Japanese Globetrotters Staying Home for Tenno Sho

With only a single Japanese horse pre-entered for the Breeders' Cup World Championships races, several of that country's globetrotting stars are lining up instead for the Tenno Sho (Autumn, G1) Oct. 30 at Tokyo Racecourse.

The 2,000-meter (about 1 1/4 miles) event features Shahryar , the winner of the 2021 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1) and this year's Longines Dubai Sheema Classic (G1). The Deep Impact  colt is fresh, having rested since finishing fourth in the Prince of Wales's Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot.

Panthalassa , a 5-year-old by Lord Kanaloa , won the Dubai Turf Sponsored by DP World (G1) in a dead heat with Lord North  on the same program at Meydan in March. Jack d'Or enters the Tenno Sho as the winner of six of his last seven starts, including the Aug. 21 Sapporo Kinen (G2) in which Panthalassa finished second.

Uberleben, a 4-year-old Gold Ship  filly, won the 2021 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks, G1) and finished fifth behind Shahryar in the Sheema Classic.

Three-year-olds also step up against older company in the Tenno Sho, foreshadowing showdowns in some of the climactic races during the final two months of Japan's 2022 racing calendar.

Equinox and Danon Beluga were runner-up and fourth in this year's Tokyo Yushun. Geoglyph won the Satsuki Sho (Japanese Two Thousand Guineas, G1) before throwing in a clunker in the Derby.

Trainer Hideaki Fujiwara said all seems well with Shahryar, who hasn't run since Royal Ascot. The colt drew gate No. 8 in a field of 15 and Cristian Demuro is booked for the ride.

"It has been a while since he's raced, so he worked on the hill course on Oct. 23, because the horse doesn't concentrate enough on the flat," Fujiwara said. "He looked nice and sharp in the finish. Jockey Yuichi Fukunaga rode him on the flat on Oct. 19, and both riders said that the horse felt very good, both mentally and physically, and was very much in sync with his body.

"Because of the considerable time between races, I've worked him with other horses to simulate a race somewhat. His times are good and he's in expected shape. He has had a lot of experience abroad and I'm not worried about whether he can handle 2,000 meters or 2,400 meters. I know he can."

By contrast, trainer Yoshito Yahagi said he's had some trouble keeping Panthalassa's weight up while traveling between the farm on Hokkaido and his Ritto training center.

"We got the weight back up and he's been looking better," Yahagi said. "This week, I wanted to give him just a regular workout since we have the trip to Tokyo ahead of us."

The connections of all three 3-year-olds reported their charges have matured and filled out during the summer and seem ready to take on new challenges.

"The classic races were difficult for this horse in the spring and he didn't have the kind of growth he needed until the summer," said Danon Beluga's trainer, Noriyuki Hori. "He is now refreshed and prepared to best suit this race."

Trainer Yuichi Fukunaga said the start will be crucial for Geoglyph with outside barriers a handicap at the Tokyo 2,400 meters. His fears on that score were alleviated when the Drefong  colt was assigned the No. 6 stall.

The race starts in front of the grandstand and runs left-handed with, on a clear day, a view of Mount Fuji beyond the first turn. The horses face a stiff uphill climb through the early stages of the long stretch run.