Japan: Logotype sharp entering 2000 Guineas at Nakayama

Logotype, Japan’s top 2-year-old male of 2012, will be favored to win his fourth consecutive race in Sunday’s $2,527,000 Japanese 2000 Guineas at Nakayama Racecourse.

A colt by Lohengrin, Logotype has won 4 of 7 starts in his career, including the Grade 1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes last December. In his only start of 2013, Logotype won the Group 2 Spring Stakes over 1 1/8 miles on turf at Nakayama on March 17.

Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese 2000 Guineas is run over about 1 1/4 miles on turf and has drawn a field of 18. Logotype is owned by Teruya Yoshida and trained by Tsuyoshi Tanaka. Mirco Demuro has the mount; he won two races aboard Logotype last fall.

Tanaka pronounced Logotype ready earlier this week, saying he was impressed with the rally that the colt displayed in his prep race.

“When he made his move around the last turn, I admit I was worried for a split second, but he erased those doubts in a heartbeat,” Tanaka said. “The way he came through the straight was incredible. He was in a league of his own at the end.”

Other contenders in the Japanese 2000 Guineas are Codino, second in the Asahi Hai Futurity last December; Tamamo Best Play, second in the Spring Stakes last month; and Camino Tassajara, who won the Group 2 Hochai Hai Yayoi Sho Stakes at Nakayama on March 3.