Asahai Hai Futurity Sorts Japan's Classics Contenders

A field full of promising 2-year-olds will get some sorting out in the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes (G1) Dec. 15 at Kyoto Racecourse, which is hosting the race while Hanshin Racecourse is closed for renovations.

More than half the 16 entries come off victories in their previous start. Five are undefeated, three of them boasting stakes wins.

At the end of the 1,600 meters (about one mile), the best of them will go into the mix with those emerging from the 2,000-meter (about 1 1/4 miles) Hopeful Stakes (G1) Dec. 28 as prime candidates for the 2025 Classics.

Museum Mile, a Leontes colt, has won his last two starts and was visually impressive in victory in the Kigiku Sho at 2,000 meters in November. He's had a short break and trainer Daisuke Takayanagi said he "looked a little heavy" on return from Northern Farm.

"But that was the same last time, and as he picks up in training, he doesn't seem heavy after being back for a while now," the trainer said.

Arte Veloce is undefeated after two races including the Saudi Arabia Royal Cup (G3) at Tokyo Racecourse in October. Jockey Yutaka Take said after a training spin on the Maurice  colt: "He's moving well and seems stronger than before. The distance of a mile really seems to suit him."

Panja Tower also is 2-for-2 with an upset victory, albeit by just a neck, in the Keio Hai Nisai Stakes (G2) at Tokyo Racecourse to his credit. The Tower of London  colt has yet to go farther than 1,400 meters (about seven furlongs) but trainer Shinsuke Hashiguchi said, "The jockey thinks a mile will suit him, and that he could have done even better in his last race if the ground had been better."

Arlecchino, by Bricks and Mortar , followed his first victory with a fifth-place showing in the Saudi Arabia Royal Cup. He is a half brother to Cervinia, winner of this year's Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks, G1). Leading jockey Christophe Lemaire is booked.

And for those who follow jockeys, as many do in Japan, Ryan Moore will be up on Nitamonodoshi, undefeated after two starts with a race-record time in his last outing; Yuga Kawada has the mount on Admire Zoom, a last-out winner at Kyoto; and Ryusei Sakai rides Taisei Current, a close second in the Saudi Arabia Royal Cup.

Shonan Xanadu, the only filly nominated to the race, finished fourth in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (G1) Dec. 8 at Kyoto and wasn't entered for the Futurity.

The race starts on the backstretch, runs around the outer loop of the turf course and finishes with a long sprint down the straight.

Jantar Mantar won the 2023 Asahi Hai Futurity, finished third in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese Two Thousand Guineas, G1) April 14 and won the NHK Mile Cup (G1) May 5. He was highly promoted by Japanese analysts before the Dec. 8 Hong Kong Mile (G1) but finished 13th off the long layoff.