The Hopeful Stakes for 2-year-olds at Nakayama Racecourse is the final grade 1 on the Japanese turf in 2024, and for some talented youngsters the Dec. 28 race will be a springboard to the 2025 classics and beyond.
Eighteen 2-year-olds, including one filly, are set for the 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles) of the race won in 2023 by Regaleira, who disappointed in the classics but went on to win the Arima Kinen (G1) Dec. 22. This edition features five undefeated, albeit relatively inexperienced, youngsters. Appropriately, connections of the top three all used the word "hope" when looking forward to the Hopeful.
The undefeated squad is headed by Croix du Nord. The Kitasan Black colt won at first asking in June and, after the summertime break, returned Nov. 16 to win the Hai Nisai Stakes (G2). The potential knock is that both victories were at 1,800 meters (about 1 1/8 miles) left-handed on the Tokyo Racecourse turf. The Hopeful is run right-handed and adds a furlong.
Jockey Yuichi Kitamura worked Croix du Nord on Christmas Day and returned pleased.
"He moved really nicely," Kitamura said. "He tends to race on his right lead a lot, so this morning we had him change to the left lead in the stretch as a signal that this is the final stage and he did that very well. He has no bad points and gets high marks for his overall ability."
Trainer Takashi Saito said the colt has "a strong heart and lungs and I'm hoping he'll get a race that showcases those strengths of his."
Also 2-for-2 in their short careers are Magic Sands, a Kizuna colt, and Masquerade Ball, by Duramente.
Magic Sands opened with a win at Hakodate in July and backed that up with a victory in the Sapporo Nisai Stakes (G3) Aug. 31. Both of his wins also came at 1,800 meters.
Magic Sands' rider, Daisuke Sasaki, said his colt "doesn't have the greatest acceleration, but he can race in top gear for quite a long time and that's his strongpoint. He is a bit slow away, and he's not the most skilled at racing so I am hoping he can get more familiar with the way a race unfolds."
Masquerade Ball's victories were at Niigata Aug. 11 and in the Ivy Stakes at Tokyo Oct. 19, also at 1,800 meters. Trainer Takahisa Tezuka admitted he still has kinks to work out, including handling turns.
"I think he has the potential to capture a group 1 race," Tezuka said of Masquerade Ball. "But he has a bit of a difficult temperament. It's in his blood. ... There's no problem with the distance but there is concern about whether he can handle the turns and the right-handed track. I'm hoping that, with an eye to the future, we can overcome those problems."
Entered after victories in their only previous race are Tjuta, another by Duramente, and Amakihi, a Black Tide colt. Connections of both hinted they're hopeful experience gained in the Hopeful will help their horses in the new year.
"The competition is going to take a sudden leap up and we'll just have to see how me measures up," said Yukihiki Araki, Tjuta's assistant trainer. "He looks to have improved sufficiently and I think he'll turn in a good race that'll stand him well next year."
Amakihi's trainer, Sakae Kunieda, said his colt "still isn't quite giving it his all in work. But he has talent. I'm hoping that if he competes with strong horses, he'll rise to match them."
The Tokyo Daishoten
A day after the Hopeful, attention turns from the Japan Racing Association's turf circuit to the National Association of Racing's up-and-coming dirt competition and from youngsters to the nation's imposing squad of international runners.
The Tokyo Daishoten (G1) at Oi Racecourse attracted the best from that bunch. Among the 10 entries:
- Ushba Tesoro, looking for his third straight win in the race. Winner of the 2023 Dubai World Cup (G1), second in both the Saudi Cup (G1) and Dubai World Cup this year, and fifth in the 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) but 10th in that race in November at Del Mar in his most recent start.
- Forever Young, winner of this year's Saudi Derby (G3) and UAE Derby (G2), third in both the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Breeders' Cup Classic.
- Derma Sotogake, sixth in the 2023 Kentucky Derby and second in the 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic after winning the UAE Derby.
- Crown Pride, winner of the 2022 UAE Derby, fifth in both the Saudi Cup and Dubai World Cup in 2023, and winner of the 2023 and 2024 Korea Cup (G3).
- Wilson Tesoro, fourth in the 2024 World Cup and second in the Champions Cup (G1) at Chukyo Racecourse Dec. 1.
- Ramjet, winner of the Tokyo Derby over the Oi course in June.
The race is at 2,000 meters and represents the pinnacle of Japan's efforts to elevate its domestic dirt racing to compete with the more prestigious and better-established grass circuit.
