Derby Winners Return In Japan

[Wandering Eyes]

Wagnerian (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Rey de Oro (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}), the last two winners of the G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), both made successful returns to the races in Japan on Sunday.

This year’s winner, Wagnerian, was making his first start since that May 27 career high in Hanshin’s G2 Kobe Shinbun Hai, a prep for the Japanese St Leger. Traveling midpack as the field spread out down the backstretch, the bay began to gradually make up ground on the outside of runners rounding the last bend. Six-wide and still with about five lengths to make up at the top of the stretch, Wagnerian was under a drive through the stretch but got up in the dying strides to win with a degree of coziness by a half-length.

Last year’s Yushun winner Rey de Oro was the even-money favourite to make a successful return off a fourth in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic in March in Nakayama’s G2 Sankei Sho All Comers S., and he obliged by a neck over last year’s G1 Satsuki Sho (2000 Guineas) winner Al Ain (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). Racing near the rear of the pack and well off the rail around the first bend, Rey de Oro began to wind up rounding the final turn. Kicking into high gear upon straightening, he ran down a game Al Ain inside the final furlong to prevail by a neck.

Sunday, Nakayama, Japan
SANKEI SHO ALL COMERS-G2, ¥128,920,000, Nakayama, 9-23, 3yo/up, 2200mT, 2:11.20, fm.
1–REY DE ORO (JPN), 126, c, 4 by King Kamehameha (Jpn)
1st Dam: La Dorada (Jpn), by Symboli Kris S.
2nd Dam: Lady Blond, by Seeking the Gold
3rd Dam: Wind in Her Hair (Ire), by Alzao
O-Carrot Farm; B-Northern Farm; T-Kazuzo Fujisawa;
J-Christophe Lemaire; ¥67,854,000. Lifetime Record: G1SW-
Jpn, 10-6-1-1. *Full to Leyenda (Jpn), GSP-Jpn, $492,264; ½
to Tizona (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}), SW-Jpn, $595,985. Werk
Nick Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Al Ain (Jpn), 126, c, 4, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Dubai Majesty, by
Essence of Dubai. O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm;
¥27,244,000
3–Danburite (Jpn), 126, c, 4, Rulership (Jpn)–Tanzanite (Jpn), by
Sunday Silence. O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm;
¥17,122,000.
Margins: NK, 3, NK. Odds: 1.00, 4.00, 2.80.
Click for the JRA chart and video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

Sunday, Hanshin, Japan
KOBE SHIMBUN HAI-G2, ¥104,520,000, Hanshin, 9-23, 3yo, c/f, 2400mT, 2:25.60, fm.
1–WAGNERIAN (JPN), 123, c, 3, by Deep Impact (Jpn)
1st Dam: Miss Encore (Jpn), by King Kamehameha (Jpn)
2nd Dam: Broad Appeal, by Broad Brush
3rd Dam: Valid Allure, by Valid Appeal
O-Makoto Kaneko Holdings; B-Northern Farm; T-Yasuo
Tomomichi; J-Kota Fujioka; ¥54,714,000. Lifetime Record:
G1SW-Jpn, 7-5-1-0. *Full to Tenderly Voice (Jpn), SW & GSP-
Jpn, $393,219. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Etario (Jpn), 123, c, 3, Stay Gold (Jpn)–Hot Cha Cha, by Cactus
Ridge. (¥87,000,000 yrl ’16 JRHAJUL) O-G Riviere Racing;
B-Northern Farm; ¥22,204,000.
3–Meisho Tekkon (Jpn), 123, c, 3, Manhattan Cafe (Jpn)–A Shin
Velocity, by Lemon Drop Kid. O-Yoshio Matsumoto;
B-Shimoyashiki Farm; ¥14,102,000.
Margins: HF, HD, 2HF. Odds: 1.70, 3.60, 15.70.
Click for the JRA chart and video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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