The feature race at the Japan Racing Association this weekend is the Satsuki Sho (G1), the first leg of the Japanese Triple Crown, at Nakayama April 20. While it is recognized as the "Japanese Two Thousand Guineas", the distance of the Satsuki Sho is 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles)—400 meters further than Nemarket's Two Thousand Guineas (G1) contested at one mile.
The red-hot favorite is Sunday Racing's Croix du Nord, Japan's undefeated champion juvenile in 2024. His Dec. 28 performance in the Hopeful Stakes (G1) at the same course and distance was very impressive and reminds some of 2023 Longines World's Best Racehorse Equinox. Both Croix du Nord and Equinox are sons of Kitasan Black.
The horses he beat in the Hopeful have run very well in important Satsuki Sho prep races. For example, runner-up Giovanni won the March 22 Wakaba Stakes at Hanshin, third-place finisher Faust Rasen won the March 9 Yayoi Sho (G2) at Nakayama, fourth-place finisher Tjuta won the Jan. 25 Wakakoma Stakes at Nakayama, and 11th-place finisher Masquerade Ball won the Feb. 16 Kyodo News Hai at Tokyo Racecourse.
Horse racing fans in Japan look forward to watching how Croix du Nord, who is regarded as a Triple Crown prospect, performs in the Satsuki Sho Sunday.
