Japan: First Force ends 13-race skid with Takamatsunomiya Kinen win
First Force, who finished no closer than ninth in his first three appearances in Grade 1 sprints, ended a 13-race losing streak since July 2021 with a shocking win in Sunday’s Grade 1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen at Chukyo Racecourse in Japan.
First Force ($90) closed from the middle of a field of 18 to win the $2.52 million Takamatsunomiya Kinen at six furlongs by a length over 5-1 Namura Clair. Travesura (56-1) closed along the rail to lead briefly in the stretch and held third, finishing 1 1/2 lengths behind First Force.
Meikei Yell, the 2-1 favorite, finished 12th, fading through the stretch after stalking the pace.
First Force, a 7-year-old horse by Lord Kanaloa, was ridden by Taisei Danno for trainer Masayuki Nishimura. First Force has won 7 of 29 starts in a career that began in June 2019.
First Force was a Grade 3 winner at six furlongs in his only stakes win prior to Sunday in July 2021. Later that year, First Force was 15th in the Sprinters Stakes, Japan’s other Grade 1 race for sprinters.
In 2022, First Force was ninth in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen and 10th in the Sprinters Stakes.
Earlier this year, First Force ran a brighter race, finishing second in the Grade 3 Silk Road Stakes at six furlongs at Chukyo on Jan. 29.
Mitono O wins final qualifier
Mitono O, a Japanese-bred colt by Logotype, won for the third time in his fourth start in Saturday’s Fukuryu Stakes on a sloppy dirt track at Nakayama Racecourse, the final race in Japan’s four-race qualifying series for the Kentucky Derby.
Mitono O was not nominated to the Triple Crown earlier this year, but can be nominated for $6,000 by Monday.
Mitono O currently ranks fourth among Japanese contenders for the Kentucky Derby, with 40 qualifying points. Derma Sotogake leads the standings with 120 points, having earned 100 points for a win in the United Arab Emirates Derby at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai on Saturday.
Perriere (56 points) and Continuar (40) were second and third in the standings after finishing fourth and third in the UAE Derby.
Perriere had 36 points earned in races in Japan before finishing fourth in the UAE Derby. Continuar is ranked higher than Mitono O in the standings because of career earnings.
Derma Sotogake, Perriere and Continuar were nominated to the Triple Crown earlier this year.
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