As 2022 drew to a close, Liberty Island vaulted to glory with a victory in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (G1), then went on to win three group 1 events as a 3-year-old and finish second to Equinox in the Japan Cup (G1).
On Dec. 10, a new crop of fillies, largely promising but unproven, looks to start down the same road in the 75th running of the race. Twenty-six fillies were nominated to the event, and those with lesser resumes had to win a draw to get into the 18-horse field.
Fillies who have won a graded race have done well in the recent past in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies. So have those with multiple previous wins. Neither of those conditions applied to Liberty Island, though, so the race must be considered wide open.
Eight of the entries for this year's 1,600 meters (about one mile) boast undefeated records, but half of them had made only a single start and had to win the lottery draw to get to the gate. The undefeated fillies assured of a spot after multiple starts are Ascoli Piceno, Culture Day, and Corazon Beat. Ascoli Piceno and Culture Day also have graded stakes wins to their credit.
Ascoli Piceno is 2-for-2 and, in her last start, took the Niigata Nisai Stakes (G3), defeating colts.
"The jockey (Hiroshi Kitamura) rode her last week and got a reading on her," trainer Yoichi Kuroiwa said of Ascoli Piceno. "She's not overly tense, was easily maneuverable, and picked it up nicely in the finish."
G3 2YO 1600m Niigata Nissai Stakes :
— Graham Pavey (@LongBallToNoOne) August 27, 2023
Won by the filly 12. ASCOLI PICENO (Daiwa Major x Ascolti (Danehill Dancer x Listen)) under Hiroshi Kitamura
1.33.8 for the Mile.
2 for 2 now.
Grand-dam LISTEN 🇮🇪 a G1 winner in 🇬🇧#JRA #babyracing pic.twitter.com/kcOCHfKSdf
Culture Day also remains unbeaten after two starts, including the all-filly Fantasy Stakes (G3) at Kyoto on Nov. 4. Those victories came at 1,200 meters (about six furlongs) and 1,400 meters (about seven furlongs), and she will have to deal with the added 200 meters down a long stretch at Hanshin.
Trainer Hirofumi Shii noted Culture Day was the 15th pick in the mutuels for the Fantasy but "surpassed my expectations. I think it's simply because she has gotten that much better. Things went well after that.
"Key will be how she handles the longer distance this time and the hill," Shii added.
The "hill" is an upward turn on the Hanshin course starting about 200 meters from the finish, one of several undulations on the turf layout.
Corazon Beat also has plenty to prove despite a record including three wins from four starts.
Corazon Beat's most recent score was in the Keio Hai Nisai Stakes (G2) Nov. 4 in a snappy time. While she has handled 1,600 meters, she has raced only to the left and will have to turn around at Hanshin.
"I was extremely happy about her win of the Keio Hai Nisai Stakes," said trainer Shizuya Kato. "She was a bit slow away and had to race from behind, which made it scary to watch. But, in the end, her having to go all out was probably a good thing. She was tired after that and went to the farm for about a week and came back looking refreshed."
