Sunday's G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) at Tokyo Racecourse features a rematch between the top three finishers of the G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) on Apr. 9. Soul Stirring (Jpn) (Frankel {GB}), Japan's champion 2-year-old filly last year off a victory in the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, suffered her first loss in the Oka Sho when checking in third. That loss was a narrow one, however, and it is expected her effort was thwarted by the going, which was softer than she had encountered before.
The upset winner of the Oka Sho was Reine Minoru (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}), who snapped a four-race losing streak when getting home by a half-length, and has been off the board just once in seven outings. Her greatest concern on Sunday will be the 2400 metre trip; she has never raced beyond a mile and the progeny of her sire have yet to win a graded stake beyond 2000 metres.
Splitting Reine Minoru and Soul Stirring in the Oka Sho was Lys Gracieux (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}). The dark bay, never off the board in six outings, surely has a Group 1 with her name on it. She won the G3 Artemis S. at two and chased Soul Stirring home when second in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, and was again behind that rival when third in the G3 Tulip Sho at Hanshin on Mar. 4. After breaking her maiden at 1800 metres all of Lys Gracieux's subsequent starts have been over a mile, but her pedigree suggests the distance won't be a problem, her sire being responsible for the 2014 Oaks and Derby winners Nuovo Record (Jpn) and One and Only (Jpn). She gets the services of top rider Yutaka Take.
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