Japanese 3-Year-Olds Enter Guineas With Question Marks

The 2021 Japanese Triple Crown series kicks off April 18 at Nakayama Racecourse with lots of questions yet to be answered by the major players.

Can Danon the Kid regain the form that saw him win the Hopeful Stakes (G1), capping an undefeated juvenile season, before finishing third in his 3-year-old debut, the Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho Deep Impact Kinen (G2)?

Is Titleholder as good as his victory in that same race March 7? He was just 1-for-3 last year and fourth in the Hopeful. 

Can Efforia and Gratias extend their undefeated records as they step up to tackle the top ranks of the division?

Can Japan's leading jockey, Christophe Lemaire, work his magic aboard the progressive Admire Hadar, who has won his last two starts

One question already was answered was whether Orthoclase, the runner-up from the Hopeful, was cranked up enough for his 2021 debut. He was not among the final declarations.

Other answers will come at the end of the 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles) of the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, G1). The outcome will set the stage for the remainder of the Triple Crown wars—the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1) May 30 and the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger, G1) Oct. 24 at Hanshin Racecourse.

If the Satsuki Sho is between Danon the Kid and Titleholder (the second-place horse in the Deep Impact Kinen, Schnell Meister, is absent from the field), connections of both are optimistic.

Takayuki Yasuda, who trains Danon the Kid, a Just a Way  colt, said he actually found encouragement in his runner's first defeat after three wins as a juvenile.

"It was a slow pace last time but he was a bit more patient than he was in the Hopeful Stakes," Yasuda said. "I thought he actually ran quite well, and he did have the fastest closing three-furlong time in the race."

Jockey Yuga Kawada said Danon the Kid's ability puts the burden of expectations on his shoulders to do well for Yasuda.

"There are plenty of strong horses at this stable, and it's my job to get the best out of them," Kawada said. "With this one being one of the best, and with a view to a run in the Derby, I want to do well with him in this race. He's certainly developing the right way."

Titleholder, by 2015 Satsuki Sho winner Duramente, is trained by Toru Kurita, who reported, "It was a good win for him last time, where he showed a lot of strength and some good footwork. He's quick from the gates, and I'm thinking this time, too, he can get to the front and run a strong race. With the way he's running, going off at a nice clip could be the right kind of race for him."

Others to consider include the top three from the Fuji TV Sho Spring Stakes (G2) at Nakayama March 21—Victipharus, Asamano Itazura, and Boden—and Deep Monster, a Deep Impact  colt with victories in both his previous 2021 starts.

The race starts in front of the grandstand and swings right-handed around what the Japanese call four corners—two turns in American parlance—on a relatively tight inner turf loop.

Last year's Satsuki Sho was won by Contrail, who went on to sweep the Triple Crown series while undefeated and finished second to Almond Eye  in the Japan Cup in Association with Longines (G1) at year's end.