Salios

All eyes will be on Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune)--aren't they always?--as she takes on an eclectic group in Sunday's G1 Mile Championship at Hanshin Racecourse, a race that looks something other than a one-horse affair. Named the best of her generation at two and three, the immensely popular white filly owns three top-level victories over arguably her favorite trip, having annexed the 2020 G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies and last year's G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) over course and distance and this year's sex-restricted G1 Victoria Mile at Tokyo. Fifth to...

Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) should jump a warm favourite to become the first repeat winner of the G1 Yasuda Kinen since two-time Horse of the Year Vodka (Jpn) (Tanino Gimlet {Jpn}) when she squares off against 13 males in Japan's premier spring mile. The Yasuda Kinen serves as a 'Win and You're In' qualifying race for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in early November. The 5-year-old, a daughter of Breeders' Cup winner Tapitsfly (Tapit), has won six of eight over the metric...

A field of 13--including a half-dozen by the legendary Deep Impact (Jpn)--will face the starter for a cracking renewal of the G1 Osaka Hai (2000m) Sunday at Hanshin Racecourse, led by the late stallion's 2020 Triple Crown hero Contrail (Jpn). Raced by Shinji Maeda and bred by the family's North Hills Co. Ltd., the son of Rhodochrosite (Unbridled's Song) built on an undefeated 2-year-old season with four on the bounce last term, defeating Salios (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) in the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) (2000m) in April and...

Fresh off a G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) victory Apr. 19, Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) will try to remain undefeated in the 2,400-meter G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) at Tokyo Racecourse Sunday. Victorious in last season's 1,800-meter G3 Hai Nisai S. over this course in November, he punctuated his juvenile campaign with a win in the G1 Hopeful S. Dec. 28. The likely race favorite will be reunited with Yuichi Fukunaga. "He had a break at the farm after his last race and came back to the stable...

The Japanese colts' Classics kick off this weekend at Nakayama Raceourse, where champion Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Salios (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn})--each perfect in their three starts last season--square off in the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) over the 2000 metres. Racing in the colours of Shinji Maeda and bred by the family's North Hills Co. Ltd., the dark bay colt graduated at first asking going nine furlongs last September and followed up with a dominating five-length victory in the G3 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai S. Nov....