Japan: Deep Bond stretches out further in two-mile Tenno Sho at Hanshin

Since the start of his career, Deep Bond has displayed an affinity for distance races in Japan. He won a maiden race at 1 1/4 miles at Kyoto Racecourse in November 2019 as a 2-year-old in his second start, after all.

Last year, Deep Bond chased Japanese champion 3-year-old Contrail without success through the country’s Triple Crown. That rival is conveniently not part of Sunday’s spring running of the Grade 1 Tenno Sho, a race also known as the Emperor’s Cup.

The $2.66 million Tenno Sho is run at two miles, favorable conditions for Deep Bond, who won the Grade 2 Hanshin Daishoten at 1 7/8 miles in his second start of 2021 on March 21. The Tenno Sho is typically run at Kyoto, but that track is undergoing renovation this spring, leading to a venue change to Hanshin Racecourse.

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Deep Bond, a winner of 3 of 11 starts, is part of a field of 17. Deep Bond, trained by Ryuji Okubo, rates as an outstanding contender, along with Aristoteles, Curren Bouquetd’or, Win Marilyn, and World Premiere.

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Aristoteles, the mount of leading Japan Racing Association jockey Christophe Lemaire, won the Grade 2 American Jockey Club Stakes at 1 3/8 miles at Nakayama Racecourse in January, but was only seventh in the Hanshin Daishoten, never playing a factor as the 3-10 favorite. Last October, Aristoteles was second to Contrail in the Grade 1 Japanese St. Leger at 1 7/8 miles at Kyoto Racecourse.

Win Marilyn, Curren Bouquetd’or, and World Premiere were the first three finishers of the Grade 2 Nikkei Sho at 1 9/16 miles at Nakayama Racecourse on March 27.

Win Marilyn won by a half-length after racing just behind the pace. Curren Bouquetd’or, a 5-year-old mare by Deep Impact, has won 2 of 14 starts. In the final months of 2020, Curren Bouquetd’or was fourth in the Grade 1 Japan Cup and fifth in the Grade 1 Arima Kinen, the two leading races for older horses in Japan.

Curren Bouquetd’or has an impeccable pedigree. She is by top Japanese stallion Deep Impact and out of Solaria, a three-time Group 1 winner in Chile in 2013 and 2014.

Win Marilyn, a 4-year-old filly, and the mares Curren Bouquetd’or and Melody Lane are the only females in the Tenno Sho field.