The Teio Sho, which will conclude the first half of the 2025 season at the National Association of Racing, takes place at 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles) on Oi Racecourse's dirt track July 2. Fourteen horses were entered in the ¥138.25 million (approx. US$950,000) race at the final declaration stage June 29.
Since Saudi Cup (G1) winner Forever Young is taking a break after returning home from a third in the April 5 Dubai World Cup (G1), the Teio Sho field looks wide open.
The likely favorite is Kenji Ryotokuji's Wilson Tesoro, who was a narrowly beaten second to King's Sword in this race last year. The 6-year-old horse by Kitasan Black ran twice in the Middle East earlier this year, finishing fourth in the Saudi Cup (G1) and sixth in the Dubai World Cup.
Meisho Hario, winner of the Teio Sho in 2022 and 2023, is still kept in top form as an 8-year-old. The Inao Okada trainee won the Kawasaki Kinen April 9 and has earned ¥613,305,000 (approx. US$4.21 million) for Yoshio Matsumoto.
A rising power in Japan's dirt division is Mikki Fight, who finished second to Forever Young in the inaugural running of the Japan Dirt Classic (G1) at Oi in October. The 4-year-old colt by Drefong won the Antares Stakes (G3) at Hanshin April 19 by 2 1/2 lengths.
