Satsuki Sho Kicks Off Japanese Triple Crown

By Emily Shields 

The Satsuki Sho – the Japanese 2000 Guineas – takes place on Sunday; Saturday night by American clocks. The 2000 meter race (about 1 ¼ miles), run over the turf track at Nakayama Racecourse, is worth over $2 million USD. It is the first leg of the Japanese Triple Crown, which has been won seven times to date, most recently with Deep Impact (2005) and Orfevre (2011). The other two races are the Toyko Yushun on May 26 and the Kikuka Sho in October.

Saturnalia is the horse everyone is watching. The son of Lord Kanaloa and out of Cesario (American and Japanese grade 1 winner) is a half-brother to the likes of Japan Cup hero Epiphaneia and group 1 winner Leontes. He is unbeaten in three starts, including the Hopeful Stakes (G1) on December 28. He has not raced yet this year but has been training well, and Christophe Lemaire will be aboard.

Admire Mars was named 2018’s Champion Two Year Old, but was beaten in his sophomore debut last out where he ran second to another runner in this race, Danon Kingly. That colt remains unbeaten and even has a win over the course. Admin Mars won the prestigious Asahi Hai Futurity December 16, and will receive the services of regular partner Mirco Demuro.

Longtime leading Japanese rider and popular jockey Yutaka Take will be aboard Fantasist, another by Lord Kanaloa. He is three for five lifetime, and is coming off a second place effort in the Fuji Tv Sho Spring Stakes on March 17. The winner of that race does not wheel back for this.

The great Deep Impact himself is represented by three runners: in addition to Danon Kingly, he has sired Satono Lux and Meisho Tengen. The former was an expensive purchase in 2017, a half brother to group 2 winner Touching Speed, and is now three for four lifetime with a win in the Sumire Stakes February 24. The latter is making his seventh start and was a stakes winner on March 3.

Another logical contender is Velox, who has won both his starts so far this year, and is three for five lifetime. The son of Just a Way (Tenno Sho and Dubai Duty Free winner) will be ridden by Yuga Kawada.

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