Buena Vista out to sweep fillies series

Buena Vista goes after the Japanese fillies triple crown at Kyoto on Sunday when she takes on 17 rivals in the Grade 1, $1.9 million Shuka Sho, a 1 1/4-mile contest for 3-year-old distaffers.

The Hiroyushi Matsuda-trained daughter of Special Week landed the one-mile Japanese 1000 Guineas at Hanshin and the 1 1/2-mile Japanese Oaks at Tokyo this spring. Victory in the Shuka Sho, which was first run in 1996 to create a fillies triple crown, would make her only the third horse to sweep the series and the first since Still in Love in 2003. Considered for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe after her first two classic scores, Buena Vista remained at home after finishing second to the unheralded Yamanin Kingly in the Grade 2 Sapporo Kinen in her first try against colts on Aug. 29.

Katsumi Ando will take his usual place aboard Buena Vista, who faces a stern challenge from Red Desire, a Manhattan Cafe filly who was a half-length behind the favorite in the Guineas and just a neck back in the Oaks. Broad Street, fourth in the Oaks, returned from a four-month absence to hand Red Desire a neck defeat in the Grade 2 Rose Stakes over 1 1/8 miles at Hanshin on Sept. 20.

* The lists of free foreign nominations to the four races that make up the Japan Autumn International were announced by the Japan Racing Association on Friday. Dynaforce, Forever Together, Magical Fantasy, Shalanaya, and Pure Clan were all nominated to the 1 3/8-mile, $2.1 million Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup on Nov. 15, but are unlikely to travel to Kyoto, as the race comes just nine days after their intended dates in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf. Breeders' Cup Mile hopefuls Cowboy Cal, Ferneley, Gladiatorus, and Justenuffhumor are among the nominees to the $2.3 million Mile Championship at Kyoto on Nov. 22.

* The Nov. 29 date of Tokyo's $5.9 million Japan Cup at 1 1/2 miles is a possible target for Breeders' Cup Turf hopefuls Conduit, Dar Re Mi, Grand Couturier, Just as Well, Marsh Side, Presious Passion, and Spanish Moon, as well as Gio Ponti, Forever Together, and Jukebox Jury. The 1 1/8-mile, $3 million Japan Cup Dirt at Hanshin on Dec. 6 has attracted the attention of Asiatic Boy, Bullsbay, Cocoa Beach, Gitano Hernando, Mine That Bird, Richard's Kid, and Summer Bird, who also is nominated to the Japan Cup.