Contrail tries to remain perfect in Japanese Derby at Tokyo
Contrail, the undefeated champion 2-year-old male of 2019, will be an odds-on favorite to win his fifth race in Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese Derby at Tokyo Racecourse.
Contrail won the Grade 1 Japanese 2000 Guineas at 1 1/4 miles at Nakayama Racecourse on April 19 by a half-length over Salios, his main rival in the $3.87 million Japanese Derby.
For both colts, the Japanese Derby will be their first attempt at 1 1/2 miles. Contrail closed from well off the pace to win the 2000 Guineas. Salios, who was beaten for the first time in his fourth start in the 2000 Guineas, tends to run closer to the pace.
Salios was a Group 1 winner at 2 last year. Contrail and Salios were the only two horses to receive votes in year-end balloting for the division.
The Japanese Derby drew a field of 18 colts. Aside from Contrail and Salios, the others are expected to be double-digit odds. Satono Flag has won 3 of 5 starts, and is likely to be about 10-1. He was fifth in the 2000 Guineas.
Contrail, by Deep Impact, races for Shinji Maeda and trainer Yoshito Yahaga. Contrail won three starts at 2, ending with a victory in the Group 1 Hopeful Stakes at 1 1/4 miles last December. Jockey Yuichi Fukunaga has been aboard for three of the four wins.
“I think the way he won last time showed how good he’s become, getting gradually better since last year,” Fukunaga recently told Japan Racing Association publicity.
“I know him well and he doesn’t give me anything to worry about, whether it’s before or during the race.”
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Valcos is the only runner with experience at the distance, having won an allowance race at 1 1/2 miles at Hanshin Racecourse on March 14 and finishing second in the Grade 2 TV Tokyo Hai Aoba Sho at the distance at Tokyo on May 2.
Japanese Derby entrants Deep Bond and Man of Spirit were first and second in the Grade 2 Kyoto Shinbum Hai at 1 3/8 miles at Kyoto Racecourse on May 9. Deep Bond had finished 10th in the 2000 Guineas.
Post time for Japanese Derby is 2:40 a.m. Eastern on Sunday or 11:40 p.m. Pacific on Saturday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.