More Japanese-based Triple Crown nominees to watch

Feb 13, 2024 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Gonbade Qabus

Gonbade Qabus was last seen winning the Saudi Arabia Royal Cup (Photo copyright Japan Racing Association)

Continued from Part I on the Japan Road leaders…

Hyacinth will remake the Japan Road leaderboard

Aside from George Tesoro, six other Triple Crown nominees could square off in the Hyacinth on Sunday – Ballon d’Or, Habire, Hortobagy, Ramjet, and the Yahagi duo of Taisei Real and Y Y Legend. We’ll have more to say about them in the Hyacinth preview once the field is finalized later this week.

Arguably the most interesting of that group are Habire, Ballon d’Or, and Ramjet.

Habire, yet another son of Henny Hughes, traces through his maternal line to the dam (mother) of Alydar. Second on debut to Amante Bianco, Habire surged late to win at Chukyo when last seen July.

Ramjet has won two of his four starts, with both wins coming on an “off” track (with residual moisture) at Chukyo. By the A.P. Indy stallion Majestic Warrior (the sire of 2013 Kentucky Oaks [G1] winner Princess of Sylmar), Ramjet is among the Maeda family’s nominees – more on them below.

Ballon d’Or is trained by Mikio Matsunaga, who sent out the popular Lani for a creditable run through all three jewels of the 2016 Triple Crown. By New Year’s Day, the sire of champion Maximum Security, and from the family of Japanese Triple Crown sweeper Orfevre, Ballon d’Or was a well-beaten third behind Forever Young in their mutual debut. He won his next two (dirt starts) convincingly, but then checked in a near-miss third in the Jan. 17 Bluebird Cup at Funabashi.

Note that the Bluebird Cup is a prep for Japan’s new Dirt Triple Crown, comprising the April 24 Haneda Hai, June 5 Tokyo Derby, and Japan Dirt Classic on Oct. 2. Kentucky Derby aspirants could turn up at some point in that series as well.

Watch for the turf-to-dirt angle

Two unbeaten turf performers who were scratched from the Dec. 28 Hopeful (G1) with setbacks, Gonbade Qabus and Sunrise Earth, could switch surfaces.

Gonbade Qabus is the lone nominee for top trainer Noriyuki Hori, an interesting fact in itself. The Bricks and Mortar colt is 2-for-2 on turf, including the Oct. 7 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup (G3). Withdrawn from the Hopeful after getting sick, the Shadai-bred underwent a procedure to correct an entrapped epiglottis in early January. Connections are reportedly keeping all options open during his recuperation period.

Sunrise Earth, who won his about 1 1/4-mile Kyoto debut in front-running fashion, was ruled out of the Hopeful by a bruised left front hoof. From the first crop of Japanese turf star Rey de Oro, he is a half-brother to Grade 3 dirt scorer Seraphic Call, and a descendant of Canadian Hall of Fame racemare Glorious Song.

Sunrise Earth’s owner, Life House Co., has another nominee in the Yahagi-trained Sunrise Soleil, who overcame a slow start to win his debut on dirt at Kyoto Jan. 21 under a hand ride. Sunrise Soleil subsequently tried turf and checked in fourth in a Feb. 4 Tokyo allowance. By Kizuna, a champion son of Deep Impact who is extending his legacy at stud, Sunrise Soleil is out of Chilean champion Solaria, a Scat Daddy mare. That makes him a half-brother to multiple Grade 1-placed turf performer Curren Bouquetd’or.

Well-bred and undefeated so far

Mikki Fight, by U.S. champion sprinter Drefong and a half-brother to Japanese Grade 1 winner Jun Light Bolt, is a perfect 2-for-2 so far. Flying from far back to catch an erratic leader in his Tokyo debut, Mikki Fight turned in a more straightforward conquest in a Dec. 10 Nakayama allowance. The Hirayasu Tanaka pupil rolled from just off the pace as much the best, appreciating the step up to about 1 1/8 miles.

Triple Crown champion and red-hot sire Justify has a Japanese-based hopeful in Danon K Two, who showed tenacity and resolve to get up in an about 1 1/8-mile newcomers’ race at Kyoto Jan. 13. He stands to inherit abundant stamina from his dam (mother), the Galileo mare Enticed, who is a full sister to 2017 Irish Derby (G1) and St Leger (G1) victor Capri.

