Deep Sky trying to end losing skid

Deep Sky will try to break a three-race runner-up streak at Hanshin on Sunday in the 1 3/8-mile, $2.6 million Takarazuka Kinen, the last Grade 1 race on the Japanese calendar until Oct. 4.

The winner last year of the 1 1/2-mile Japanese Derby, the Mitsugu Kon-trained Deep Sky has more recently been second in the 1 1/2-mile Japan Cup, the 1 1/4-mile Osaka Hai, and the one-mile Yasuda Kinen, in which he was just beaten by Vodka, who is passing on this race to rest up for an autumn campaign. Dream Journey, winner of the Osaka Hai, and Screen Hero, winner of the Japan Cup, take on Deep Sky, who should get the better of them this time around.

The first two home in the two-mile Spring Tenno Sho, Meiner Kitz and Al Nasrain, are back again, with Al Nasrain probably holding the better chance at the distance, as he had beaten Meiner Kitz previously going 1 9/16 miles in the Grade 2 Nikkei Sho.