2019 Japanese Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) earned a Classic laurel while maintaining his unbeaten record in the 2020 G1 Satsuki Sho over 2000 metres at Nakayama on Sunday. He is the third Japanese 2000 Guineas winner for his late sire. Despite being drawn in the dreaded one hole, the 8-5 crowd's pick overcame that hurdle to win by a half-length over the previously undefeated third choice Salios (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}). It was 3 1/2 lengths back to Galore Creek (Jpn) (Kinshasa no Kiseki {Aus}) in third.
Tracking from 12th against the fence through the early stages, the Shinji Maeda colourbearer was steered away from the inside as the field reached the 600-metre mark. Looping around the field at the quarter-mile pole, the dark bay began to let down strongly as Salios picked up the baton and briefly enjoyed sole leadership on the front end as pacesetter Chimera Verite (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) faded. The pair opened up on the remainder inside the final 200 metres and exchanged blows all the way to the line, with Contrail getting the best of the game Salios mere strides from wire.
Winning jockey Yuichi Fukunaga said, “He won strongly today. The race itself wasn't the way as I had expected–I actually had the idea of him racing further up in front as usual–but as it turned out, he wasn't keen to go up front early and I didn't push him so we were positioned much farther behind going around the second corner.
“I had no choice but to change lanes to the outside after that, but with the way he was moving in the post parade and the response once I took him to the outside, I had every confidence in him entering the stretch.
“His power was so that I thought we might pull away, but Salios didn't let us win so easily. Winning the way he did today, I am confident that he has every reason to handle the extended distance in the coming Derby.”
Striking in a Hanshin newcomer race last September, Contrail streaked past the post by five lengths in the G3 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai S. under visiting pilot Ryan Moore, covering the 1800 metres over firm turf in 1:44.50, a new record. His juvenile swan song was a win in the G1 Hopeful S. at Nakayama on Dec. 28. The Satsuki Sho was his 3-year-old bow.
Pedigree Notes
One of 46 Group 1 winners for his formerly Shadai-based sire, Contrail joins 2016 winner Dee Majesty (Jpn) and 2017 victor Al Ain (Jpn) as winners of the first Japanese colts' Classic of the year for Deep Impact. Out of the placed mare Rhodochrosite, herself a daughter of Eclipse champion and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine Folklore (Tiznow), Contrail is her third foal and third winner. She has a yearling full-brother to the G1 Japanese 2000 Guineas hero, as well.
Sunday, Nakayama, Japan
SATSUKI SHO (JAPANESE 2000 GUINEAS)-G1, ¥245,180,000 (US$2,280,285/£1,823,588/€2,096,819), Nakayama, 4-19, 3yo, c/f, 2000mT, 2:00.70, gd.
1–CONTRAIL (JPN), 126, c, 3, Deep Impact (Jpn)
1st Dam: Rhodochrosite , by Unbridled's Song
2nd Dam: Folklore, by Tiznow
3rd Dam: Contrive, by Storm Cat
O-Shinji Maeda; B-North Hills (Jpn); T-Yoshito Yahagi; J-Yuichi
Fukunaga. ¥134,633,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo Colt-Jpn,
4-4-0-0. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Salios (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Heart's Cry (Jpn)–Salomina (Ger), by
Lomitas (GB). O-Silk Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
¥51,038,000.
3–Galore Creek (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Kinshasa no Kiseki(Aus)–Gold
Relic, by Kingmambo. O-Yukio Mizukami; B-Kasamatsu Farm
(Jpn); ¥31,519,000.
Margins: HF, 3HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 1.70, 2.80, 40.20.
Also Ran: Win Carnelian (Jpn), Satono Flag (Jpn), Darlington Hall (GB), Cortesia (Jpn), Weltreisende (Jpn), Black Hole (Jpn), Deep Bond (Jpn), L'Excellence (Jpn), American Seed, My Rhapsody (Jpn), Bitterender (Jpn), Rhinebeck (Jpn), Crystal Black (Jpn), Chimera Verite (Jpn), Tempin (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart & video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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