Daring Tact Chases Filly Triple Crown in Shuka Sho

Japanese fans, largely barred from attending live racing this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, have had a few pleasant distractions, not the least of them a colt and a filly both chasing Triple Crowns—and potentially much more.

The filly series concludes Oct. 19 at Kyoto Racecourse with Daring Tact looking to nail down her end of the equine "double triple" in the Shuka Sho (G1). She will do it as the substantial favorite, and, as a bonus, 778 spectators chosen by lot will be on hand—the first fans allowed at a Japanese track for a grade 1 event since the February Stakes (G1) Feb. 23.

Daring Tact, a daughter of Epiphaneia, is undefeated after four starts. She won her only start as a 2-year-old, started this season with victory in a listed event at Kyoto, and then swept through the Oka Sho (Japanese One Thousand Guineas, G1) at Hanshin Racecourse and the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks, G1) at Tokyo Racecourse.

She has not raced since the Tokyo victory May 24. Trainer Haruki Sugiyama says the layoff was planned and has resulted in a matured filly who has filled out and become more focused.

"(Kohei Matsuyama) rode her on the flat last week," Sugiyama said before the barrier draw Friday. "She worked alone and we focused on her balance. She was well balanced and relaxed. Her breathing was good, too."

Matsuyama echoed those sentiments.

"Even from her debut, she stood out," the rider said. "But it was after the Oka Sho that I realized just how much she had improved since then. And then her limberness in her work before the Oaks struck me and her improvement stood out.

"After returning to Ritto (training center) after the summer, I felt she was mentally more mature. Her tendency to get agitated and tense was much better. Her weight is up and she returned much stronger. Her training has all gone well."

Daring Tact's main rival in the 18-filly field is Ria Amelia, a Deep Impact filly who finished fourth in the Yushun Himba. While Daring Tact was training up to the race, Ria Amelia returned to action Sept. 20, winning the Kansai Telecasting Corp. Sho Rose Stakes (G2) at Chukyo.

Ria Amelia's rider, Yuga Kawada, said her improved showing in the Rose Stakes was a result of the filly catching on to what's asked of her.

"I think it was only about the second time that she really turned in a real race," Kawada said. "For her debut and her second start, I don't think she really understood racing yet. So, with that in mind, rather than saying she suddenly improved dramatically in strength, I think it was more that she finally found her rhythm, and that translated to a good race."

Among the others in the Shuka Sho, Maltese Diosa, a nearly black filly by Kizuna, finished second in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (G1) in December but failed to hit the board in either of the first two races in the Triple Crown series. She also returned with a win in the Shion Stakes (G3) at Nakayama Racecourse Sept. 12.

The colts' Triple Crown series concludes Oct. 25 at Kyoto Racecourse, with Contrail seeking the sweep in the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger, G1). The Deep Impact colt also is undefeated.

After a raft of retirements, the Japanese racing scene is looking for a new generation of stars, and even before the Triple Crown quests conclude, excitement is high about Daring Tact's and Contrail's prospects for the big grade 1 events during the final months of 2020 and beyond.

Those hopes were pushed to new heights as Japan's long and frustrating quest to win the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) this year fell to Deirdre, the 2017 Shuka Sho winner, who could only finish eighth. Long-suffering Japanese fans see either Contrail or Daring Tact—or both—as the next, best hope to finally land the French spoils.