Danon K Two’s owner, Danox Co. Ltd., has another debut winner in Danon Pyrenees. Unveiled on the Kyoto turf Jan. 21, Danon Pyrenees stayed on well to prevail in the about 1 1/4-mile event. By Kizuna, he is out of Tammy the Torpedo, a multiple Grade 3 winner on the American turf for Chad Brown.

The trainer of Danon Pyrenees, Daisuke Takayanagi, also has debut dirt winner Gaura Spark. From the first crop of the Deep Impact stallion Roger Barows, he just won a newcomers’ event at Nakayama on Sunday.

T O Password, by Japanese dirt champ Copano Rickey, prompted the pace before kicking away with authority at Kyoto Jan. 6. Shadai-bred Windfall, by 2008 Kentucky Derby participant Pyro, scored handsomely in his Dec. 23 premiere at Nakayama. Always prominent, the gray drew off by 2 1/2 lengths.

Maeda runners aplenty

The Maeda family has been involved in the American classics, memorably through homebreds Lani and Sunday Break, the third-placer in the 2002 Belmont (G1). They could be back on the scene with several nominees in their orbit, including aforementioned Hyacinth entrant Ramjet.

Eclipse Ruban, by Sinister Minister from the immediate family of Japanese dirt star Transcend, won his Jan. 20 debut at Nakayama under wraps. Three lengths clear at the wire of the about 1 1/8-mile affair, the favorite might have won by even more had he been asked.

Not Enough, a son of Majestic Warrior, hails from the family of Sunday Break (and Kizuna). He has won two straight, most recently beating Hyacinth entrants Hortobagy and Y Y Legend in a Jan. 8 Kyoto allowance. While he was workmanlike from off the pace, Not Enough hadn’t raced since his Sept. 30 daylight maiden score at Hanshin.

Strength, another Sinister Minister colt, overcame being hung out wide from post 16 to win at Kyoto in his second try Jan. 28. Celebrate Yell, a son of Kizuna and 2011 Del Mar Oaks (G1) queen Summer Soiree, was under a drive to assert by three lengths in his switch to dirt at Kyoto Jan. 6.

Notable connections, both human and equine

Mandarin Hero’s trainer, Terunobu Fujita, has nominated the unbeaten Call Sign. He is based on the National Association of Racing (NAR) circuit, as opposed to the prestigious Japan Racing Association (JRA), but Mandarin Hero demonstrated that an NAR runner can’t be underestimated. Call Sign is 2-for-2, both going a metric mile at Oi. Bred on the same cross as Amante Bianco, he is by Henny Hughes and out of a mare by Kurofune.

Arare Tabashiru scored in a Nakayama allowance last time out on Jan. 7, moving his record to 2-for-3 since switching to dirt. His only dirt loss came by a head to a useful rival (the filly Ammothyella, who won the aforementioned Bluebird Cup over Triple Crown nominees Ecoro Gaia and Ballon d’Or). Arare Tabashiru is by Cape Blanco, one of Galileo’s champion sons.

Well-bred Ecoro Gaia is trained by Hideyuki Mori, the pioneer who shipped Ski Captain to the 1995 Derby. By Speightstown and from the family of 2010 Derby star Super Saver, Ecoro Gaia is a bit exposed at this point with eight starts. Both of his wins have come at about six furlongs, but he did hang tough for second in a battling finish in the about 1 1/8-mile Bluebird Cup.

Mori’s other nominees include Bushin, the $800,000 full brother to 2020 Derby champion Authentic who was last in the Cattleya, and Jasper Robusto, fifth as the favorite in the Ammothyella/Arare Tabashiru allowance.

The trainer of Hyacinth entrant Habire, Ryo Takei, has a few other nominees. Perhaps the best of those is Gran Orca, the winner of his past two sprinting. But he’s bred to go further, being by Liam’s Map and out of a full sister to 2022 Santa Anita H. (G1) victor Express Train, and he closed from well off the pace in his Dec. 3 Nakayama allowance.

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