Holiday’ Dream in NHK Mile

Tokyo’s 20th edition of the G1 NHK Mile Sunday is headlined by the consistent performer Grand Silk (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}), who is the 2-1 favorite on the morning line. Never worse than third in five trips to the post to date, the Hirofumi Toda charge closed his final three furlongs in a scintillating :33.70 seconds, but had to settle for second behind the reopposing Yamakatsu Ace (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) in the G2 New Zealand Trophy over this trip at Nakayama Apr. 11. In his two starts prior, the son of King Kamehameha lifted back-to-back victories in a 3-year-old maiden at Nakayama Jan. 12 and another mile affair there Mar. 15. “In the gate of the New Zealand Trophy, this horse was startled by another horse acting up and missed the break,” said Toda. “Even so, he raced extremely well in the stretch and just missed the win. From his pedigree, he’s an excitable horse and even though he hasn’t been difficult recently, we have given him gate practice just to be on the safe side. He’s put on muscle now and I hope to see him in top form Sunday.” 

The undefeated Albiano (Harlan’s Holiday) is the sole American-bred and one of two fillies in the 18-strong line up for 3-year-old milers. A winner of her January debut over this distance at Nakayama, the Tetsuya Kimura trainee took a 1400-meter affair at Tokyo Feb. 15. She was last seen landing the 1800-meter G3 Flower Cup back at Nakayama Mar. 21 and has a four-pound break in the weights. Unfortunately, a Flower Cup winner hasn’t found success in Sunday’s contest since Seeking the Pearl (Seeking the Gold) scooped the 1997 edition 18 years ago. “She started very well in the Flower Cup and because she has such great speed she easily went to the top,” said Kimura. “She got over any fatigue she had quickly and was back on her feed immediately. She has won all her three races going wire to wire, but she can also settle even if she’s running behind others.” 

Clarity Sky (Jpn) (Kurofune) ran well to finish fifth after setting the pace in the Apr. 19 G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) at Nakayama in his latest and definitely bears watching returning to the site of his biggest win over course and distance in the Listed Icho S. last October. Third in the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S. at Hanshin next out Dec. 21 to end his year, Yasuo Tomomichi’s bay was sixth in his first run back in the G2 Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho over 2000 meters Mar. 8. “I hadn’t given the jockey any particular instructions in the Satsuki Sho and, on his own judgement, he decided to send the horse to the front,” commented Tomomichi. “I think he ran a good race, but the top finishers were strong. This horse has had good results at the mile and he’s won a graded [Japanese] stakes race at Tokyo with a fast time.”