Super-rich $4m Japan Classic Draws 11
This Sunday at Japan Racing, the feature race will be the Japan Classic, a 12-furlong test for 3yo’s and up. Surprisingly, the 4 million $$$$ purse has failed to draw a full field.
However, the runners that have entered the event have demonstrated a ton of talent that has gathered a whopping fourteen Grade 1 trophies among them. In short, these runners have game!
Let’s take a peek:
ARTHURIAN DIGGER finished six lengths behind CTHULHU REIGNS last time out, and the 3yo Camelot gelding has only a maiden win to his credit. Still, the 6ward3 trainee from the Northwest Racing Circuit has run his best races at the classic distances and his day may come, eventually. But not likely here, as he gets 56/1 odds.
FRANKIE’S IMPACT, running for LBailey Racing Stables of Empire State Racing, is a royally-bred scratch-bred 3yo son of Frankel that has never tried stakes company. However, his last two allowance wins by a combined 19 lengths have had the racing writers abuzz. This is a gigantic step up in class and age group, but stranger things have happened… 20/1 is kinda tasty.
FRANKS STAR FORTY is raced by one of the few top-level stable groups that doesn’t belong to a residency, but it hasn’t slowed him down a bit. Stockswami’s top earner has won seven of his late starts, including the G1 Sword Swallower Stakes and the G! Ark De Comicdog, both of these being dazzling runaways at today’s distance. The 4yo son of Frankel has already earned 4.5 million and looks to be primed for more. He’s co-favored at 7/2.
CTHULHU REIGNS hails from the highly successful Waremblem5 stable group and comes off a solid victory in the G1 Grand Carlos Stakes at Argentina. A 4yo son of American Pharoah, he appears to be tackling a bit tougher field in this event and gets a 7/1 price. Can’t count him out, though…
TIANA TARBH is an interesting one… Sort of. A 4yo gelded son of Raging Bull, he is certainly sharp, crushing the field in three straight… Starter allowances. He was claimed for 15k just before that, and the idjit trainer has decided to ship this overmatched runner all the way from Paris. BTW, I can call this trainer an idjit all I want because… I am that idjit. Kiddman Stables, here to try and beat the water truck. I may not be sharp, but my horse is, 113+ speed in his last three dominant wins. I figured I’d see at least 15/1, but the CPU sees it differently, at 6/1.
BRING ME TO CHURCH owns four of those Grade 1 trophies and also has a pair of Grade 3’s, and goes off at 6/1. His most recent of the Grade 1’s came after an 11-length blowout win in the September 21 Coalminer Cup. From the Worldclass group of the Orphan Racing residency, The 4yo by St Mark’s Basilica’s next try came just three weeks ago in the BB Turf; that one didn’t go anywhere near so well as he faded to 11th. Says trainer worldclass3, “I have no idea why he didn’t try in that race, but he seemed fine and fresh afterward. Might be a quick return to the races, but he’s been kicking down the stall doors, so we’re giving it a shot.”
CARJA’S BANE is a 3yo by Uncle Mo that really had things going his way a few months ago, but the wheels have come off a bit since. Despite this, his $4.8m earnings are the top number for Lenny’s powerful 225-stable racing group. Of course, 3.6 of those millions came in one race, the Derby de English back in June. Does this horse only wake up for extra-huge purses? Looks like he’ll need a really big effort to grab some of that juicy cash here, though… 11/1 seems fair…
WE GOOD seems to have drifted off his game a bit and the 4yo Sea The Stars gelding needs to find another gear. The Beerkeg trainee from the MIDAS rez might be in over his head with this bunch, and the CPU ‘capper agrees, setting at 12/1.
HEART’S RAGE tries 12 furlongs for the first time since getting his second straght G1’s at the distance 10 months ago. Given Racing has tried varying strategies at 10 furlongs recently, pulling off a terrific win in the G1 Windy City Turf Classic back in August. The 5yo Heart’s Cry gelding was close to the pace last time in the G1 Eclipse Stakes, getting the lead late but falling to a top colt. Which strategy will be tried here? 7/2.
GOTTA HAVE BARBARA is a member of the Jakematt racing stables, a part of Hoosier Racing. The 4yo Point Of Entry gelding has three wins in a row against weaker company and the 12/1 shot will have to hustle here.
STAR JOY comes off a pair of G1 2nd’s, the Jockey’s Weapon and the G P Von Baden. A scratch-bred son of Sea The Stars out of a King Kamehameha mare, it’s possible the Trotter1 runner going in the Empire State Racing group just might like another furlong or two. He keeps on getting better as he goes and could be tough here. In any case, he’s rated at 6/1.