Eleven Line Up In Japanese Derby

Eleven three year olds line up for a massive purse of $3,250,000 and the glory of winning the Japanese Derby.  The race will be run over a mile and one half on firm turf.  With two other classic races for three year olds at the same distance this weekend, the Japanese Derby has not attracted the strongest field.  There are some graded winners and one runner who is still a maiden.  But it is a salty group and should provide for an exciting run.  Let’s take a look at the field!

#1 One Empire 4/1                                          theatrical stables                              K Ledwith rides

8-4-2-1                  $215,185

One Empire is a son of Empire Maker out of the a-grade Gone West x Lyphard mare One Attack.  One Attack has produced two other graded winners from eight foals.  One Empire became a graded winner in his most recent start, the Grade Two Captain Hook Stakes at a mile and one eighth on the dirt.  He ran a 108sp that day, by far the fastest in his career.  On turf he has a 4-2-1-1 record, which includes a win in the one mile Fusaichi Magpie Special Stakes.  He also was second the mile and three eighth March Madness Special Stakes with a 94sp.

#2 Kepler Teychas 8/1                                    marre stables                                    I Suzuki rides

13-6-2-1               $200,750

Kepler Teychas is a son of Mineshaft out of the c-grade Teychas x Nijinsky II mare Swift Tenant.  He is the second graded winner for the mare and third stakes winner from six foals.  Kepler Teychas became a graded winner in his most recent start, the Grade Two South African Derby at a mile and one half with a 95sp.  He broke a two race slump in that start, previously he had won four straight.

#3 Rainy Sunday 8/1                                       foxon4 stables                                  N Tippins rides

11-4-4-0               $147,295

Rainy Sunday is a son of Raven’s Pass out of the c-grade Fusaichi Pegasus x Saint Ballado mare Rainah.  She has produced three stakes winners from seven foals.  Rainy Sunday has run strictly in allowance races since breaking his maiden last July.  He’s done well, with two wins and two seconds from five starts this year.  The furthest he has traveled was in his last start, a mile and one quarter allowance he lost by ½ length with a 98sp. 

#4 The Bealist 34/1                                          leeballs stables                                 A Bryant rides

4-0-1-2                  $9,600

The Bealist is a son of Zabeel out of the d-grade Elusive Quality x Pivotal mare Wabi Sabi.  He is her first foal, her second a daughter of Zabeel is already a graded winner.  The Bealist has finished in the money in all of his turf starts.  Last out he tried dirt for the first time and finished fourth in a seven furlong maiden.

#5 Nusadarah 8/1                                            winmar stables                                 N Haller rides

10-3-4-0               $188,825

Nusadarah is a son of Haradasun out of the f-grade Royal Academy x Storm Cat mare Royal Chase.  Nsadarah has one sibling, a two year old of 2011 who is winless in three starts.  Nusadarah became a graded winner in his last start, the mile and one quarter Grade Three Jargon Stakes.  He earned a lifetime high sp of 101.  Nusadarah was graded placed as a two year old, finishing third in the Grade Three Stubenville Stakes and was previously stakes placed as a three year old, having finished second in the Forty Wool Turf Route at a mile and one eighth.

#6 The Kelly Charm 9/1                                  mtkinde stables                                                A Hudson rides

10-2-3-2               $149,256

The Kelly Charm is a son of Street Sense out of the g-grade Distorted Humor x Pulpit mare Graceful Kelly.  This is her only foal.  The Kelly Charm has won win in four starts this year, taking a mile and one quarter allowance race with a 95sp.  He followed that up with a second in the Grade Two Griffen Stakes at the same distance with a 96sp.  He was graded placed as a two year old, finishing second in the Grade Three Major Tom Stakes at one mile.

#7 Poeta Sabina 11/1                                      manddar stables                              L Fenner rides

10-4-1-3               $322,697

Poeta Sabina is a son of Pentire Celebre based on the e-grade Storm Cat x Danzig horse Cadillac Solitario.  Poeta Sabina started his three year old season with a victory in the Grade Three Queen Izzy Cap at a mile and one half, earning an 85sp.  He also has a mile and three eighths allowance win to his credit this year.  Most recently he was third in the mile and one half Grade One Sydney Derby with a 98sp.

#8 Jue Monsun 11/1                                       dannejaka3 stables                         D Davis rides

4-3-0-0                  $67,200

Jue Monsun is a son of Montjeu x Monsun x Kris S.  He was undefeated in his first three starts, at nine, ten and eleven furlongs on the grass.  He made his stakes debut in his last start, finishing eighth in the Grade One Sydney Derby at a mile and one half with an 84sp.  His highest sp was earned in his prior start, a 97 while going a mile and three eighths. 

#9 Festeiro 8/1                                                  triska stables                                      B Parker rides

12-4-5-1               $181,717

Festeiro is a son of Duke of Marmalade based on the f-grade Faslieyev  x Sadler’s Wells horse Lierganes.  Festeiro has been very consistent as a three year old, winning or placing in all five starts.  He started the year off with two allowance victories at seven furlongs and a mile.  He stretched out to a mile and one sixteenth and a mile and one eighth, finishing second in both.  Last out he tried a mile and one quarter for the first time and won by ½ length with a 99sp.

#10 Modern Jazz 4/1                                      smisters7 stables                             G Arnold rides

10-4-2-1               $438,545

Modern Jazz is a son of Medaglia D’oro out of the g-grade Seeking the Gold x Blushing Groom mare Le Disko.  This is her only foal.  A stakes winning two year old, Modern Jazz has been very consistent in 2011.  He opened the year with back to back stakes wins at a mile and one quarter, taking the Waka Waka Fuzzy Feeling Stakes with a 100sp and the Thanks Trotter Special Stakes with a 99sp.  He was third at the same distance in the Grade One Japanese 2000 Guineas with a 94 sp.  Last out he ran a 106sp while second by a length in the Grade Two Hogwarts Stakes at a mile and three eighths.

#11 Mrs. Iacocca 6/1                                       mares2010 stables                           C Roser rides

12-2-1-3               $373,000

Mrs. Iacocca is a son of Sebring out of the g-grade Sky Mesa x Danzig mare Transgenic.  He has a two year old half sister who is winless in three starts.   Mrs. Iacocca is winless in four starts this year, all in graded stakes races.  He has finished fourth in three of those races though, earning a 100sp in the one mile Grade Two Fainting Goat Nightmares Stakes at one mile.  He was also fourth in the Grade Two South African Classic at a mile and one eighth and the Grade One Japanese 2000 Guineas at a mile and a quarter, earning a 94sp in each race.

Good luck to all!