. Bred and owned by the Shadai racing group, the Jungle Pocket daughter, much like her father did, has a good track record at Fuchu where she is 2-for-2 including a two-length victory in the Grade 3 Daily Hai Queen Cup over 1,600 meters back in February. Kojima says Apricot Fizz struggled racing clockwise in the Oka Sho, and wasn't anywhere near at her best. If we take the trainer's words at full value, then the rest of the field will have to watch out. "Her breathing was back to normal as soon as the race ended, which tells me she didn't leave everything she had out there," Kojima said. "I don't think you can deny that she races better lefthanded than righthanded. The extra distance is a plus for our horse. She raced inside in the Oka Sho, but at Tokyo she'll be near the front somewhere. She won't have to worry about traffic this time and the coast should be clear when the race comes down to where it'll matter most. She was great in training last week, and she's in excellent form. Given her condition at the moment, she'll make the Oka Sho champion and the trial winners work, that's for sure."

A Shin Returns A SHIN RETURNS: Having failed to show just once in seven starts, the Masanori Sakaguchi-trained A Shin Returns is among the most consistent performers of her class. The daughter of King Kamehameha finished third in the Tulip Sho, an Oka Sho trial, before taking third in the Japanese 1000 Guineas, three-quarters of a length behind Apapane. A Shin Returns again will be ridden by three-time Japanese Oaks winner Yuichi Fukunaga, who set the race record aboard Robe Decollette three years ago. Fukunaga reckons his mount could have even won the Oka Sho and reckons her chances are as good as any in this year's group. "She seemed a little lost when she took the lead on the straight, and maybe things would have turned out differently if she had been side by side with someone," said the jockey. "I didn't get the impression she took a backseat to the winner at all. I don't think you need to worry too much about the distance with fillies at this age. The field is pretty even this year and whoever handles the pace the best should win. She did a good job of that last time, and I hope I can get the most out of A Shin Returns this time."

Oken Sakura OKEN SAKURA: The Hidetaka Otonashi-trained bay nearly ran away with the Oka Sho crown, but Apapane closed the gap late, overtaking Oken Sakura to finish half a length at the wire. The Bago bay will again be ridden by Katsumi Ando, winner of 21 JRA domestic and international Grade 1 races who already has lifted the NHK Mile Cup this season, and the veteran believes the filly's temperament will play a crucial role in conquering the 800 meters added from the Oka Sho, not to mention her first race at Tokyo. "Obviously we won't know how she'll handle the distance until after the race, but I'm not too concerned," said Ando, who won the NHK Mile Cup a couple of weekends ago aboard Danon Chantilly in Japan record time. "I don't think the mile is her best distance, but she's so clever that she'll figure out any race at any distance. She can come from behind or she can drive up the pace from the front if she wants to. Even the (Oka Sho) champion hasn't raced at 2,400 meters. I got the impression that the third-, fourth-place horses could do well in longer races but no one is that far ahead of the pack this year. I definitely think we have a shot."

Saint Emilion SAINT EMILION: One of six among the 24 nominations sired by Zenno Rob Roy, the Masaaki Koga-trained Saint Emilion is coming off a win in the Sankei Sports Sho Flora Stakes, a 2,000-meter Japanese Oaks trial at Fuchu. All four of Saint Emilion's starts have been at least 1,800 meters, Koga targeting the Yushun Himba for his filly since her career began only in January. Saint Emilion will be in the red-hot hands of the JRA's leading jockey Norihiro Yokoyama, who has racked up nearly 30 more victories than his closest competitor, Yasunari Iwata. Saint Emilion reminds Yokoyama a lot of her old man. "She was a little tense and annoyed in the Flower Cup, even from the paddock," Yokoyama said, referring to the March 20 Grade 3 race at Nakayama. "She acted up in the gate and broke late, but she was really relaxed at the start in her last race and I think that's what led to the result. I'm not concerned with the distance, especially after the strong race she had from an outside barrier last time. But I do hope she matures physically for the next race. The race begins on the home stretch, and the most important thing is that she starts well. It would be nice if we draw inside so we can come home smoothly."

Shoryu Moon SHORYU MOON: The winner of the March 6th Tulip Sho as the ninth choice, Shoryu Moon settled for fourth in the Oka Sho after drawing the inside gate, her first finish under third in five career starts. Japan Cup-winning trainer Shozo Sasaki says the King Kamehameha daughter may just be the only horse in the field who will thrive at 2,400 meters, the single biggest obstacle for most entries in the Japanese Oaks. Replacing Sasaki's favorite rider in Tetsuzo Sato, Hiroyuki Uchida, the 2009 champion jockey, is set to take Shoryu Moon's reins for the first time. Uchida, who was fifth in the race last year aboard Dear Geena, likes what he has seen from his new partner in the last couple of races. "She's been real sharp coming from behind in her last two starts," Uchida said. "We won't be in any rush during the race this weekend." Added Sasaki: "The longer the distance, the better for us. I reckon our horse is the only one who wants a longer race. She's always relaxed during the trip and handles the turns really well. Her grandfather was Dance in the Dark, so we have a lot to look forward to here, even just on her bloodlines alone."