Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup (G1) - Preview (2)

Snow Fairy

Dancing Rain

Aventura is being touted as the top filly from the host team in this Sunday's big race at Kyoto, with Italian Red and Animate Bio expected to be close on her heels at the betting windows. Competition from abroad, however, is sky-high with two top-level fillies from England aiming to take the winner's share home for the second year straight. Snow Fairy, last year's champion, is back, with Dancing Rain, winner of this year's English and German Oaks. Dancing Rain can take home an extra 63 million yen after bonuses from the Japan Autumn International if she top the field of the Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup's 36th running.

Post time is 3:40 p.m. on November 13, with the draw set for Friday. Japan's top hopefuls for the 2,200-meter G1 turf event are:

Aventura AVENTURA: This 3-year-old daughter of Jungle Pocket is being hyped as the filly to beat from among Japan's fielding. Forced to sit out the spring classics when a fracture of her right fore forced her off the track, the Katsuhiko Sumii-trained Aventura came back looking like she was trying to make up for lost time. Six months following her break, she returned at the end of July and, starting from the winner's circle of a 16 million yen class event at Hakodate, climbed to win the G3 Queen Stakes in competition with older females in Sapporo in August, then aced the G1 Shuka Sho on Oct. 16 at Kyoto. She has improved at the break and learned to run on the pace. Though she has never been raced over 2,200 meters, her wins at 1-2 furlongs less indicate she can handle the extra ground if she doesn't get overly rambunctious, which she showed a tendency to do last time out. Aventura's full sister Tall Poppy, winner of the 2008 Oaks, was, according to Sumii, a "very temperamental horse." Sitting the spring out, he says, has helped Aventura mature mentally. "I think that's a big factor. She's only had six races but there's a lot in her bloodline that is going to stand her well. She's going to get better with age."

Italian Red ITALIAN RED: The 5-year-old daughter of Satsuki Sho and Japanese Derby winner Neo Universe is, like Aventura, on a three-way winning streak. And, on Oct 16, her last time out, she proved that she wasn't just a passing summer affair when she captured the G2 Fuchu Himba Stakes (her first G2 win) at Tokyo. "She's stronger than ever and she handles a G1," claimed trainer Sei Ishizaka after that race. Her impressive late kick and tenacity down the long Tokyo stretch in the 2,000-meter event indicates she can do equally well with an extra furlong over the shorter stretch of Kyoto. Italian Red has not only matured physically, she has also mellowed with age and is showing a greater ability to concentrate on the work at hand. Whether she can make the jump to the top-level from the G2 rank is the question.

Animate Bio ANIMATE BIO: Second in the Shuka Sho last year, Animate Bio was but two-tenths of a second off Aventura two races back in the Queen Stakes, 0.3 seconds behind Italian Red three races back in the Tanabata Sho, and runner-up to Italian Red by a neck in her last race, the Fuchu Himba Stakes. The 4-year-old daughter of Zenno Rob Roy tends to do better with a long stretch home, but the outer course at Kyoto is the next best bet. Trainer Koji Maki has been racing the filly regularly once a month from May, then after a two-month rest brought her back for the Fuchu Himba in October. "Since coming back, she's been getting regular work and is in fine condition," he maintains. Her run in last year's Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup saw her over the line in 15th place, which Maki says was due to a nosebleed. "You have to throw that race out. She's been consistent in her recent races and I don't think the outside course at Kyoto will give her any problems." Jockey Hironobu Tabe, who rode Animate Bio for the first time last time out, has according to Maki, gotten a good understanding of her quirks and, the trainer says, "I want to show you something different from last year."

Apapane APAPANE: Her third-place finish in the Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup last year, coupled with her win of the Victoria Mile this year, has helped recently to establish the image of Apapane as a miler and taken the spotlight off her considerably at longer distances. Though her filly Triple Crown victory last year means she obviously handled the classic-distance Oaks and Shuka Sho well, she has, rather strangely, been given nothing over a mile since the QE2 last year. Her recent runs make her potential in Kyoto difficult to assess. Though it was her first race back since the Yasuda Kinen in June, her 14th-place showing in the Fuchu Himba Stakes Oct. 16 at Tokyo did much to lower expectations for her second bid in the Queen Elizabeth II. However, Apapane is the kind of filly that reigns supreme only in the big races. The daughter of King Kamehameha has picked up her past five wins in G1 races alone and has yet to win a G2. Perhaps anything but the top is too much to ask of a princess.

Whale Capture WHALE CAPTURE: Third in this year's Shuka Sho, third in the Oaks, second in the Oka Sho and Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, the Kurofune-sired Whale Capture has failed to bring home a big haul yet. Her win of the G2 Rose Stakes in Hanshin on Sept. 18 indicated 1,800 meters may be her maximum distance for success. The QE2 will be Whale Capture's first race with older females thus far and the Miho-based Kiyotaka Tanaka has done his best to see she is well shored up for the haul by training her at Ritto Training Center near the Kyoto venue. However, the latest reports have been pessimistic, saying the filly is showing signs of fatigue and may not yet be ready to take on the big girls.

Reve d'Essor REVE D'ESSOR: This unbeaten daughter of Agnes Tachyon has only four races to her name, but was sidelined with a fracture and has not raced since March of this year. Back in training from early October, the time is likely too short to see her back at G1 level. If she looks good on race day, however, she may be good for a dream run.