Japan: Alankar jumps into Grade 1 company for Hanshin Juvenile Fillies
Alankar has her stakes debut in Sunday’s Grade 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies at Hanshin Racecourse in Japan, the sort of race expected considering her pedigree.
By Epiphaneia, Alankar is out of Sinhalite, the winner of the Grade 1 Japanese 1000 Guineas and Grade 1 Japanese Oaks in consecutive starts in 2016. Sinhalite is out of the British-bred Singhalese, who won the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks in California in 2007.
Alankar has shown hints of that level of ability in her first two starts, which makes her a contender in the $803,400 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies at a mile on turf.
Trained by Takashi Saito, Alankar won a race for first-time starters at 1 1/8 miles at Fukushima Racecourse on July 5, and a first-condition allowance race at a mile at Hanshin on Sept. 20. In both races, she closed from off the pace.
In the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, Alankar starts from post 4 in a field of 18, a favorable draw considering her closing style.
She is one of seven two-time winners in the field along with Angelitas, Arbanne, His Masterpiece, Lasting Snow, Margot Love Me, and Rose Charis.
Arbanne was second in her first start in June and has since won two one-mile races.
Angelitas will be ridden by Florent Geroux, who was based in Kentucky this fall and is riding in Japan on a short-term license through Dec. 31.
Angelitas, who starts from the inside post on Sunday, won her first two starts before she finished 12th of 14 at 55-1 in the Grade 3 Fantasy Stakes at Kyoto on Nov. 1. The race was won by Festival Hill, who is currently sidelined by injury.
Margot Love Me will draw support for her unbeaten record in two starts. She makes a quick turnaround after a win in an allowance race at a mile at Kyoto on Nov. 30.
Margot Love Me won a seven-furlong race for first-time starters at Kyoto on Oct. 11. She tends to run closer to the front and could be the filly to catch.
The Hanshin Juvenile Fillies has a post time of 1:40 a.m. Eastern on Sunday or 10:40 p.m. Pacific on Saturday.
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