A half-length loss in the Grade 1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes last December kept Serifos from claiming the title as Japan’s champion 2-year-old male of 2021. Nearly five months later, Serifos will have his 3-year-old debut in Sunday’s Grade 1 NHK Mile at Tokyo Racecourse. Serifos has a chance to show on Sunday that he belongs among Japan’s top 3-year-olds as he was with 2-year-olds. Serifos was beaten for the first time in his fourth start the Asahi Hai Futurity at a mile at Hanshin by Do Deuce, who is winless in two graded stakes appearances this year and is not part of the NHK Mile field. Serifos tends to run from off the pace, a style that led to two graded stakes wins last August and November. :: Want to start playing with a $510 bankroll and have access to free Formulator? Learn more Trained by Mitsumasa Nakauchida, Serifos will be ridden for the first time by Yuichi Fukunaga, who has won two Grade 1 races in Japan this year – the February Stakes with Cafe Pharoah and the 2000 Guineas with Geoglyph. Get PPs for racing at Tokyo Racecourse Serifos drew post 4 in a full field of 18 in the $1.94 million NHK Mile, which has a post time of 2:40 a.m. Eastern or 11:40 p.m. Pacific on Saturday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com. The Kentucky-bred colt Jean Gros, purchased for $265,000 at the Ocala Breeders Sale of 2-year-olds in-training in March 2021, will have his Grade 1 debut in the NHK Mile after winning two stakes earlier this year at six furlongs and a mile. By More Than Ready, Jean Gros tends to run closer to the front. The legendary jockey Yutaka Take has the mount. :: Take your handicapping to the next level and play like a pro with free Formulator, DRF's premium data product Danon Scorpion, third in the Asahi Hai Futurity and the winner of the Grade 3 Arlington Cup at a mile at Hanshin Racecourse in his second start of 2022, has an excellent chance for a first win at the highest level in the NHK Mile. Danon Scorpion is by Lord Kanaloa and is out of Lexie Lou, the 2014 Canadian Horse of the year who was purchased for $1 million at the 2016 Keeneland November Sale.