The field for the 81st running of the Satsuki Sho (G1) at Nakayama Racecourse April 18 will be anyone's game.
While there are several reasons why this first leg of Japanese Triple Crown for 3-year-olds is open, the main reason is that Danon the Kid, the unbeaten winner of the Hopeful Stakes (G1)—run at the same course and over the same distance as the Satsuki Sho—and the reigning Japanese champion juvenile of 2020, experienced his first defeat March 7 in the Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho Deep Impact Kinen (G2) at Nakayama.
An emerging favorite in the Satsuki Sho is Carrot Club's Efforia (by Epiphaneia), who is unbeaten through three starts including the Kyodo News Hai Tokinominoru Kinen (G3) at Tokyo Racecourse Feb. 14. Bred by Northern Farm and trained by Yuichi Shikato, the colt is highly regarded by both his connections and racing fans.
The Kyodo News Hai proved to be a competitive race mainly due to the presence of Victipharus—who ran second and subsequently won the Spring Stakes at Nakayama March 21—and Shahryar, the third-place finisher who also bounced back to win the Mainichi Hai (G3) at Hanshin Racecourse March 27, establishing a new track record.
Efforia is out of Katies Heart (Heart's Cry) and his pedigree is inbred 4×3 to Sunday Silence. Daring Tact (Epiphaneia), who was the unbeaten Japanese Triple Tiara winner in 2020, is also inbred 4×3 to Sunday Silence.
It is confirmed that champion Almond Eye is in foal to Epiphaneia and the resulting foal has inbreeding 4×3 to Sunday Silence as well.
