Bon Chance

Kyoto on Sunday stages Japan’s most important mile contest for the autumn, the G1 Mile Championship, and the near $1.6 million contest has drawn a contentious field that is headed by last year’s G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) winner Isla Bonita (Jpn) (Fuji Kiseki {Jpn}). The dark bay hasn’t been tested over this distance since his 2-year-old campaign and hasn’t won since last September’s G2 St Lite Kinen, but nonetheless signs appear positive for the 4-year-old. He enters this off an encouraging third in the Nov. 1 Tenno Sho Autumn, where he was drawn wide and met with interference down the backstretch. Danon Shark (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) returns to defend his title, having won this last year by a nose over Fiero (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). The now 7-year-old Danon Shark has had just three runs since last year’s score and while he was fourth in the G2 Mainchi Okan last out Oct. 11, that was not a poor effort considering he was coming off a four-month layoff and had to carry 128 pounds. After last year’s agonizing defeat, Fiero still seeks his first group-race win, but despite knocking on the door for so long he shouldn’t be discounted. He finished fast to be second over a furlong shorter than this to the 3-year-old filly Albiano (Harlan’s Holiday) in the G2 Swan S. here Oct. 31.

Unlike many of his fancied rivals who are looking to bounce back from defeat, Maurice (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}) is seeking to extend his win streak to five Sunday. The 4-year-old colt is unbeaten thus far in 2015 and earned a breakthrough score in the June 7 G1 Yasuda Kinen. He has not been seen since that score, however, so will have to defy a near six-month layoff.

A pair of 3-year-old fillies will take on the males here: the aforementioned Albiano and this year’s G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) winner Let’s Go Donki (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}). Albiano has been unplaced just twice in seven starts and was second to Clarity Sky (Jpn) (Kurofune) in the G1 NHK Mile Cup earlier this year.