Ask Victor More, Do Deuce rematched in Japanese 2000 Guineas
Ask Victor More has had a flashy start to his 3-year-old campaign in Japan in recent months.
After winning an allowance race at 1 1/4 miles at Nakayama Racecourse on Jan. 5, Ask Victor More beat 2021 champion 2-year-old male Do Deuce by a neck when they were first and second in the Grade 2 Deep Impact Kinen at 1 1/4 miles at Nakayama on March 6.
The two will have a rematch as part of a much tougher field in Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese 2000 Guineas at 1 1/4 miles at Nakayama Racecourse. The $2.53 million Japanese 2000 Guineas drew a full field of 18 and post positions may affect the outcome in a crowded field.
Do Deuce is drawn well in post 12, while the Grade 1 winner Killer Ability and Ask Victor More have the inside two posts. Equinox, unbeaten in two starts, drew the outside, while the undefeated Danon Beluga drew a more favorable position in post 4.
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Do Deuce clinched the 2-year-old title with a win in the Grade 1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes at a mile last December. The Deep Impact Kinen was his first start at 1 1/4 miles. Do Deuce closed from fifth in the stretch in the field of 11 to just miss, suggesting he should benefit from that start for the Japanese 2000 Guineas.
Do Deuce is trained by Yasuo Tomomichi, who is already having a memorable month. On April 3, the Tomomichi-trained Potager won the Grade 1 Osaka Hai Stakes for older horses at 72-1.
The legendary jockey Yutaka Take will ride Do Deuce.
The Japanese 2000 Guineas will be a test for Danon Beluga and Equinox, both unbeaten in two starts. Danon Beluga won a Grade 3 race at 1 1/8 miles at Tokyo on Feb. 13 in his 3-year-old debut.
Danon Beluga is out of Coasted, who was second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita in 2016. Coasted was sold for $1.3 million at Fasig-Tipton in Kentucky in November 2017.
Equinox has not raced since a win in a Grade 2 race at 1 1/8 miles at Tokyo last November.
This will be the first start of 2022 for Killer Ability, who won the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Nakayama in December. Killer Ability, who has won 2 of 4 starts, is out of Killer Graces, who won the Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet Stakes at Hollywood Park in 2011 and was later sold for $850,000 at Fasig-Tipton in Kentucky in November 2012.
Killer Ability tends to run as a stalker, which could lead to a tricky journey from a rail draw.
Killer Ability will be ridden by Yuga Kawada who won the BC Filly and Mare Turf at Del Mar last November with Loves Only You. Last weekend, Kawada won the Grade 1 Japanese 1000 Guineas on Stars on Earth, guiding the filly through traffic in the final furlong to lead at the wire.
The Japanese 2000 Guineas has a post time of 2:40 am. Eastern on Sunday or 11:40 p.m. Pacific on Saturday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.