Japan: Resistencia cuts back for Takamatsunomiya Kinen

Resistencia was the champion 2-year-old filly in Japan in 2019. She was second to Daring Tact in the Grade 1 Japanese 1000 Guineas last April and won her 2021 debut in the Grade 3 Hankyu Hai at seven furlongs on Feb. 28.

A winner of 4 of 8 starts, Resistencia has thrived at seven furlongs and a mile. Whether she can be equally as effective at six furlongs will be known in Sunday’s Grade 1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen at Chukyo Racecourse.

The new distance is not as severe of a test as it could be. The field of 18 does not include Gran Alegria, the champion sprinter and miler of 2020 in Japan.

Resistencia, who tends to race near the front, will be ridden for the first time by Suguru Hamanaka, a replacement for sidelined Yutake Take.

Trained by Takeshi Matsushita, Resistencia is one of seven fillies and mares in the $2.31 million Takamatsunomiya Kinen field, including 2020 winner Mozu Superflare.

A Kentucky-bred by Speightstown, Mozu Superflare is winless in four starts since the 2020 Takamatsunomiya Kinen.

The field includes Danon Smash, winner of the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin Racecourse in December; and Indy Champ, the 2019 champion sprinter or miler who was fourth in the Hankyu Hai in his first start of 2021.

Danon Smash was second to Gran Alegria in the Grade 1 Sprinters Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse last October. Sunday’s race is his first start since the win in Hong Kong.

Post time for the Takamatsunomiya Kinen is 2:40 a.m. Eastern on Sunday, or 11:40 p.m. Pacific on Saturday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

* Saturday at Nakayama Racecourse, the $315,731 Fukuryu Stakes at 1 1/8 miles will be run for 3-year-olds, the last of four stakes in Japan’s qualifying series for a potential Kentucky Derby starter.

One invitation is available for the Kentucky Derby, and the rankings will look considerably different after the Fukuryu Stakes. Of the 11 horses to earn points in the first three races in the series, only Taisei Again, who is tied for ninth with only 2 points, is part of the 14 entrants in the Fukuryu Stakes.

In early betting on Friday, Gold Higher, by Henny Hughes, and Meisho Murakumo, by the Sunday Silence stallion Neo Universe, were the first and second choices. Both are recent winners of allowance races.