White Filly Sodashi Returns in Shuka Sho

Sodashi, the striking white filly who has captured the imagination of Japanese racing fans, returns to action Oct. 17 in the Shuka Sho (G1) at Hanshin Racecourse, looking to avenge her only career loss in a rematch with Uberleben.

The Shuka Sho is the third leg of the Japanese Filly Triple Crown. Sodashi won the first leg, the Oka Sho (Japanese One Thousand Guineas, G1). Uberleben, officially brown but dark enough that Japan Racing Association staff refer to her as black, turned the tables the tables in the second leg of the series—the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks, G1).

The outcome of the rematch could hinge on the cutback in distance from the 2,400 meters (about 1 1/2 miles) of the Oaks to the 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles) of the Shuka Sho.

Uberleben, by Gold Ship , finished in Sodashi's wake in each of their first three meetings. Then, in the May 23 Oaks, Uberleben was last of 18 on the backstretch before starting her winning move while Sodashi raced near the lead, moved to challenge early in the stretch run, and tired to finish eighth.

It was the first time Sodashi had been asked to go farther than 1,600 meters (about 1 mile) and her sire, Kurofune , by French Deputy, was held generally not to produce runners capable of much more.

The white wonder got a summertime break after the May 23 Oaks and answered the distance-limit question with an impressive victory in the Sapporo Kinen (G2) Aug. 22, going 2,000 meters against older rivals. Breeders' Cup candidate Loves Only You  finished second in that race.

Jockey Hayato Yoshida said Sodashi's attitude has sharpened since the Sapporo race.

"Her mood started returning more to what it was in the spring when she'd been tense and nervous," Yoshida said. "But she also showed strength I hadn't seen in the spring grade 1's and the way she took the bit. Everything about her felt more powerful."

Uberleben's trainer, Takahisa Tezuka, said since the Oaks his filly has recovered from a tendon inflammation in her left foreleg and seems ready to run.

"This week's fast work saw her the most on her game. Her movement was good and her mental outlook seems positive enough," Tezuka said.

Sodashi drew gate 4 while Uberleben, with Mirco Demuro to ride, got the 11 slot.

While the focus is on Sodashi vs. Uberleben, there are other contenders on the horizon and in this field.

Promising standouts include Oka Sho third-place finisher Fine Rouge and the second, fourth, and fifth-place finishers in the Oaks, respectively—Akaitorino Musume, Tagano Passion, and Art de Vivre. Andvaranaut enters off her first graded stakes win, an effort impressive enough to attract some support.

Fine Rouge, by Kizuna , has won three of six starts but, like Sodashi, faltered when asked to tackle the Oaks distance, finishing 11th. Akaitorino Musume, a daughter of the late Deep Impact , won three in a row before finishing fourth in the Oka Sho and second in the Oaks.

Tagano Passion and Andvaranaut are both by the late King Kamehameha. 

Andvaranaut's victory in the Kansai Telecasting Corp. Sho Rose Stakes (G2) at Chukyo Racecourse Sept. 19 was her second straight and improved her record to three wins and three seconds from six starts. Tagano Passion returned from summer vacation to throw in a clunker in the Chukyo heat, reporting 12th.