Isla Bonita favored to win second leg of Japanese Triple Crown

Isla Bonita, the winner of the Japanese 2000 Guineas on April 20, will be favored to win the second leg of that country’s Triple Crown in Sunday’s $4,173,707 Japanese Derby at Tokyo Racecourse.

Isla Bonita is part of a field of 17 in the Japanese Derby, run over 1 1/2 miles on turf. The distance will be a test for Isla Bonita, who won the 2000 Guineas over 1 1/4 miles by 1 1/4 lengths over To the World, another runner in the Japanese Derby.

Isla Bonita, by Fuji Kiseki, races for Shadai Race Horse Co., and is trained by Hironori Kurita. The colt has won his last four starts, including three races at Tokyo Racecourse over 1 1/8 miles. Masayoshi Ebina will ride Isla Bonita.

To the World won a Grade 2 stakes over 1 1/4 miles on turf at Nakayama Racecourse in March in his graded stakes debut. Other contenders include Hagino Hybrid and Sounds of Earth, who were first and second May 10 in the Grade 2 Shimbun Hai at Kyoto Racecourse, and One and Only, who was fourth in the 2000 Guineas.

There is a prominent filly in the field in Red Reveur, who was second April 13 in the Japanese 1000 Guineas in her first start of 2014 and the only loss in her four-race career. She won the Grade 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies in her final start of 2013 last December.