Forever Young among Japan’s 2024 Breeders’ Cup team; Watch WAYI Korea Cup, Sprint

The Japanese team for the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar will be taking shape over the coming weeks, so consider this as more of a hint of coming attractions than a thorough list. 

While Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) contenders Forever Young, Derma Sotogake, and Ushba Tesoro are slated for later stepping stones, a few headliners have already competed in their preps, and others are set to race on Sunday. 

Let’s start with the impending action, most notably the first Breeders’ Cup Challenge races to be staged in Korea. 

Trainer Koichi Shintani sends out the defending champions in both of the lucrative prizes at Seoul, Crown Pride in the Korea Cup (G3) and Remake in the Korea Sprint (G3). The latter offers a free berth to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), and the about 1 1/8-mile Korea Cup serves as a “Win and You’re In” for the Dirt Mile (G1).

Korea Sprint (G3): Race 6 at 2:20 a.m. (ET)

Remake, who rolled by four lengths in last year’s Korea Sprint, is reportedly interested in traveling to the Breeders’ Cup. After enhancing his international profile by beating American speedster Skelly in the Feb. 24 Riyadh Dirt Sprint (G3), Remake was last seen finishing a troubled fourth in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) on World Cup night. 

Remake’s challengers in Seoul include Grade 2 veteran Anarchist, who ships in from Southern California. The Doug O’Neill trainee arrives in the wake of two disappointing efforts stateside. The other Japanese contenders are Jasper Krone, who goes turf to dirt for Hideyuki Mori, and Keiai Dorie, coming off a third to Breeders’ Cup-bound Don Frankie (see below) in the Cluster Cup. 

Jasper Krone’s only prior dirt start was a fourth to Remake in Riyadh, suggesting that his poor turf results of late don’t necessarily apply here. Among those flops was his trailing 12th in the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1).

Korea Cup (G3): Race 7, 3:30 a.m. (ET)

Kentucky Derby (G1) fans may remember Crown Pride, the 2022 UAE Derby (G2) winner, for his role in forcing the ferocious pace of that year’s Run for the Roses. That set the stage for the 80-1 Rich Strike to come from the clouds. Although Crown Pride ran well below his best in 13th at Churchill Downs, he promptly returned to form back home. 

Crown Pride’s only win of 2023 came in the Korea Cup, where he dominated by 10 lengths. Subsequently off form, he turned the corner last time out in the July 15 Mercury Cup at Morioka. Crown Pride just held on in a three-way photo over an about 1 1/4-mile trip that arguably stretches him. The cutback should help him in Seoul. 

But Crown Pride must deal with another classy Japanese shipper. Wilson Tesoro, fourth in the March 30 Dubai World Cup (G1), has finished runner-up in three major dirt events at home. Second to Ushba Tesoro in the Tokyo Daishoten (G1) as well as to Godolphin’s Lemon Pop in the Champions Cup (G1) last December, Wilson Tesoro was most recently second in the June 26 Teio Sho. 

Also exiting the Teio Sho is Light Warrior, who placed sixth. Two starts back, Light Warrior sprang a 37-1 upset in the April 3 Kawasaki Kinen.

Mile hopeful Ten Happy Rose preps in Centaur (G2)

Ten Happy Rose qualified for the Breeders’ Cup with her wild upset of the Victoria Mile (G1) at 208-1. While the Victoria Mile is officially linked with the 1 3/8-mile Filly & Mare Turf (G1), connections see the Mile (G1) as a better option.

Trained by Daisuke Takayanagi, whose T O Password finished a commendable fifth in this year’s Kentucky Derby, Ten Happy Rose is cutting back to a sprint to prepare for her assignment at Del Mar. 

Sunday’s Centaur (G2) gives her the opportunity to sharpen up going about six furlongs around the left-handed circuit at Chukyo. She hasn’t raced over this short a distance since her debut, but she won that newcomers’ event at Kokura as a juvenile.  

