Favoured Smart Odin made it back-to-back group wins and confirmed himself a force to be reckoned with for the G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) in three weeks' time when getting home first in Saturday's G2 Kyoto Shimbun Hai. Closing out a three-race juvenile campaign with a win in the G3 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai S. over this trip Nov. 23, Smart Odin was only sixth, again over nine furlongs, in the G3 Tokinominoru Kinen on Valentine's Day, but bounced back to win the G3 Mainichi Hai at Hanshin Mar. 26. A step slow from the gates Saturday, Smart Odin had just two rivals behind him in the early stages. Pulling his way around the field as they rounded the bend, the bay charged down the middle of the track under a hand ride and nipped Agnes Forte in the closing stages, with Leukerbad, the son of Azeri, making late progress to be third. Smart Odin is out of Lady Upstage, winner of the G3 Musidora S. and G2 Pretty Polly S. and Group 1-placed in France and Canada. The family traces back to the high-class Most Welcome (GB) and Top Guest (Ire).
Saturday, Kyoto, Japan
KYOTO SHIMBUN HAI-G2, ¥105,040,000, Kyoto, 5-7, 3yo, 2200mT, 2:12.60, fm
1–SMART ODIN (JPN), 123, c, 3, Danon Chantilly (Jpn)
1st Dam: Lady Upstage (Ire) (GSW-Eng & Ire, G1SP-Fr & Can, GSP-US, $290,482), by Alzao
2nd Dam: She's The Tops (GB), by Shernazar (Ire)
3rd Dam: Troytops (GB), by Troy (GB)
O-Toru Okawa; B-Sky Beach Stable; T-Kunihide Matsuda;
J-Keita Tosaki. ¥55,078,000. Lifetime Record: 6-4-1-0. Werk
Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Agnes Forte (Jpn), 123, c, 3, Harbinger (GB)–Agnes Wreath
(Jpn), by French Deputy. O-Kumiko Watanabe; B-Tomita Farm.
¥22,308,000
3–Leukerbad (Jpn), 123, c, 3, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Azeri, by Jade
Hunter. (¥240,000,000 wnl '13 JRHAJUL) O-Toshio Terada;
B-Northern Farm. ¥14,154,000.
Margins: 3/4, 1HF, Neck. Odds: 1.00, 40.50, 6.20.
Click for the JRA chart and video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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