Daring Tact rallies wide to win Japanese 1000 Guineas

Daring Tact rallied from the back of a field of 18 3-year-old fillies to win her graded stakes debut in Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese 1000 Guineas at Hanshin Racecourse.

The win extended Daring Tact’s unbeaten streak to three races.

Ridden by Kohei Matsuyama, Daring Tact, who paid $10 in North American pools, finished 1 1/4 lengths in front of 5-2 favorite Resistencia, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2019 in Japan. Daring Tact made a wide move on the right-handed course to catch Resistencia in the final sixteenth.

“We were far behind the leaders and desperate in catching up, but she responded beautifully and stretched incredibly all the way to the line,” Mastuyama told Japan Racing Association publicists.

Smile Kana (35-1) finished third.

Daring Tact, who is by Epiphaneia, races for Normandy Thoroughbred Racing Co. and trainer Haruki Sugiyama. Daring Tact has won three races at a mile in her brief career. She won her debut in a race for first-time starters at Kyoto in November and her stakes debut in the Elfin Stake at the same venue on Feb. 8.

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Daring Tact is expected to run in the Grade 1 Japanese Oaks at 1 1/2 miles at Tokyo Racecourse on May 24.

“I’m not worried about the added distance in the coming Japanese Oaks, but she does have issues to work on such as being relaxed,” Matuyama said.

The $2.17 million Japanese 1000 Guineas was held without an audience because of the coronavirus outbreak. All-sources handle on the 12-race program was $203.7 million, while handle on the Japanese 1000 Guineas was $129.5 million, according to JRA figures.

“I’m praying that the day we can race in front of the crowd again will come soon,” Matsuyama said.