Etario seeks first stakes win in Japanese St. Leger

Etario, a game second to Japanese Derby winner Wagnerian in a Grade 2 stakes on Sept.23, will be favored to win his first stakes in Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese St. Leger for 3-year-olds at Kyoto Racecourse.

Etario has been close to winning stakes this year, and will be around 5-2 in a field of 18 in the $2.37 million Japanese St. Leger, which is run at 1 7/8 miles on turf.

Trained by Yasuo Tomomichi, Etario, by Stay Gold, has just one win in eight starts, and five second-place finishes. He was fourth to Wagnerian in the Japanese Derby in May and second to that rival in the Grade 2 Kobe Shimbun Hai at Hanshin Racecourse on Sept. 23.

“This has been his target race,” Tomomichi told Japan Racing Association publicity. “He wasn’t fully wound up last time and has appreciated that run.

“He’s bigger now and about the right weight going into the race. His stride seems bigger now, his legs are stronger and the extra distance should suit him.”

Last April, Etario was second in a Grade 2 at 1 1/2 miles on turf at Tokyo Racecourse in April.

Epoca Doro and Blast Onepiece, who were second and fifth in the Japanese Derby, are well regarded in the St. Leger field.

Epoca Doro won the Japanese 2000 Guineas at 1 1-4 miles on turf on April 15 and was fourth in the Kobe Shimbun Hai at 1 1/2 miles in his first start of the fall.

Blast Onepiece has won 4 of 5 starts with the only loss a fifth in the Japanese Derby. He returned from a summer break to win the Grade 3 Niigata Kinen at 1 1/4 miles on turf on Sept. 2.

Wagnerian is not starting in the St. Leger. He is being pointed to the Grade 1 Tenno Sho on Oct. 28 against older horses, a major prep for the Japan Cup on Nov. 25.