Unbeaten Awesome Result makes her ‘Marche’ to the Distaff

Three years after Japan’s Marche Lorraine stunned the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) at Del Mar, she has a potential successor in the exciting Awesome Result. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Justify extended her unbeaten sequence to seven in the Breeders’ Gold Cup Aug. 27 at Mombetsu, the same springboard that Marche Lorraine used in 2021.

Interestingly, trainer Yasutoshi Ikee has said that Awesome Result is better on left-landed tracks. The half-sister to 2018 Spinaway (G1) winner Sippican Harbor adds a fascinating angle to the Distaff. 

Sprint contender Don Frankie returns triumphant

Freshened since finishing second in the Dubai Golden Shaheen, Don Frankie warmed up for the Sprint with a cozy score in the Aug. 14 Cluster Cup. The speed merchant appeared to have more in hand as he crossed the wire a half-length on top at Morioka. 

Don Frankie has traded decisions with compatriot Remake. The two sport contrasting running styles, with Don Frankie racing on the pace and Remake doing his best work late.

Don Frankie’s dam, Weemissfrankie, was a two-year-old star in Southern California in 2011. Undefeated through the Del Mar Debutante (G1) and Oak Leaf (G1), she placed third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Churchill.

Turf third Shahryar eligible to fare better at Del Mar

Shahryar, third to Auguste Rodin in last November’s Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1), has followed the same itinerary this term as in 2023. In his seasonal reappearance, he lost the Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) on World Cup night, and he resurfaced in August with another loss in the Sapporo Kinen (G2).

But both of his 2024 performances were much better, putting his Turf hopes on firmer ground. In the March 30 renewal of the Sheema, Shahryar was runner-up to Godolphin’s globetrotter Rebel’s Romance, the 2022 Turf hero. Shahryar’s comeback fifth at Sapporo Aug. 18 was the type of tightener to build upon, unlike his 11th a year ago that prompted a wind operation. 

Indeed, with a smoother path to Del Mar, Shahryar has a license to improve upon his third in the Turf. The son of the legendary Deep Impact has plenty of back class as the winner of the 2021 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) (G1) and 2022 Sheema who placed twice in the Japan Cup (G1). Shahryar is out of Breeders’ Cup champion Dubai Majesty, who clinched her Eclipse Award in the 2010 Filly & Mare Sprint (G1). 

Japan’s ‘Big Three’ gearing up for final Classic preps

Forever Young, who came within two noses of an historic Kentucky Derby coup for Japan, is once more gearing up for trainer Yoshito Yahagi. After a busy first half of the season that saw him travel to Saudi Arabia, then on to Dubai, and ultimately to Churchill Downs, the colt enjoyed a summer of rest and recreation on the farm back home.

According to Yahagi’s long-range plan, Forever Young will use the Oct. 2 Japan Dirt Classic as his tune-up for Del Mar. The about 1 1/4-mile test at Oi won’t be a cakewalk, with Tokyo Derby romper Ramjet set to oppose him. Forever Young’s main objective is the Breeders’ Cup, so we will see if he is cranked enough to win his prep. 

Note that Yahagi has won the only two Breeders’ Cup races he has entered so far. He is responsible for both of the Japanese winners in 2021, Marche Lorraine in the Distaff and Loves Only You in the Filly & Mare Turf.

Derma Sotogake and Ushba Tesoro, the respective second and fifth in last year’s Classic at Santa Anita, will renew rivalry in the Sept. 25 Nippon TV Hai at Funabashi. 

The familiar foes have squared off in both of their starts this year in the Middle East. Ushba Tesoro was second in the Saudi Cup (G1) and in the Dubai World Cup (as the defending champion), while Derma Sotogake was fifth in Saudi and a worse sixth in Dubai. 

But Derma Sotogake can claim some extenuating circumstances in those losses. The winner of the 2023 UAE Derby and sixth-placer in the Kentucky Derby, “Derma” could get back on track with better luck.