All prep races are done, and the field for the 93rd running of the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1T) at Tokyo Racecourse May 31 has taken shape.
As of May 17, there are 18 3-year-old intended runners, which is the maximum field for the Japanese Derby, with 11 of them having last raced in the April 19 Satsuki Sho (Japanese Two Thousand Guineas, G1T) at Nakayama Racecourse. The likely favorite is Forest Racing's Lovcen, who won the first leg of the Japanese Triple Crown for 3-year-olds.
Lovcen, trained by Haruki Sugiyama, made a successful debut at Kyoto Nov. 9 when he won a maiden for unraced 2-year-olds by 3 lengths. His next start was the Dec. 27 Hopeful Stakes (G1T) at Nakayama. Though it was a big step up, he captured his first grade 1 win by three-quarters of a length.
His unbeaten record stopped at Tokyo Feb. 15, when he finished third in the Kyodo News Hai (G3T). Lovcen then collected his second top-flight conquest, winning the Satsuki Sho.
While this is first time for him to run a race beyond 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles), he is by World Premiere, who won the 2019 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger, G1T) over 3,000 meters (about 1 7/8 miles) and the 2021 Tenno Sho Spring (G1T) over 3,200 meters (about 2 miles), and his pedigree suggests an extra 2 furlongs should be beneficial for him.
The main rival for Lovcen is Realize Sirius, who defeated Lovcen when winning the Kyodo News Hai, but finished second to him in the Satsuki Sho.
