Australia; Akasawa looks to qualify for Big Dance Stakes

When the $1.27 million Big Dance Stakes was run at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia last November, Akasawa was nearing a comeback from an 11-month layoff.

This November, Akasawa could be part of that restricted stakes.

To qualify, Akasawa needs a win in a race such as the Gunnedah Cup at a mile at Gunnedah Racecourse on Saturday evening.

The first two finishers from the Gunnedah Cup will be finalists for the Big Dance, which will be limited to 20 starters determined by official handicap ratings.

Akasawa’s handicap rating has fluctuated this year. A win in the Gunnedah Cup will result in a higher rating, and increase his chances of a start in the Big Dance Stakes at a mile.

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Trained by Paul Messara, Akasawa won four consecutive races earlier in his career and finished fifth and second in his last two starts of 2022 last November and December. This year, Akasawa has won 2 of 4 starts, including a lucrative handicap at 1 1/16 miles at Scone Racecourse on May 13.

Last month, Akasawa was eighth of 16 in the $368,350 County Championship at seven furlongs at Randwick, a restricted race for horses from stables based in countryside stables in the states of New South Wales.

Akasawa is arguably better in longer races as the 5-year-old gelding showed with his win on May 13.

The Gunnedah Cup is part of an eight-race program that begins at 10:15 p.m. Eastern or 7:15 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

The Gunnedah Cup will have a full field of 14, including Floating, who was second or third in his first three starts of the year, but 11th behind Akasawa at Scone.

A post-race diagnosis revealed minor lameness, which led to Floating being put on a veterinarian’s list. He was cleared to resume racing on May 19.

Baltic Coast is a threat from off the pace on the basis of a win in a one-mile handicap at Eagle Farm on April 29.

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