Juvenile racing began last weekend at JRA, with the first 2-year-old maiden race of 2022 going to Diamond Hands, the first starter for freshman sire Satono Diamond.
A son of Deep Impact, Satono Diamond won the 2016 Kikuka Sho-Japanese St. Leger (G1) and Arima Kinen Grand Prix (G1) for owner Hajime Satomi and trainer Yasutoshi Ikee. He was awarded Japanese champion 3-year-old colt in 2016. Satono Diamond began stud duty at Shadai Stallion Station in 2019, producing 97 foals the following spring.
Bred by Northern Farm, Diamond Hands is out of Mecha Corta, a group 1 winner in the Argentinian One Thousand Guineas (Mil Guineas (G1)). Similarly, the Argentine mare Malpensa,the dam of Satono Diamond, was also a group 1 winner in her native country.
Diamond Hands is campaigned by Sunday Racing and trained by his sire's trainer, Ikee. The colt took to post as the 11-5 favorite among a field of nine runners in the June 4 1,600-meter turf maiden event at Chukyo Racecourse. Settled into the fourth position early by Yuichi Fukunaga, Diamond Hands powered late down the stretch to score by 1 1/4 lengths.
"He is a very well-balanced horse," Fukunaga said. "I am sure 1,600 meters is too short, and longer is better as far as distance."
Diamond Hand's younger sibling, a filly by Maurice will be offered during the yearling session of the JRHA Select Sale July 11 as Hip 93.
