The Real Deal?

Kyoto Racecourse plays host to Japan’s final Classic of the season Sunday, the G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger), and with G1 Satsuki Sho and G1 Tokyo Yushun winner Duramente (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) on the sidelines due to injury, the Triple Crown will stay safe for another year, with Orfevre (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}) being the most recent winner in 2011. Despite the absence of a Triple Crown contender, some exciting prospects remain. The 2-1 morning line favorite is Real Steel (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), whose chased Duramente home when second in the Satsuki Sho and fourth in the Tokyo Yushun. Real Steel resumed from a summer holiday with a second in the G2 Kobe Shimbun Hai Sept. 27, missing out to Lia Fail (Jpn) (Zenno Rob Roy {Jpn}), and assistant trainer Yasuhiro Shibuta said, “He’s a lot more relaxed these days compared to earlier this year, and has matured within himself. It was a slow pace in the Kobe Shimbun Hai, but he ran well, and we were relieved that he did so after his time off. He didn’t show any tiredness after that race, which is also pleasing.”

Real Steel is the third foal out of Loves Only Me (Storm Cat), an unraced grandddaughter of Miesque (Nureyev) purchased by Katsumi Yoshida for $900,000 at Keeneland November in 2009.

After making his first six starts on dirt, Lia Fail has been a revelation since switching to the lawn, winning two straight including the Kobe Shimbun Hai. Trainer Hidetaka Otonashi said, “In the Kobe Shimbun Hai, he ran the last 1,000 meters in :62.4 seconds. It wasn’t a great pace, and the second and third horses came from out of the middle of the pack. I think there’s still more to come, and because he’s made all the running to win his last two races, we’re not quite sure what his reaction might be when he gets into a real duel. I don’t think there’s a problem regarding his stamina.”

Satono Rasen (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) has consistency on his side, having finished off-the-board just once in 11 tries, and he was second in the Tokyo Yushun. That lone off-the-board effort came last out when he was seventh in the G2 St. Lite Kinen Sept. 21, but trainer Yasutoshi Ikee was not disheartened, saying, “It was a slow pace in the St. Lite Kinen, but he managed things well considering. He’s improved since the spring, and while not the finished article, I think his last race was a good preparation for what’s coming next, and I can see him improving more. He had a recent half-mile workout and everything went satisfactorily. I’m looking forward to the race.”