Japan: Sol Oriens rallies from far back to win Satsuki Sho
With 400 meters left to race Sunday at Nakayama Racecourse in the Satsuki Sho, the Group 1 Japanese 2000 Guineas, Sol Oriens was 17th of 18 runners and more than 10 paths off the fence. A quarter-mile later, he had swooped past 16 rivals and won the $3.1 million Satsuki Sho by 1 1/4 lengths while going away.
It was a tremendous performance from a colt who could be any kind of racehorse, adding this major victory to a pair of wins to start his career. Tastier, who tracked the leaders, finished second, a half-length in front of favored Phantom Thief, whose finishing kick from 10th position failed to match that of second-choice Sol Oriens.
Sol Oriens, racing over a yielding course, his first start on going softer than good, probably benefitted from being kept off the rail the entire trip by jockey Takeshi Yokoyama, who won his second Satsuki Sho. The rain that fell over the weekend turned the inner paths of the Nakayama course deeper and more demanding, and a lively pace also aided Sol Oriens. Favorable factors aside, his mad dash home from such a difficult position at the head of the homestretch was undeniably impressive.
“He’s still very green, especially at the turns, with only a short career coming into this race,” Yokoyama told Japan Racing Association publicity. ‘But as he’s already shown in his previous start, I know firsthand the power and speed which this colt possesses and so, while we had a lot of ground to cover from way behind, I knew that if I could keep him in good rhythm up to the straight, he would be able to show his full potential to win this race.”
It was a first Satsuki Sho win for Takeheka Tazuka, who trains Sol Oriens for Shadai Race Horse Co. Shadai also bred Sol Oriens, a son of Kitasan Black and Skia, by Motivator. Winning time for 2,000 meters over the yielding ground was 2:00.6.
Having won the first leg of the Japanese Triple Crown, Sol Oriens presumably moves on to the Japanese Derby on May 28. That 2,400-meter middle leg of the series is followed in the fall by the 3,000-meter Japanese St. Leger.
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