Japan's Juvenile Stars Return to Action in Satsuki Sho

The winners of last season's two big juvenile races return to action with Japanese Derby (G1) aspirations on the line April 18 in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese Two Thousand Guineas, G1) at Nakayama Racecourse.

The race is the first leg of the Japanese Triple Crown and a gateway to the May 31 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby).

Salios looked like the real deal as a 2-year-old and makes his first start of the season with the highest of hopes. The Heart's Cry colt won at first asking in a newcomer event, took the Saudi Arabia Royal Cup (G3) at Tokyo Racecourse, and followed with a victory in the Asahi Hai Futurity (G1) at Hanshin before going on break.

"Among the horses I've trained, mentally he seems one of the best," said Salios' trainer, Noriyuki Hori, who has handled the likes of Maurice, Neorealism, and Satono Crown—all top-level winners on the international circuit.

Hori said Salios "showed last time in the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes what he's capable of" but cautioned, "He's still a young horse and inexperienced, and we'll have to see from now what he can do."

Salios has the new challenge of 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles). His longest test has been 1,600 meters (about one mile). His chief competitor, Contrail, already has a win at the Satsuki Sho distance.

Contrail, a Deep Impact colt, had a record similar to Salios as a juvenile, winning at first asking, taking a grade 3 event, and then winning the Hopeful Stakes (G1) on the Nakayama 2,000-meter trip—a race that jockey Yuichi Fukunaga said will be a plus going into the Satsuki Sho.

"The Nakayama track is a bit different from others, but he's already won there," Fukunaga said. "It'll be a tough race with the other grade 1 winner and other strong horses."

After Contrail drew the inside gate, Fukunaga added, "He's a horse that starts well and is able to get a position, so I don't worry about anything with him."

Among the others, Weltreisende was second to Contrail in the Hopeful and already has a start this year, finishing second in the Fuji TV Sho Spring Stakes (G2) at Nakayama, and trainer Yasutoshi Ikee expressed the hopes of most of his fellow conditioners.

"I think distances of 2,000 to 2,400 meters will suit him," Ikee said of the Dream Journey colt, "and Nakayama should be fine. (Hopefully) we can look to the Derby with him."

"Weltreisende" means "world traveler" in German.

Darlington Hall exits a grade 3 win at Tokyo in February, and the New Approach colt also has experience over the course and distance after finishing third in a minor stakes in November. Mirco Demuro, a four-time winner of the Satsuki Sho, takes the ride for trainer Tetsuya Kimura and owner Godolphin.

Satono Flag boasts three consecutive wins, most recently the newly named Deep Impact Kinen (G2) at Nakayama, and Christophe Lemaire rides.

L'Excellence is 3-for-3 with wins out to 2,200 meters but takes a big class jump. Trainer Manabu Ikezoe is another with eyes on an even bigger prize for the son of Deep Impact.

"He's improved as he has continued to win races, and he'll probably get better still. … I don't want to rush things with him, but a good result here would lead to a run in the Derby," Ikezoe said.

The race starts at the top of the stretch and passes the grandstand twice, meaning horses have to contend twice with a climb to the finish line. It will be run without fans in the stands as protocols to contain the COVID-19 pandemic remain in place.