Kitten's Joy Colt Gendarme in Japan's Hopeful Stakes

The final grade 1 event of the Japanese season, the Hopeful Stakes at Nakayama Dec. 28, is a 2,000-meter test for 2-year-old prospects for the 2018 Classics that has attracted Gendarme, a Kentucky-bred colt by Kitten's Joy ; and Lucas (JPN), a full brother to Japan's 2015 Horse of the Year Maurice.

Koji Maeda's Gendarme is out of Sunday Silence mare Believe, a champion older mare in Japan who won the Takamatsunomiya Kinen and the Sprinters Stakes (both G1). He comes off a victory in the Daily Hai Nisai Stakes (G2) over 1,600 meters, making his record 2-for-2. Jockey Yutaka Take takes the mount for trainer Yasuo Ikee.

Ikee said the colt has "come out of his last race well and is developing nicely. He's a thin horse, but looks more muscular now."

Silk Racing Co.'s Lucas will be closely watched if only because of his relation to Maurice but the colt already has credentials of his own. He won at first asking at Sapporo over 1,800 meters in August, and then finished second to Wagnerian in the grade 3 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes going 1,800 meters at Tokyo in November.

Maurice, a son of Screen Hero, was a multiple grade/group 1 winner in both Japan and Hong Kong, scoring at distances out to 2,000 meters. Noriyuki Hori, who trained Maurice, also conditions Lucas, Mirco Demuro takes the mount.

Other promising horses in the big field include Flatley, a Heart's Cry (JPN) colt paired with jockey Christophe Lemaire, who is seeking his fifth Japanese grade 1 win of the year; Time Flyer, another by Heart's Cry, who has two wins and two seconds from four starts; and Jun Valerot and Sans Rival, both 2-for-2 so far.