Japan: Logotype scores as favorite in Japanese 2000 Guineas

Logotype is proving to be more than just an outstanding 2-year-old.

The 2012 champion juvenile male in Japan, Logotype remained unbeaten in two starts this year, with a win in Sunday’s $2,527,000 Japanese 2000 Guineas at Nakayama Racecourse.

Ridden by Mirco Demuro, Logotype, the 5-2 favorite, rallied five wide on the turn to win the Grade 1 Japanese 2000 Guineas by a half-length over Epiphaneia, another 5-2 shot. Codino, sent off at 3-1, was third in the field of 18.

Demuro had Logotype in midpack for the first six furlongs of the race over 1 1/4 miles on turf. He guided the colt to the outside of the leaders on the turn before taking the lead.

A son of Lohengrin, Logotype has won 5 of 8 starts in his career, including the Grade 1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes last December. In his first start of 2013, Logotype won the Group 2 Spring Stakes over 1 1/8 miles on turf at Nakayama on March 17.

Ireland: English Derby prospect Battle of Marengo wins Group 3 stakes

Battle of Marengo, the winner of two stakes last fall, won his 3-year-old debut in Sunday’s Group 3 Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown in Ireland.

Sent off as the 8-13 favorite, Battle of Marengo won the Ballysax Stakes over 1 1/4 miles on turf by 1 3/4 lengths over Sugar Boy in the field of five. Battle of Marengo, by Galileo, is trained by Aidan O’Brien and was ridden by his son, Joseph.

Battle of Marengo is listed as a 12-1 chance to win the English Derby in June. The O’Brien- trained Kingsbarns is the 6-1 co-favorite to win the English Derby, but the trainer told the British press that the colt has had a disrupted training schedule in recent weeks.

Earlier on the same program, Rawaaq (6-1) won her first stakes in the Group 3 Leopardstown 1000 Guineas Trial over a mile, finishing 1 1/4 lengths in front of What Style. Rawaaq, by Invincible Spirit, is trained by Dermot Weld.

At Longchamp Racecourse in Paris, Kenhope, by Kendargent, and Genghis, by King’s Best, won Group 3 races over a mile.

Kenhope (9-1) won her first stakes in the Prix de la Grotte for 3-year-old fillies, closing from fourth in a field of five to win by a length over Tasaday, the 7-10 favorite.

Gengis (11-1) won the Group 3 Prix de Fountainbleau by a half-length over Morandi, the 7-10 favorite. Gengis was a minor stakes winner as a 2-year-old in France.