Smash In Sprinters Favoritism

[Wandering Eyes]

Group 1 action returns to Japan this weekend, with a GI Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint berth on the line in the G1 Sprinters S. at Nakayama. Danon Smash (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) has been consistent since sticking with six furlongs from the second half of his 3-year-old campaign last year, picking up three Group 3 wins, and he comes into this off a victory over Tower of London (Jpn) (Raven’s Pass) in the G3 Keeneland Cup on Aug. 25. Danon Smash was beaten 1 1/4 lengths in fourth in his last try at the highest level in the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen on Mar. 24.

“It was a big result last time, when you consider the draw he had and that he had to take the outside route all the way,” said trainer Takayuki Yasuda, who also conditioned Lord Kanaloa. “He showed a lot of class to hold the horse on the inside at the finish. He’s been working well back at the stable since that trip to Sapporo.”

That runner-up Tower of London, too, is doing well, according to assistant trainer Hideyuki Chishima, and what’s more is that the Godolphin colourbearer has posted a win since his Keeneland Cup second when setting a track record for his three-length win in Hanshin’s G2 Centaur S. over this trip on Sept. 8.

“He’s done well having two races in quick succession, and has handled the heat and the transportation well,” Chishima said. “It was just his third start over 1200 meters last time, but he changed gears impressively when it mattered, and then ran on strongly down the outside from the final turn.”

Danon Smash’s Takamatsunomiya Kinen conqueror Mr Melody (Scat Daddy) looks to become the sixth horse to take that sprinting feature and the Sprinters S. in the same season, but he will have to bounce back from a flat effort when eighth in the Centaur. “He didn’t quite manage to run on at the end last time, and even though he was in good shape, I put it down to him not having had a run for a while and not quite being so sharp,” said assistant trainer Nobuyuki Tashiro. “He’s come out of that race fine, and I think he’ll be different for this next race.”

There are a trio of 3-year-old fillies with an opportunity to capitalize with a weight break, and those include Dirndl (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}), who has stuck to this trip for all seven starts and has never been worse than second. She was runner-up in the G3 Kitakyushu Kinen returning off a break on Aug. 18.

“Despite missing the break last time, and having to run on later on the inside where the track condition was not so good, she put in a good run,” said trainer Yutaka Okumura. “It tells me she’s not worried about how a race might be run. She’s had a short break at the farm and all’s well with her.”

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