Myriad Love beats the boys in Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun

Dec 12, 2024 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Undefeated filly Myriad Love is the new leader on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby, picking up 20 points for her victory in Wednesday’s Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun at Kawasaki. Plans call for her to target the Feb. 22 Saudi Derby (G3), just as the past two winners of this race did – Derma Sotogake and Forever Young.

Trained by Koichi Shintani, who already has Kentucky Derby (G1) experience with 2022 participant Crown Pride, Myriad Love was dispatched as the 4.60-1 second choice in Japan’s biggest race for juveniles on dirt. Natural Rise was favored in light of his score in the Cattleya S., the first leg of the Japan Road series, but he wound up a non-threatening fourth.

Myriad Love broke from post 10 and quickly settled into a stalking second as the other filly, Holy Grail, sped to the lead. Happy Man and Copano Vincent raced virtually in tandem in the next flight, while Natural Rise was chasing them.

Rounding the far turn, Myriad Love surged to the front and established a decisive advantage. Happy Man stayed on in deep stretch to reduce the margin to three-quarters of a length, but Myriad Love was always in control.

With regular rider Atsuya Nishimura aboard, Myriad Love negotiated the metric mile on a good track in 1:42.4. She became the first female to win the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun since Rieno Tesoro (2016)

【#全日本2歳優駿 結果】
1着 10ミリアッドラヴ
2着 7ハッピーマン
3着 5ソルジャーフィルド

第75回全日本2歳優駿(JpnI)は西村淳也騎手騎乗のミリアッドラヴが制しました。 pic.twitter.com/Z1tNuT0i3v

— 地方競馬全国協会(NAR)公式 (@nar_keiba) December 11, 2024

Happy Man earned 10 points for his runner-up effort. Soldier Field edged Natural Rise for third, good for six points.

Natural Rise still isn’t as comfortable on a left-handed track, according to jockey Takeshi Yokoyama. His fourth-place finish netted four points, giving him a total of 14.

Jugemoon flew late to snatch fifth (two points), just missing third in a photo. Will Aureole, Gran Giorno, King Minister, Holy Grail, Copano Vincent, and Kamuy Kar concluded the order under the wire.

Owned by the glamorous Asuka Shiraishi, whose appearance during the postrace festivities generated plenty of buzz in Japanese media, Myriad Love is now 3-for-3. The bay won her first two starts going about seven furlongs, a newcomers’ event at Chukyo over males and the Oct. 31 Edelweiss Sho at Mombetsu.

Myriad Love is by New Year’s Day, the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) hero best known for siring champion Maximum Security.

Bred by Northern Farm in Japan, Myriad Love is the second foal from Ladybird, whose first filly is Group 3-placed Steelblue. Ladybird, by the Sunday Silence-line stallion Smart Falcon, hails from the immediate family of accomplished dirt performer Testa Matta, hero of the 2009 Japan Dirt Derby and 2012 February (G1).