Resistance is Futile in Oka Sho

Defending JRA juvenile champion filly Resistencia (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) has done very little wrong in her short career and connections hope to add a second Group 1 notch to her belt in Sunday's G1 Oka Sho at Hanshin. A first out winner at Kyoto last October, the chestnut added a win in the G2 Kyoto Sho Fantasy S. Nov. 2 before capping off her perfect season with a five-length tally in the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies Dec. 8. Given some time off following that championship defining effort, the Takeshi Matsushita trainee returned with a third behind the re-opposing Maltese Diosa (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) in the G2 Tulip Sho at Hanshin Mar. 7. Champion rider Yutaka Take, aboard for her debut, gets back on board.

“I was especially impressed with her run in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies,” said Take. “[She's] still young, so I think it's best not to pigeonhole her in regard to any particular style of racing. Still, looking at the Juvenile Fillies, she may indeed be best at either taking the lead or stalking it. This week, I was just looking to check her responses and we had only a light workout. She really felt strong and in good shape and she has matured a great deal since her debut.”

While Maltese Diosa proved no match for Resistencia in last December's Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, she has proven very consistent since a runner-up finish in a 1,600-meter maiden at Niigata Aug. 3. Getting the job done next time over that course and trip Aug. 31, she added a score at Nakayama in September. In her 2020 debut, she proved game in the late stages of the Tulip Sho, nosing out Cravache d'Or (Jpn) (by Heart's Cry {Jpn}).

A debut winner at Hanshin last September, Cravache d'Or was a well-beaten second behind subsequent 2019 JRA champion 2-year-old colt Salios (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) in the G3 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup in October. Prior to her Tulip Sho effort, she finished third behind Resistencia in the Oka Sho prep last month.

The versatile Daring Tract (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) showed a brilliant late burst of speed to win at first asking going 1,600 meters at Kyoto last November before adding a four-length victory last time out in the Listed Elfin S. at Kyoto Feb. 8. Kohei Matsuyama has the mount for trainer Haruki Sugiyama.

“She was agitated behind the gate in the Elfin S. and she didn't break very well,” explained Sugiyama. “She did settle during the trip, however, and displayed a good turn of foot over the last furlong. I can see what the issues are, but it was a strong race and the future is looking brighter.”

He added, “She was a bit ornery in work last week and lugged in, but we pushed her pretty hard and she got a solid workout. She's a sensitive horse and easily upset, so I'm taking pains to prevent that while getting her ready. She's beginning to lose her winter coat and she has filled out a bit and looks to have improved. She finishes well, so it'll be better if the pace picks up. She'll go to the gate in good shape.”