Japan: Geoglyph scores upset in Japanese 2000 Guineas
Geoglyph, beaten in his first two appearances in graded stakes, recorded an 11-1 upset in Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese 2000 Guineas at 1 1/4 miles at Nakayama Racecourse, the first race in the country’s Triple Crown.
Ridden by Yuichi Fukunaga, Geoglyph closed from the middle of a field of 18 to win the $2.53 million Japanese 2000 Guineas by a length over 4-1 Equinox. Trainer Tatsuya Kimura swept the exacta. Do Deuce, the 2021 champion 2-year-old male in Japan, finished third, beaten 2 1/4 lengths.
Geoglyph rallied wide under Fukunaga to reach contention in the final furlong to win the first stakes of his career.
“His start was good and we were able to sit in an ideal position, which was crucial,” Fukunaga told Japan Racing Association publicity. “I already knew that he was in good form when I rode him during workouts and had every belief that he was capable of winning.
“The colt has the strength to sustain his speed, so I geared him wide launching an early bid.”
Geoglyph was fifth behind Do Deuce in the Grade 1 Asahi Hai Futurity in December, and second to Danon Beluga in the Grade 3 Takinominoru Kinen at 1 1/8 miles at Tokyo Racecourse on Feb. 13.
Danon Beluga was the 7-2 favorite in the Japanese 2000 Guineas and finished fourth.
Geoglyph, a Japanese-bred colt by the Kentucky-bred Drefong, races for Sunday Racing Co., Ltd., and has won 3 of 5 starts. Drefong won 6 of 9 starts for trainer Bob Baffert, including the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Santa Anita in 2016. Drefong was the champion sprinter of 2016.
The Japanese 2000 Guineas was the second Grade 1 win of the year for Fukunaga, who won the February Stakes earlier this year with Café Pharoah. The wins have occurred months after Fukunaga suffered a broken clavicle in a spill in Hong Kong in December.
Geoglyph is expected to have his next start in the Grade 1 Japanese Derby at 1 1/2 miles at Tokyo Racecourse on May 29, the second race in the Triple Crown series.