Drefong Colt Takes First Leg of Japan's Triple Crown

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Drefong Colt Takes First Leg of Japan's Triple Crown
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Photo: Courtesy of Japan Racing Association
Geoglyph wins the Satsuik Sho at Nakayama Racecourse

Geoglyph summoned one last burst of effort through the final strides to win the Satsuki Sho (Japanese Two Thousand Guineas, G1) April 17 at Nakayama Racecourse by a length over Equinox, giving his sire Drefong  his first top-level victory in Japan.

The favorite in the first leg of the Japanese Triple Crown, Do Deuce, was left too much to do through the stretch run and settled for third, another 1 1/4 lengths in arrears and a neck in front of Danon Beluga.

Geoglyph, with Yuichi Fukunaga in the irons, completed the 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles) in 1:59.7. His win ensured a lively competition for the second leg of the Triple Crown, the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1), May 29 at Tokyo Racecourse with several of the top 2-year-olds from 2021 now needing to mount comeback efforts to compete through that series.

Fukunaga kept Geoglyph in mid-field through most of the Satsuki Sho, outside rivals and out of any potential traffic issues. He moved up well out toward the middle of the course as the field swung into the stretch with work still to do.

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The final 200 meters devolved to a test of wills between Geoglyph and Equinox, a Kitasan Black  colt ridden by Christophe Lemaire. Equinox took the lead as Geoglyph seemed to falter briefly before finding another gear through the final strides to draw even and edge clear.

Fukunaga said he rode confidently with faith in his colt's conditioning.

"His start was good and we were able to sit in an ideal position, which was crucial in winning today," the rider said. "I already knew that he was in good form when I rode him during workouts and had every belief that, although the colt was fifth pick (in the wagering), he was capable of winning today.

"The colt has the strength to sustain his speed so I geared him wide, launching an early bid before the fourth corner."

The Satsuki Sho was the longest race of Geoglyph's five-race career and his pedigree could cause concern about more distance in his near future. His sire, Drefong, was the 2016 Eclipse Award champion sprinter with that year's victories including the Ketel One King's Bishop Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course and the TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at Santa Anita Park, at 7 furlongs and 6 furlongs, respectively.

But Drefong's sire Gio Ponti   was a grade 1 winner on both turf and dirt at distances out to 1 1/4 miles.

"In the upcoming Derby," Fukunaga said, "we'll have to see if he can handle the 400-meter added distance."

Geoglyph won his first two races, both at 1,800 meters (about 1 1/8 miles), then finished fifth in the Asahi Hai Futurity (G1), won by Do Deuce, to cap his 2-year-old season. He returned Feb. 13 in the Kyodo News Hai (G3) at Tokyo Racecourse behind Danon Beluga.

Tetsuya Kimura, who trains both the top two finishers, put the February defeat down to training issues and lauded Fukunaga's effort in the interim to get the colt ready for the first leg of the Triple Crown.

"This time, his race jockey has got a good feel for him and has made sure the horse has started smoothly in his training, and also got him into a good rhythm, so he could save his legs for the finish," Kimura said.

Kimura notched his first classic win and second Japan Racing Association grade 1 title.

The first four finishers were all bred by Northern Farm. Geoglyph carries the familiar silks of Sunday Racing Co. and Equinox represents Silk Racing Co.

Geoglyph is out of the grade 1-placed King Kamehameha  mare Aromatico. Drefong, the leading freshman sire in Japan in 2021, is standing the 2022 season for an advertised fee of ¥7 million at Shadai Stallion Station.