Japan: Phantom Thief faces undefeated challengers in Hopeful Stakes

The undefeated colt Phantom Thief will face a class test in his graded stakes debut in Wednesday’s Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes for 2-year-olds at Nakayama Racecourse in Japan.

A winner of two starts, Phantom Thief should have no problem with the distance of 1 1/4 miles on turf. Phantom Thief won a race for first-time starters at a mile at Hanshin on June 18 and the Nojigiku Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Chukyo on Sept. 24. In both races, Phantom Thief stalked the pace and won by at least 1 1/4 lengths.

Phantom Thief is part of a field of 18 in the $1.018 million Hopeful, which has a post time of 2:25 a.m. Eastern or 11:25 p.m. Pacific on Tuesday.

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The key to victory for Phantom Thief is to hold off an expected late threat from Mikki Cappuccino, who is also unbeaten in two starts, having won twice at 1 1/4 miles – against first-time starters at Tokyo Racecourse on Oct. 9 and an allowance race at Nakayama on Dec. 3.

Such a career pattern is common among the leading candidates for the Hopeful. The well-regarded Seven Magician is also unbeaten in two starts and a winner at 1 1/4 miles in an allowance race at Hanshin on Nov. 13. Seven Magician closed from the back of the field that day, but has won from a stalking position.

The Hopeful Stakes is the final Grade 1 race of the year in Japan.

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