Japan's startling run of international success may be coming at a cost to top-level competition in the nation's domestic program with the Takamatsunomiya Kinen (G1) March 27 at Chukyo Racecourse an early indicator.
The 1,200-meters (about six furlongs) sprint has a full field but only three of the prospective runners have a previous top-level win. And all of those triumphs came in 2-year-old seasons.
Meanwhile, the Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored by Azizi Developments (G1) one day earlier in Dubai lured away Lauda Sion and Entscheiden. Laudi Sion won the 2020 NHK Mile Cup (G1) at Tokyo Racecourse and most recently finished fourth in the 1351 Turf Sprint Presented by stc (G3T) in Saudi Arabia Feb. 26. Entscheiden was third in the Qatar Prix de la Foret (G1) at Longchamp Oct. 3 and 12th in the 1351 Turf Sprint.
That impact in itself isn't dramatic and Japan certainly has been sending some of its best horses overseas for decades. But the Takamatsunomiya Kinen is only the first in a string of 11 grade 1 races in Japan stretching through June. And with an unprecedented 23 Japanese-trained horses starting in Dubai and a few more having run last month in Saudi Arabia, it will be worth watching how long it takes to repatriate and rest those competitors for domestic rivalry.
Meanwhile, the sprinters staying home for the Takamatsunomiya Kinen are far from devoid of talent even if short on top-level wins.
Salios, a son of Heart's Cry, cuts back in distance after finishing third in the Longines Hong Kong Mile (G1) last December. His top-tier score came in the 2019 Asahi Hai Futurity (G1) and the Takamatsunomiya Kinen will be his first effort as short as 1,200 meters but trainer Noriyuki Hori said he sees no reason the 5-year-old can't learn a new trick.
"His inborn trait was one of the reasons I decided to run him here," Hori said. "His body type and footwork both lend themselves to short distances."
Hori did admit, however, that hoof issues have compromised Salios' training—a problem he addressed with a three-quarter shoe. "He has improved," the trainer said.
Resistencia, a 5-year-old Daiwa Major mare, won the 2019 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (G1) for her only top-level score but has finished second in five grade 1s. She missed in this race last year by just a neck, was second in the Sprinters Stakes (G1) in October, and second again in her most recent start, the accident-marred Longines Hong Kong Sprint (G1) in December.
Trainer Takeshi Matsushita said jockey Takeshi Yokoyama worked Resistencia up the hillside course at the training center March 16, "pushed her hard and clocked (about :50) ... The instruction for her work was to take the hill in (:52) and something and give her a bit of encouragement at the finish. The rider did just that and she looked very powerful."
Grenadier Guards, a Frankel colt, has raced primarily at the mile trip and won the Asahi Hai Futurity (G1) at that distance. Although he also tackles 1,200 meters for the first time, he has some sprinter blood from his dam, Wavell Avenue, winner of the 2015 TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) at Keeneland and second in the same event the following year at Santa Anita Park.
Salios drew the inside gate in a field of 18. Grenadier Guards was assigned No. 18 and Resistencia will start from the No. 7 stall.
