Contrail Emerges Victorious in Competitive Satsuki Sho

The Satsuki Sho (Japanese Two Thousand Guineas, G1) played out as advertised April 19—a battle between two undefeated colts making their 3-year-old debuts and with aspirations for the Japanese Derby (G1)—with the favorite coming out on top.

Contrail, a Deep Impact colt who won last year's Hopeful Stakes (G1), got the job done in the final strides, edging Salios, a son of Heart's Cry who accounted for the Asahi Hai Futurity (G1) to end his 2-year-old season.

Galore Creek was third as Contrail finished the 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles) in 2:00.7 on Nakayama Racecourse turf rated good.

Neither colt was a factor in the early running, with Salios well positioned behind the leading pack and Contrail far back in the 18-horse field. Jockey Yuichi Fukunaga got Contrail going heading into the third of four corners but found himself well out in the middle of the track entering the stretch.

Salios, with Damian Lane in the irons, found a handy seam between rivals and made the lead with 200 meters to run as Contrail closed on his outside. They were together only briefly 100 meters out before Contrail put matters to rest.

"The race itself wasn't the way I had expected," Fukunaga said. "I actually had the idea of him racing further up in front as usual, but as it turned out, he wasn't keen to go up front early, and I didn't push him. So we were positioned much farther behind going around the second corner.

"I had no choice but to change lanes to the outside after that, but with the way he was moving in the post parade and the response once I took him to the outside, I had every confidence in him entering the stretch."

Contrail, out of the Unbridled's Song mare Rhodochrosite, was bred by North Hills and races for Shinji Maeda. He blitzed through his juvenile term, wrapping up a 3-for-3 record with a victory in the Hopeful at 2,000 meters, which led to him being named Japan's champion 2-year-old colt for 2019.

Salios also entered the race 3-for-3, all at 1,600 meters (about one mile). The distance may have made the difference in the final 100 meters of the Satsuki Sho as Salios was unable to stay with the winner.

Before the Satsuki Sho, assistant trainer Kazutomo Mori said he was confident Salios could handle the added challenge.

"He's moved well in training, and he's shown what he can do in races over a mile. He's capable of getting a good position in a race, and I don't see any problem with the extra distance or the track," Mori said.

But Contrail's assistant trainer, Shigeki Miyauchi, said his colt was prepared for exactly the battle that developed.

"We've mostly concentrated on his finish in training," Miyauchi said. "His win over the course and distance was a good one." 

Fukunaga gave full marks to Salios but said Contrail looks the part of a classic winner.

"His power was so that I thought we might pull away," Fukunaga said. "But Salios didn't let us win so easily. Winning the way he did today, I am confident that he has every reason to handle the extended distance in the coming Derby."

The Japanese Derby, officially the Tokyo Yushun, is scheduled for May 31 and is run at 2,400 meters (about 1 1/2 miles). The Satsuki Sho has been a regular springboard to glory for the likes of eventual Japanese Triple Crown and Horse of the Year winners Deep Impact and Orfevre.