Satsuki Sho Claimed by Saturnalia

Saturnalia (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), who won the Dec. 28 G1 Hopeful S. over course and distance last time out, became the second Classic scorer for his sire with a gritty victory in the G1 Satsuki Sho on Sunday. The Nakayama 2000-metre feature found the Katsuhiko Sumii trainee a head better than runner-up Velox (Jpn) (Just a Way {Jpn}), who was a nose to the good of Danon Kingly (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).

Heavily favoured at 70 cents on the dollar to make it back-to-back Group 1 tallies, Saturnalia was widest of all in the rush into the first turn, but eventually found his way into seventh as Lance of Puraana (Jpn) (Cape Blanco {Ire}) rattled along on the lead, covering the first 1000 metres in :59.10. Three deep next to fellow Carrot Farm colourbearer Courageux Guerrier (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) and Fantasist (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) with 800 metres remaining, he began to make inroads on the leaders by the 600-metre marker and swept up to fourth a furlong from the winning post. Velox to his inside was also letting down strongly and went right with Saturnalia. Those two drew even with Danon Kingly as the line neared and Saturnalia thrust his head across the wire first. Second choice in the wagering at 5-1 was Japanese champion 2-year-old colt Admire Mars (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) wound up fourth two lengths back.

“I rode him for the first time in the race but I had confidence in him,” said Lemaire, who was winning his 24th JRA Group 1 in Japan. “He seemed a bit nervous and drifted towards the inside when we took command before the crowd. His condition was not 100% as it was his first start this year but he should be in top condition going into the Japanese Derby.”

Flawless in all four trips to the post, Saturnalia won a June 10 newcomers affair at Hanshin before tasting listed glory in the Hagi S. at Kyoto last October. Stepped up to 2000 metres from 1800 in his third start, he delivered, stalking from just behind the leaders to score in the G1 Hopeful S. locally on Dec. 28 and was making his first start of 2019 on Sunday.

Pedigree Notes

One of three top level winners for his sire and the first from his 2016 crop, the Carrot Farm runner joins 2018 Japanese Triple Tiara heroine Almond Eye (Jpn) as the second Classic winner for Lord Kanaloa. Saturnalia is also the second Classic winner for his champion dam, who won the GI American Oaks Invitational S. in 2005 and foaled 2013 G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) hero Epiphaneia (Jpn) (Symboli Kris S) in 2010. He also counts champion and G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S. victor Leontes (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) as a half-brother. Second dam is Grade III victress Kirov Premiere (GB) (Sadler's Wells) and she is a full-sister to SW & GSP Theatre Critic (Ire). Other notable members of the extended family are European highweight,  MG1SW, and young sire Fascinating Rock (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), G1 Phoenix S. runner-up Amadeus Mozart (Ire) (Mozart {Ire}), English highweight and MGSW Anna Pavlova (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), and La Hoguette (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), a MSW in France who ran third in the G1 Prix Jean Prat.

Sunday, Nakayama, Japan
SATSUKI SHO (JAPANESE 2000 GUINEAS)-G1, ¥242,880,000 (US$2,167,840/£1,658,623/€2,927,742), Nakayama, 4-14, 3yo, c/f, 2000mT, 1:58.10, fm.
1–SATURNALIA (JPN), 126, c, 3, Lord Kanaloa (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Cesario (Jpn) (Ch. 3yo Filly-Jpn, MSW-Jpn,
                                GISW-US, $2,578,568), by Special Week (Jpn)
                2nd Dam: Kirov Premiere (GB), by Sadler's Wells
                3rd Dam: Querida (Ire), by Habitat
O-Carrot Farm; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-Katsuhiko Sumii;
J-Christophe Lemaire. ¥133,016,000. Lifetime Record: 4-4-0-0.
*1/2 to Epiphaneia (Jpn) (Symboli Kris S), MG1SW-Jpn,
$6,693,376; Leontes (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}), Ch. 2yo
Colt-Jpn, G1SW-Jpn, $1,112,892; and Globe Theatre (Jpn) (King
Kamehameha {Jpn}), GSP-Jpn, $914,289. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+++.   *Triple Plus*.
2–Velox (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Just a Way (Jpn)–Selkis (Ger), by
Monsun (Ger). (¥48,000,000 Ylg '17 JRHAJUL). O-Makoto
Kaneko Holdings; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥50,576,000.
3–Danon Kingly (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Deep Impact (Jpn)–My
Goodness, by Storm Cat. O-Danox Inc.; B-Mishima Bokujo
(Jpn); ¥31,288,000.
Margins: HD, NO, 2. Odds: 0.70, 8.00, 4.80.
Also Ran: Admire Mars (Jpn), Courageux Guerrier (Jpn), Tagano Diamante (Jpn), Last Draft (Jpn), Admire Justa (Jpn), Daddy's Mind (Jpn), Naimama (Jpn), Breaking Dawn (Jpn), Schwarz Riese (Jpn), Fantasist (Jpn), Satono Lux (Jpn), Meisho Tenegn (Jpn), Kurino Gaudi (Jpn), Nishino Daisy (Jpn), Lance of Puraana (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. JRA Video.