Japan: Gentildonna goes for Japan's filly triple crown

Gentildonna can sweep the Triple Crown for Japan’s 3-year-old fillies with a win in Sunday’s $2.3 million Shuka Sho at Kyoto Racecourse in Japan.

By Deep Impact, Gentildonna has won her last three starts – the Japanese 1000 Guineas in April, the Japanese Oaks in May, and the Rose Stakes on Sept. 16. Trained by Sei Ishizaka, Gentildonna is part of an expected field of 18 in the Shuka Sho, which is run over about 1 1/4 miles on turf on a right-handed course.

Gentildonna has won 5 of 7 starts in her career, all for owner Sunday Racing. She can become the first winner of the fillies’ Triple Crown since Apapane in 2010.

Gentildonna’s main rivals in the Shuka Sho are expected to be Verxina, Ice Follies, and I’m Yours, who were second through fourth in the Japanese Oaks.

Verxina, a filly by Deep Impact, won a Grade 3 stakes in the spring, but was second to Gentildonna in the Japanese 1000 Guineas and Rose Stakes.

– Steve Andersen