Japan: Dolce More looks to rebound in NHK Mile Cup at Tokyo
Dolce More won two major stakes last fall to clinch the title of champion Japanese 2-year-old colt of 2022. His 3-year-old season is not off to a good start.
Dolce More was beaten for the first time when seventh in the Grade 2 New Zealand Trophy at a mile at Nakayama Racecourse on April 8. The loss has dented Dolce More’s reputation in advance of Sunday’s $1.87 million NHK Mile Cup for colts and fillies at Tokyo Racecourse.
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Dolce More, who set the pace in the New Zealand Trophy before fading, is likely to run from a stalking position the NHK Mile Cup, which drew a full field of 18. Dolce More starts from post 13 and will be ridden by Kosei Miura for trainer Naosuke Sugai. This will be the first time Miura has ridden Dolce More, who is by Rulership. Miura will be after his first Grade 1 win at a Japan Racing Association track.
Sugai told JRA publicists that Dolce More set too quick of a pace in the New Zealand Trophy, and that he does not expect the same thing to happen in the NHK Mile Cup. Sugai said that Dolce More has been working in company with Sodashi, Japan’s champion 3-year-old filly of 2021.
Eeyan, the winner of the New Zealand Trophy, and Obamburumai, the winner of the Grade 3 Arlington Cup at a mile at Hanshin on April 15, are two other highly regarded runners in the NHK Mile Cup.
Eeyan has won three straight, all at a mile, after losing his first two races.
Obamburumai has won 3 of 4 starts. His only loss was a seventh behind Dolce More in the Grade 1 Asahi Hai Futurity last December. Obamburumai is a threat from off the pace.
The field includes the Kentucky-bred colt From Dusk, by Bolt d’Oro. Purchased for $900,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s auction of 2-year-olds in training in April 2022, From Dusk has won once in six starts. He was ninth of 13 in the Saudi Derby Cup in Saudi Arabia in February in his most recent start, and 16th of 17 in the Asahi Hai Futurity in December.
The NHK Mile Cup has a post time of 2:40 a.m. Eastern on Sunday or 11:40 p.m. Pacific on Saturday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.
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