THE first the colts’ classic of the year, the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas), was won impressively by Efforia at Nakayama last Sunday.
Sixteen runners went to post for the 10-furlong contest, with €1.1 million on offer. Efforia, trained by Yuichi Shikato, was last seen on the racetrack in the Group 3 Kyoto News Hai, historically a reliable classic trial. The unbeaten colt had sauntered to his first group win over 1800 metres at Tokyo, however, substantial late betting support for Group 1 winner Danon The Kid saw the latter go off as favourite on Sunday.
Breaking from stall seven, Efforia bounced spritely to position himself in a pocket behind the pace. The colt, with 22-year-old Takeshi Yokoyama in charge, travelled menacingly in third and fourth throughout.
As the field entered the homestretch, Yokoyama remained patient on the inside where Efforia had little racing room. Once a gap appeared at the 300-metre marker, Efforia accelerated to take the lead and bounded clear to win by three lengths in a hugely impressive performance.
Titleholder ran on to finish in second with Stella Veloce finishing a further neck behind in third. The fast finishing Admire Hadar was fourth, giving the impression a step up in distance will see the colt in a better light. Danon The Kid raced prominently but quickly retreated early in the straight, finishing 15th of the 16 runners.
Gleaming smile
Not even the mandatory facemask could hide the gleaming smile of Yokoyama in the post-race interviews. He has ridden 26 winners including four graded successes. The Ibaraki-native is the son of veteran rider Norihiro Yokoyama.
Efforia is the second foal out of the three-time JRA dirt winner Katies Heart (Heart’s Cry). Efforia is also the second classic winner for his young sire, Epiphaneia. Daring Tact was successful in the fillies’ Triple Crown in 2020 for the sire as his value rapidly rises in the Japanese stallion rankings. The Japan Cup-winner stands at Shadai Stallion Station in Hokkaido, for a fee of €80,000 for 2021.
With the authority in which Efforia decimated the leading colts of his generation, he will be a hot favourite for the Tokyo Yushun (Derby equivalent).
However, an unseen variable has been thrown into the mix with the inclusion of the filly Satono Reinas in the Yushun entries with connections confirming their intention to compete in the race. Satono Reinas was last seen finishing a slightly unlucky but eye-catching second to Sodashi in the Oka Sho. While it is not unheard of for fillies to run in the Yushun rather than the Yushun Himba (Oaks), she will be the first of her gender to run in the 12-furlong classic since Red Reveur (12th) in 2014 and will bid to become only the fourth filly in history to win the Japanese Derby and the first since Vodka in 2007.
Following the betting trends of racing since Covid restrictions were introduced, turnover for the 2021 Satsuki Sho increased 24.7% year on year.
DECLARED the best steeplechaser in Japan in 2020 by the annual JRA awards, Meisho Dassai confirmed that mantle in Japan’s most prestigious jumps race. Poised just behind the pace throughout, Meisho Dassai produced a round of slick jumping and a nice turn of foot to win the Grade 1 Nakayama Grand Jump by an eased down four lengths.
At the ripe old age of 10, five-time Grand Jump winner with over €6 million in career earnings Oju Chosen finished a distant fifth, fading quickly in the last furlong.
Trained by Yuji Ida for his jumps career, Meisho Dassai had a far from prolific career on the flat in the JRA. From 19 starts the son of Suzuka Mambo won and was placed once before switching codes. A switch that has proved to be nothing less than incredible.
Meisho Dassai is a nine-time winner over obstacles from 17 starts finishing outside the first three just twice. The eight-year-old has won in excess of €3 million over fences.