Japan: Mad Cool goes for Grade 1 sweep in Sprinters Stakes

Mad Cool, an Irish-bred 5-year-old, can become the sixth horse to sweep Japan’s two Grade 1 sprints in the same year when he starts as one of the leading choices in Sunday’s $2.31 million Sprinters Stakes at six furlongs at Nakayama Racecourse.

Mad Cool, second in the 2023 Sprinters Stakes, won the Grade 1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen at six furlongs at Chukyo in March in a 9-1 upset, but followed with a surprising last-place finish in the Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong in April, his most recent start.

The Sprinters Stakes, which drew a field of 16, will not be an easy assignment. Some of the other leading runners include Toshin Macau, winner of the Grade 2 Centaur Stakes at six furlongs at Chukyo on Sept. 8; and Satono Reve, winner of the Grade 3 Keeneland Cup at six furlongs at Sapporo Racecourse on Aug. 25 for his seventh win in nine starts.

Mama Cocha, winner of the 2023 Sprinters Stakes, is part of the field. A 5-year-old mare, Mama Cocha was second in the Centaur Stakes in her last start.

A Shin Spotter and Obamburumai, second and third in the Keeneland Cup, are part of the Sprinters Stakes field.

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Mad Cool, who has won 6 of 13 starts, and Satono Reve, who has won his last three races, typically run from off the pace. The Sprinters Stakes is the Grade 1 debut for Satono Reve, a 5-year-old Japanese-bred horse.

With a win on Sunday, Mad Cool will be the first runner to sweep the two Grade 1 sprint stakes in Japan since Fine Needle in 2018.

Obamburumai will pose a threat from the back of the field. A winner of 4 of 9 starts, Obamburumai was third by 1 1/2 lengths in the Keeneland Cup in his first start since a 10th-place finish in the Group 1 Champions Mile at Sha Tin in April.

Last November, Obamburumai won the $6.41 million Golden Eagle Stakes at 7 1/2 furlongs at Rosehill Gardens in Australia, a race limited to Northern Hemisphere 3-year-olds and Southern Hemisphere 4-year-olds.

The Sprinters Stakes field includes two runners from Hong Kong in Mugen and Victor the Winner.

Victor the Winner is winless in three starts since an upset in the Group 1 Centenary Sprint Cup at Sha Tin in January. He was third in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen. Mugen won the Group 3 Premier Cup at seven furlongs at Sha Tin Racecourse in June in his latest appearance.

The Sprinters Stakes has a post time of 2:40 a.m. Eastern on Sunday or 11:40 p.m. Pacific on Saturday.

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