In 1939, the first ever running of the G1 Oka Sho was won by Soul Lady and the teams from Shadai and Juddmonte will be hoping that Soul Stirring (JPN) (Frankel {GB}) can reawaken that theme when she bids to become the first Classic winner for her sire in today's mile contest.
“She has got stronger since her debut, and thankfully I've had nothing to worry about with her,” said trainer Kazuo Fujisawa. “She's not a horse that posts fast times in training, but it's there to see in her races. She's more relaxed now, different than what she was for the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies. There's certainly a good feeling about her.”
While the daughter of multiple Group 1 winner Stacelita (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}) was her illustrious sire's first winner at the highest level, she is not the only Frankel filly in the field as among the 17 runners is Mi Suerte (JPN), a dual winner last year who finished fourth in the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S. for trainer Yasutoshi Ikee in December. Soul Stirring, who won the G3 Tulip Sho on March 4, has the help of the globetrotting Christopher Lemaire, who also rode her dam to victory in the G1 Prix de Diane, while Mi Suerte will be partnered by Yuga Kawada.
It's not all about the Frankel fillies, however, as Lys Gracieux (JPN) (Heart's Cry {JPN}), the mount of recent G1 Osaka Hai-winning jockey Yutaka Take, will be looking to improve on her third-place finish to Soul Stirring in the Tulip Sho. The pair was split that day by Miss Panthere (JPN) (Daiwa Major {JPN}) who also lines up today for trainer Mitsugu Kon. He said of his contender, “I feel she's developed more and has more strength. Her last race came after a spell and the jockey also wasn't sure what to expect. As it was, she raced well, and this time we're up against the winner of that race again. I think if she can use her speed once more, and try to match the other filly's performance, that's going to be the key.”
Mirco Demuro's mount Admire Miyabi (JPN) (Heart's Cry {JPN}) took out the G3 Daily Hai Queen Cup on her most recent start in February––her third consecutive win from just four starts. Trainer Yasuo Tomomichi gave her a short break after that effort and has been pleased with his charge since her return. “She takes a little time to hit full throttle, but she was certainly suited to the Tokyo track last time. Everything's been fine since her return, and while you could think of her racing better over a longer distance, she's got results over a mile,” he noted.
No Grade 1 race in Japan is complete without a runner in the field by the mighty Deep Impact (JPN) but the champion sire has been reduced to just one representative in Kawakita Enka (JPN) since the scratching of Elfin S. winner Salonika (JPN). Kawakita Enka again upholds the Tulip Sho form, having finished fifth in that race, but she has added to her winning tally since then with victory in Hanshin's Kunshiran Sho over 1800 metres on March 25.
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