Japan 1000 Guineas Kicks Off Classic Season
A full field of fourteen fillies invades Japan for the classic Japanese 1000 Guineas at one mile on the firm turf for a purse of $2,000,000. Leading the field is last year’s Champion Two Year Old Filly Turf, SJ’s Carsonado. No stranger to Japan’s turf course, SJ’s Carsonado won three races over this course last year, including the Grade One Juvenile Filly Stakes. But a return to the winner’s circle is no guarantee, with several graded winners challenging including millionaire The Libertine and three very lightly raced fillies who could be any kind. Let’s take a look at the field!
#1 Kash Kash Kash 17/1 kashbarns stables B Simmons
Kash Kash Kash is a daughter of Bandini out of the e-grade Sadler’s Wells x Native Charger mare Rowdy Well. From eight foals Rowdy Well has produced two stakes placed runners. Kash Kash Kash has spent her last six starts on the lawn, winning three of those races, all at sprint distances. Her last start marked her stakes and route debut. She finished fourth in the Better Than Kris Turf Filly Route Stakes on March 5th with a 96sp, a lifetime high. In her winning races, Kash Kash Kash has not been more than two lengths off the front at any call.
#2 De Medici 22/1 topicount5 stables R Duffy rides
De Medici is a daughter of Medicean out of the f-grade Danzig x Seeking the Gold mare Fluffy. She is the second stakes winner from five foals for the mare. The other, Misty, was a graded winning daughter of Storm Cat. De Medici is very lightly raced, with only three starts to her credit. She broke her maiden going a mile on the grass in December and came back one month later to win the one mile Broadside Stakes going away with a 101sp. Her last start was nothing short of a disaster, as she was distanced while running a 26sp in the Clemenza Special Stakes on February 12th. She never picked up her feet that day, running next-to-last at the first call and last at every other call, steadily falling back from the field. We can only assume that she had some trouble in the race, but a return to her earlier form makes her a threat in this field. Trainer topicount5 will look to see this filly placed mid-pack early and not lagging far behind.
#3 Valyrian Wind 6/1 devil01 stables C Szott
Valyrian Wind is a daughter of Pivotal out of the c-grade Galileo x Nureyev mare Valyrian. This is the first foal for the Grade Two winning mare. Valyrian Wind has already met her dam’s achievement, taking the Grade Two Silver Spoon Juvenile Stakes in November. She has been first or second in all seven starts, all on the turf, with five coming at one mile or more. She was given a break after her Grade Two success, returning to the races at the end of January. She finished second in her first start back, the Lounder Than Bombs Memorial Stakes with a 96sp. On February 26th she again was second in the Flat World Memorial Stakes with a 103sp, but she only lost by ½ length. She had previously run close to the pace in her earlier races, but in that start she dropped back to 4 ¼ lengths off the pace at second call.
#4 Torch Over Seattle 18/1 twinoaks stables N Tippins rides
Torch Over Seattle is a daughter of Montjeu out of the b-grade Kingmambo x Seattle Slew mare Torch the Flame. The multiple graded winning mare has produced three foals to race, including a two year old of 2011 but so far none has reproduced her brilliance. Torch Over Seattle has run in graded races on both turf and dirt but has yet to hit the board. In four stakes appearances her best finish was a fourth in the Treasure Got Ripped Off Stakes in July of 2010. In December she was switched to the dirt for three races, winning once. On March 5th she returned to the grass to win an allowance going a mile and one sixteenth with a 94sp. In that race she led wire to wire; in her most successful starts she has been on or close to the lead.
#5 The Libertine 7/1 ritchie stables G Arnold rides
The Libertine is a daughter of Giant’s Causeway out of the f-grade Kingmambo x Deputy Minister mare Kings Escort. This is her only foal. Second dam, b-grade West the Escort produced two stakes winners and a stakes placed runner from six foals. The Libertine is one of the most accomplished runners in the field, with multiple graded triumphs and more than a million dollars in the bank. She has three starts this year; she won the Grade Three Triangular Star Stakes in January with a 100sp, and ran second by less than a length in the Barb’s Demi (IRE) Challenge Stakes with a 101sp. In her last start on March 12th she stretched out to a mile and one half in the Grade Two New Zealand Oaks but she did not seem to enjoy the added distance, finishing twelfth. She should be well behind early but will be flying late.
#6 Weary Kind 13/1 bigjet stables A Hudson rides
Weary Kind is a daughter of Galileo based on the g-grade Kingmambo x Nijinsky II horse Korbyn’s King. Weary Kind enters off a three race win streak. She took an allowance in November and the Cosmo Girl Memorial in January, both at one mile. In her last start she won the Barb’s Demi (IRE) Challenge over The Libertine with a 102sp on February 12th. She has early speed; she should be on or near the lead early.
