The 60th Yasuda Kinen - Handicapper's Report on the Japanese Contenders

The three foreign contingents for this year's Yasuda Kinen (G1) that are representing Hong Kong include Fellowship (NZL, g8, by O'Reilly), Beauty Flash (NZL, g5, by Golan) and Sight Winner (NZL, g7, by Faltaat) that have finished second, third and fourth in the Champions Mile (HKG G1, 1,600m) respectively. All three runners are superior to our own in the thoroughbred rankings as the Japanese field does not include last year's top two finishers, Vodka and Deep Sky—both of whom have retired from racing—and has just one proven G1 winner to contest the Hong Kong milers. Hence there is a good chance for any of the under mentioned Japanese runners as well as the three from Hong Kong to claim the G1 title in the last leg of the Asian Mile Challenge.

Reach the Crown Attention is centered on the top three finishers in this year's Yomiuri Milers Cup (G2, 1,600m), beginning with the race winner, Reach the Crown (JPN, c4, by Special Week, Rating: 114M). While Reach the Crown proved impressive in his three-year-old classics last year, finishing second in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, 2,400m) and fifth in the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger, 3,000m), the Special Week colt was unsuccessful against older G1 company in the 2009 Japan Cup (G1, 2,400m, 9th) and the Arima Kinen (G1, 2,500m, 13th). He was then tried over a turf mile race in his last start where he demonstrated his best performance and suitability to the shorter distance while blending into position smoothly from an outside break and settling into the pace much better than his earlier starts.

Triumph March Triumph March (JPN, c4, by Special Week, Rating: 113M) also shifted to mile distances last autumn after running in the middle-distance classics as a three-year-old during which he scored a runner-up effort in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, 2,000m). Although yet to claim a grade-race title, he has proved consistent while demonstrating speed that marked the fastest over the last three furlongs (33.3 seconds) in the Yomiuri Milers Cup which he just missed by a neck margin to Reach the Crown. His dam, Kyoei March is a classic winner (Oka Sho, Japanese 1000 Guineas, 1,600m).

Captain Thule Captain Thule (JPN, h5, by Agnes Tachyon, Rating: 114M) finished third in the Yomiuri Milers Cup, his first start in almost three months, while having to carry a kilo more than his two four-year-old rivals that finished before him. A G1 winner in the 2008 Satsuki Sho, the son of Agnes Tachyon has also proven useful over a mile, with a fourth place in the Mile Championship (G1, 1,600m) and a grade-race title in the Daily Hai Nisai Stakes (1,600m) which he claimed as a two-year-old.

Faridat Last year's third place finisher and the highest rated runner among the Japanese field, Faridat (USA, h5, by Kingmambo, Rating: 115M), was low in the order of earnings that determine the priority list of entry but made the line-up as one of the top five high ranked runners that are also eligible to run in the mile G1.

Showa Modern Another notable runner would be Showa Modern (JPN, h6, by Air Jihad, Rating: 107M), who won impressively in the Lord Derby Challenge Trophy (G3, 1,600m), two starts back, against Triumph March and Faridat after traveling well up with the pace. He then followed up with his second win in a row last start, in the May Stakes (1,800m), while carrying 59 kilograms—two kilograms or more heavier than the rest of the field. His winning time in the race was also impressive.

Super Hornet Super Hornet (JPN, h7, by Rodrigo de Triano) has four G2 titles and two runner-up efforts in the Mile Championship to his name. He also has a history of beating Vodka in the 2008 Mainichi Okan (G2, 1,800m) but has still to improve in his form and the results in his past three Yasuda Kinen (2007 11th, 2008 8th and 2009 7th) are also not very encouraging.

Fellowship Beauty Flash Sight Winner

* Yasuda Kinen (G1) - Nominated Horse International Ratings (PDF)