Japan: Schnell Meister faces stiff opposition in Yasuda Kinen
Schnell Meister, a Grade 1 winner in Japan in 2021 but eighth in the Group 1 Dubai Turf in the United Arab Emirates in March in his lone start this year, is the expected favorite in Sunday’s Grade 1 Yasuda Kinen at a mile at Tokyo Racecourse in Japan.
The winner receives a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland on Nov. 5.
The German-bred Schnell Meister was third by a little more than a half-length in the 2021 Yasuda Kinen. Later in the year, he won the Grade 2 Mainichi Okan at 1 1/8 miles at Tokyo Racecourse in October, and was second to Gran Alegria in the Grade 1 Mile Championship at Hanshin in November. Gran Alegria was later named 2021 champion sprinter or miler in Japan.
Sunday’s $2.65 million Yasuda Kinen drew a field of 18, with several contenders.
Serifos was fourth by 1 1/2 lengths in the Grade 1 NHK Mile for 3-year-olds on May 8, a race Schnell Meister won in 2021.
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Fine Rouge, a 4-year-old filly, and Resistencia, a 5-year-old mare, were second and third in the Grade 1 Victoria Mile for fillies and mares at a mile at Tokyo Racecourse on May 15.
Naran Huleg and the Kentucky-bred Lotus Land were first and second in the Grade 1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen at six furlongs on turf at Chukyo on March 27.
The preceding day, Schnell Meister was beaten 5 1/4 lengths by dead-heat winners Lord North and Panthalassa in the Dubai Turf at 1 1/8 miles. Schnell Meister was the even-money favorite in American pools.
Christophe Lemaire, the former leading jockey at Japan Racing Association tracks and currently ranked fifth, rides Schnell Meister for Sunday Racing Co., and trainer Takahisa Tezuka in the Yasuda Kinen.
This is the first start in a Grade 1 race on turf for Cafe Pharoah, a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred horse who won the Grade 1 February Stakes on dirt in February at Tokyo Racecourse. A winner of 6 of 11 starts, Cafe Pharoah was ninth in the Grade 3 Hakodate Kinen at 1 1/4 miles on turf last July in his only start on the surface.
The Yasuda Kinen has a post time of 2:40 a.m. Eastern on Sunday or 11:40 a.m. Pacific on Saturday.