2025 Takamatsunomiya Kinen: One-line assessments

Turf sprinters scramble about six furlongs in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen (G1) at Chukyo late Saturday night/early Sunday morning stateside (2:40 a.m. ET), the first top-level turf race of the year in Japan.

Defending champion Mad Cool, who just held on by a diminishing head from Namura Clair a year ago, goes for a rare repeat. But the Irish-bred son of Dark Angel worked out the perfect trip on yielding ground to score the minor upset that day. He’ll need all the pieces to fall together in a similarly charmed manner to join Kinshasa no Kiseki (2010-11) as a two-time winner.

Namura Clair, a close second in the past two editions, could well find the third time to be the proverbial charm. Although females have excelled in this spot, the caveat is that Namura Clair is projected to be favored, and favorites have frequently met their Waterloo in this race in recent years. 

Big Arthur (2016) was the last horse to justify favoritism here, and three of the past five winners went off at double-digit odds. The chaotic variable is probably the course condition. In the last decade, the ground has been firm only three times, with varying degrees of yielding or soft for the past five years in a row. The weather is supposed to be fair on Sunday, so perhaps Chukyo will be in good shape.

Up-and-coming Satono Reve brings top international form from his third in the Hong Kong Sprint (G1), and the son of mighty Lord Kanaloa, the 2013 Takamatsunomiya Kinen hero, could be poised for a breakout performance. Note that trainer Noriyuki Hori and jockey Joao Moreira just teamed up with exciting Fukuryu S. romper Luxor Cafe, who clinched a Kentucky Derby (G1) berth via the Japan Road. 

Lugal and Toshin Macau were not seen to best effect in Hong Kong, but both have logical claims as the top two from last fall’s Sprinters (G1).

The best double-digit longshot option might be Mama Cocha, especially if the ground is decent. The half-sister to white wonder Sodashi boasts an abundance of back class, and she’s circling back to peak form for Yasutoshi Ikee.

Here’s the field, in post position order, with one-sentence assessments:

#1 Mad Cool (13-2): Reigning titleholder was most recently runner-up to Namura Clair in the about seven-furlong Hanshin Cup (G2). 

#2 Win Greatest (33-1): Eight-year-old makes a rare foray to the top level after a third in the Ocean (G3).

#3 Big Caesar (10-1): Son of Big Arthur, seventh here last year, enters fresh off his first graded laurel in the Nov. 24 Keihan Hai (G3).

#4 Travesura (99-1): 10-year-old has likely lost a step since cracking the superfecta in three straight editions (2021-23). 

#5 Off Trail (33-1): Third-place effort in the Hanshin Cup suggests that the Godolphin homebred has the class, but this trip appears a bit too sharp.

#6 Lugal (13-2): Beaten favorite in last year’s running exited with an injury, made a triumphant comeback in the Sprinters, and can be forgiven his ensuing Hong Kong flop.

#7 Mozu Meimei (33-1): Grade 2 veteran has fallen off form of late but now debuts for the JRA’s first-ever female trainer, Kyoko Maekawa.

#8 Kangchenjunga (20-1): Son of Big Arthur swooped wide and late to upset the Hankyu Hai (G3) over an extra furlong. 

#9 Kitano Express (99-1): Seven-year-old veteran is ambitiously placed after spending his career at a lesser level.

#10 Satono Reve (9-2): Beaten favorite in the Sprinters proved himself at the highest level last time when third to superstar Ka Ying Rising in Hong Kong.

#11 Suzu Khalom (99-1): CBC Sho (G3) runner-up has been unplaced in subsequent starts.

#12 Toshin Macau (15-2): Son of Big Arthur, unplaced in the past two runnings, later scored his signature win in the Centaur (G2) here and missed by a neck in the Sprinters.

#13 A Shin Fencer (14-1): Daughter of 2018 winner Fine Needle has momentum with back-to-back scores, including a 26-1 upset of the Silk Road (G3). 

#14 Namura Clair (3-1): Two-time runner-up in this feature comes off a victory over Mad Cool in the Hanshin Cup.

#15 Mama Cocha (16-1): 2023 Sprinters heroine, a subpar eighth here last year, recently regained the winning thread in the Ocean.

#16 Balsam Note (99-1): Well-bred son of Maurice and Grade 2-winning sprinter Epice Arome has class questions but acts well on this course.

#17 Drop of Light (99-1): Course-and-distance upset of last summer’s CBC Sho appears to be an outlier on her resume.  

#18 Pair Pollux (33-1): Ocean runner-up must continue improving to factor in his Grade 1 debut.