#7 Chanway 9/1 roberto stables D Davis rides
Chanway is a scratch-bred daughter of Thewayyouare x War Chant x Bold Hour. She began the year with three straight wins, but finished sixth in the Grade Three Kewney Stakes on March 12th in her graded stakes debut. Her win streak included an allowance race at one mile, the Easy Money Stakes at a mile and one sixteenth and another allowance at the same distance. She earned her lifetime best sp in her last start, a 98. In her wins she was at least 2 ¾ lengths behind early to as much as six lengths off the lead.
#8 Infection 5/1 jonsnow2 stables C Roser rides
Infection is a daughter of Oasis Dream out of the c-grade Kingmambo x Sadler’s Wells mare Biter. From three foals, Biter has produced two stakes winners. Infection won the first five starts of her career, including three stakes races at one mile. She finished second in the Grade Two Dancing Blade Handicap in December and was given some time off. Returning in the Grade one Vermont is 4 Lovers at seven furlongs, she seemed to need the race as she finished sixth. On March 12th she ran a lifetime high sp of 104 while finishing third, beaten only one length in the Grade Three Kewney Stakes. Infection should be sitting just of the lead early.
#9 Dynawells 14/1 daniel2 stables C Maxie rides
Dynawells is a three year old scratch-bred daughter of A.P. Indy x Sadler’s Wells x Mill Reef. Another very lightly raced runner, Dyanwells has only three starts. She finished second in her debut in December going one mile and returned a month later to win at the same distance. On February 26th she made her stakes debut in the mile and three sixteenths High Ransom Special Stakes. She finished second that day with an 89sp. She has been on or fought for the lead in each of her three starts.
#10 Scatmania 15/1 woette6 stables W Lloyd rides
Scatmania is a daughter of Scat Daddy out of the g-grade Desert King x Sadler’s Wells mare Firethorn. The mare also has an unraced two year old of 2011. Since switching to the grass, Scatmania has three wins and one second from four starts. She broke her maiden in an owner restricted allowance and beat similar company in an owner restricted stakes race in December. She returned to the races on March 5th in the Favorite Storm Turf Filly Mile and won easily with a 98sp. She will likely be the speed of the speed early in the race.
#11 Startling Pleasure 9/1 mitcho2 stables M Widell rides
Startling Pleasure is a daughter of Thunder Gulch out of the g-grade Deputy Minister x Danzig mare Girl Power. She has two other foals to race, including a winning two year old of 2011. She has been first or second in seven of nine starts, all on the grass. In 2011 she already has four starts: she won the first two, both allowance races at one mile. She has been second in her most recent two starts, the first a mile and one sixteenth allowance and most recently the Favorite Storm Turf Filly Mile Stakes at one mile on March 5th. Startling Pleasure is another filly who will be fighting for the lead early.
#12 SJ’s Carsonado 5/1 thebigm stables K Ledwith rides
Last year’s two year old filly turf champion, SJ’s Carsonado is a scratch-bred daughter of Bertrando x Carson City x Affirmed. A winner of eight of nine starts as a two year old, SJ’s Carsonado took two Grade Ones including the Breeders’ Bowl Filly Juvy Turf. She began 2011 with a second place finish in the Grade Three Triangular Star Stakes with a 98sp going a mile and one sixteenth. Most recently she was fourth in the Flat World Memorial Stakes on February 26th at one mile with another 98sp on February 26th. She will benefit from the fast pace we should see here.
#13 Anna Beel 11/1 roondog stables W Ratzlaff rides
Anna Beel is a scratch-bred daughter of Zabeel x Flying Spur x Storm Cat. She has two wins and two seconds in four starts, all this year. She began by breaking her maiden in her first start at seven furlongs; ran second in an allowance at seven and a half furlongs, second again in an allowance at nine furlongs. Last time out she was a winner of an allowance on March 5th at nine furlongs with a 99sp. She will likely be on or near the lead.
#14 The Bee’s Knees 12/1 mtktoday stables L Fenner rides
The Bee’s Knees is a daughter of Sea the Stars out of the g-grade Storm Cat x Fusaichi Pegasus mare Total Mess. Total Mess’s only other foal is a 2011 two year old by Pulpit. A Grade Two winner as a two year old, The Bee’s Knees was given a bit of a break at the end of last year. She returned in February to run fourth in the Grade Three Tristan Fillies Stakes at a mile and one quarter with a 93sp. On March 12th she was third in the Grade Two New Zealand Oaks at a mile and one half with a 94sp. She has not run a mile on the grass since last November. She will be on or near the lead.
Good luck to all!