Newcomers to Japan Road square off in Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun

Dec 16, 2019 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

The first scoring race on the Japan Road, the November 23 Cattleya Sho at Tokyo, produced a potentially smart winner in Dieu du Vin. None of the Cattleya Sho runners will contest the second points race, Wednesday’s Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun, so the Japanese leaderboard will get a shake-up in the metric mile feature at Kawasaki.

The primary interest lies in the rematch between T M South Dan and Meisho Tensui, the respective top two from the Hyogo Junior Grand Prix at Sonoda. T M South Dan made good use of his tactical speed in that about seven-furlong stakes and had already stormed clear by the time Meisho Tensui found his best stride. The winner of three straight, T M South Dan keeps the astute Mirco Demuro aboard as he breaks from post 8 in a 13-horse field.

Meisho Tensui was 2-for-2 going into the Hyogo Junior Grand Prix, both wins coming at the premier venue of Tokyo. Interestingly, in his allowance score two back, he handily beat Daimei Corrida, who since placed third in the Cattleya Sho. Legendary jockey Yutaka Take, who was riding him for the first time at Sonoda, sticks with him here. Meisho Tensui had shown more early foot before, so perhaps Take will try to get him involved in the fray sooner from post 10.  

Chimera Verite captured his stakes debut in the Hokkaido Nisai Yushun, leading throughout and staying on strongly at about nine furlongs. Aside from the fact that he cuts back in trip, he also faces a form question. Two starts ago, Chimera Verite was only third in an allowance behind rivals who were later beaten by T M South Dan and Meisho Tensui.

The most intriguing of those stepping up to stakes company for the first time are undefeated Imperishable and the once-beaten pair of Vacation and Gold Builder.

Imperishable, a confirmed front runner, has raced exclusively over this track. After romping in his first three, he just lasted from Abenin Dream in his stiffest test so far. This promises to be an even tougher class check, especially with other speed in the mix.  

Vacation and Gold Builder both lost their perfect marks when third and fourth in the same race at Ohi in September. But each bounced back in ensuing starts. Vacation, who had crushed his first two here at Kawasaki, most recently scored at Funabashi to go 3-for-4. Gold Builder has extended his record to 4-for-5 with daylight scores at Kawasaki and Ohi.

Iolite is another worth a look in his stakes debut, although he also stretches out beyond a sprint for the first time. Beginning his career unsuccessfully on turf, Iolite has thrived on the surface switch to dominate both starts on the Nakayama dirt.

T’s Dunk sports a total of four wins from 10 starts, but must improve from a sixth behind Chimera Verite in the Hokkaido Nisai Yushun. Irogotoshi likewise needs to reverse form following a seventh to T M South Dan and Meisho Tensui at Sonoda.

Brig o’Doon suffered his first loss when fourth to Gold Builder in his latest, but since that came off a three-month holiday, he could move forward. Morino Break, the winner of four of nine, has more questions to answer in light of his fifth to Vacation. Tuna Blossom and Vaan Blues, each 1-for-9, look up against it at this level.

With its 20-8-4-2 points structure, the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun is worth twice as many points as the Cattleya Sho. The haul continues to increase in the two remaining legs of the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby, the Hyacinth S. (30-12-6-3) in February and the Fukuryu S. (40-16-8-4) in March.