By Alan Carasso
Kenji Ryotokuji's Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}), last seen recording a powerful victory over an international field in the G1 Dubai World Cup in late March, returns to the races in Wednesday's $456,960 Listed Nippon TV Hai at Funabashi Racecourse about 25 minutes east of Central Tokyo. The 1800-meter test will serve as his lone prep for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita in a little more than five weeks' time.
The 6-year-old, bought for just under $220,000 as a foal at the 2017 JRHA Select Sale, made the first 22 starts of his career on the turf, and while he was often competitive and earned his keep, it was a switch to the dirt in April 2022 that signaled a renaissance.
The bay posted convincing victories in three of his first four appearances on the main track before announcing his arrival as a potentially important dirt animal when taking out the G1 Tokyo Daishoten at Ohi Racecourse last December. A half-length winner of the Listed Kawasaki Kinen Feb. 1, defeating the classy T O Keynes (Jpn) (Sinister Minister), Ushba Tesoro was one of an unprecedented seven Japanese starters in the World Cup. Slowly away and last early, Ushba Tesoro got underway nearing the stretch and motored past Algiers (Ire) (Shamardal) to score by a widening 2 3/4 lengths (see below, SC 14), with T O Keynes fourth. Yuga Kawada, in the irons at Meydan, has the riding assignment from gate four in a field of 11 Wednesday.
Chief amongst the opposition is the 3-year-old colt Mitono O (Jpn) (Logotype {Jpn}), who won the final leg on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby in March and the Listed Hyogo Championship in early May ahead of a third to the undefeated Mick Fire (Jpn) (Sinister Minister) in the Japan Dirt Derby July 12. Mitono O has the services of Yutaka Take.
Sekifu (Jpn) (Henny Hughes) was runner-up in the 2022 G3 Saudi Derby and filled the same spot against older rivals in the G3 Korea Cup, but enters this test off a career-high success in the G3 Elm S. at Sapporo Racecourse.
Though Wednesday's race takes place on the 'lesser' NAR circuit, Marche Lorraine (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) parlayed a victory in listed company at Mombetsu in Northern Japan into a massive upset of the 2021 GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar.
Dirt monster USHBA TESORO (Orfevre) amping up his work as he sets up for Breeders Cup Classic🇺🇸
Worked Miho circle ship today
Has an NAR JpnII run on 27th to blow out the cobwebs
Ugly work, don't be alarmed.
That's him, saves everything for race daypic.twitter.com/ChBz818J9F— Graham Pavey (@LongBallToNoOne) September 21, 2023
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