Big Three Clash in Satsuki Sho

This year's sophomore class in Japan feels a particularly strong one and the top three members of the group will take to the Nakayama turf course to settle the score in Sunday's G1 Satsuki Sho over the metric mile and a quarter.

Satono Diamond (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) was the narrow market leader overnight Saturday and deservedly so, as he is unbeaten and untouched in his three very impressive starts to date. The bay defeated Azeri (Jade Hunter)'s son Leukerbad (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) to break his maiden at first asking over soft Kyoto turf last November and was an easy three-length winner at Hanshin on Boxing Day. He made his 3-year-old debut as the 1-5 favorite in the G3 Kisaragi Sho at Kyoto Feb. 7 and shot clear when given a squeeze 300 metres from home to record an impressive score. Satono Diamond was the ¥230-million (US$2.2 million) second-highest priced offering at the JRHA Foal Sale in 2013 behind the ¥240 million offered for Leukerbad.

“He has been getting better from about a month ago,” commented jockey Christophe Lemaire. “Today [Apr. 13] I think he was in top condition. His responses this morning were excellent and he looks fantastic.”

Leontes (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) faced the starter just twice in 2015, but those two efforts were good enough to secure the son of MG1/GISW Cesario (Jpn) (Symboli Kris S {Jpn}) champion 2-year-old honors. He came from far back and outfinished odds-on Air Spinel (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) in the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity Dec. 20 to lock up his award, but lost his undefeated record in his lone trip postward this term, a narrow defeat at the hands of the progressive Makahiki (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G2 Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho over this course and distance Mar. 6, an effort he is certain to improve for.

While the top two picks will have to overcome double-digit draws, Makahiki will leave from gate three, perhaps according him a small tactical advantage from the word go. Rested off a handy first-out success at Kyoto last October, the homebred resumed with a one-length victory in a listed event at that track Jan. 23. In the Yayoi Sho, he was void of early speed and lingered near the tail as Leontes was more prominent than usual from fourth. The latter hit the front going apparently well into the final furlong, but could not resist the late surge of Makahiki.