Soul Stirring Looks to Rebound in Victoria Mile
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Photo: Masakazu Takahashi
Soul Stirring after her victory in the 2017 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) at Tokyo Racecourse
Japan's string of six straight weekly grade 1 races continues May 13 with the Victoria Mile for fillies and mares at Tokyo, featuring the winner of the 2017 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks, G1), Soul Stirring.
Soul Stirring gave Frankel his first winner at the top level when she scored in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies in December 2016. After the Yushun Himba victory, she was winless in three races, including the Tenno Sho (Autumn, G1) and Japan Cup (G1) to conclude her 3-year-old season. She returned to finish 10th in the Sankeisports Hai Hanshin Himba Stakes (G2) in her season debut April 7.
Christophe Lemaire, who has been aboard for all of Soul Stirring's starts save the Japan Cup, will be reunited with the filly.
The entries also include Miss Panthere, a Daiwa Major 4-year-old who boasts a four-race win streak. The latest victory was the Hanshin Himba, where she led gate-to-wire through a moderate pace, aided by a swing in the weights.
Admire Lead, who won last year's Victoria Mile after finishing second in the Hanshin Himba, returns for another try after a fourth-place showing in this year's Hanshin. She is a 5-year-old daughter of Stay Gold.
Aerolithe, a 4-year-old Kurofune filly, won the 2017 NHK Mile Cup (G1) but otherwise has not been a model of consistency at the top level.
The Victoria Mile, with a purse of about $1.74 million, is run left-handed on the sweeping Tokyo Racecourse turf oval. The favorite has won only three of the previous 12 editions of the race.