The third leg of the Japanese Fillies Triple Crown, the Shuka Sho (G1) Oct. 19 at Kyoto Racecourse, finds the winners of the first two legs competing at a compromise distance.
Embroidery won the April 13 Oka Sho (Japanese One Thousand Guineas, G1) at 1,600 meters (about 1 mile). Kamunyak, who did not contest the Guineas, took the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks, G1) at 2,400 meters (about 1 1/2 miles) May 25 while Embroidery faded late to finish ninth.
The Shuka Sho is 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles) and connections of both fillies seem happy enough to meet at that middle ground although Embroidery's trainer, Kazutomo Mori, expressed some reservations about the configuration of the Kyoto layout.
"To be honest, I think the 2,000-meter inner course will not be easy," Mori said. "She has a very big stride and does better over a more spacious course.
"For the distance, she has only won races over 1,800 meters or less. But still, I think 2,000 meters is within her capabilities. Being able to sustain a good speed at length is her forte."
Kamunyak's conditioner, Yasuo Tomomichi, said his filly is in good form and has trained well.
"I think 2,000 meters will be a plus," Tomomichi said. "The biggest concern is starting in front of the stands. I think she'll be able to handle the ground even if it's a bit rain-affected."
Embroidery, a daughter of Admire Mars out of the Kurofune mare Rottenmeier, won two of four starts as a 2-year-old and finished second in another but only one was longer than a mile.
This season, she won the Daily Hai Queen Cup (G3) at 1,600 meters in her only prep for the Oka Sho.
Kamunyak, by Black Tide out of the Sakura Bakushin O mare Dance Amiga, is both bred for and experienced at longer races.
After starting with a victory in a 2,000-meter newcomer race in August 2024, she finished third in the Artemis Stakes (G3) at 1,600 meters at Tokyo Oct. 26 and was done for the year. Another 1,600-meter test in February produced a fourth-place finish in the Elfin Stakes and she was done with sprinting—and with losing.
She won her next start, the 2,000-meter Sho Flora Stakes (G2) at Tokyo Racecourse April 27 and rolled right on the Yushun Himba win. She built on that with an impressive win in the Sho Rose Stakes (G2) going 1,800 meters on the Hanshin turf Sept 14. In that, she overcame significant traffic trouble to win by 1 1/2 lengths.
She drew the 17 gate in a field of 18 with Embroidery in gate 11.
Others to watch:
Jocelyn, a daughter of Epiphaneia, was last seen finishing second in the Shion Stakes (G2) over 2,000 meters at Nakayama Racecourse. Out of Katies Heart, Jocelyn is a full sister to Efforia, who won the Satsuki Sho (Japanese Two Thousand Guineas, G1) in 2021, finished second in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1), and went on to win the Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1) and the Arima Kinen (G1) later that year.
Sena Style finished third in the Sho Rose, impressive for a filly whose career started late and was interrupted by injury.
