Japan: Titleholder tries to repeat in Tenno Sho
Titleholder has won several graded marathon stakes using a front-running style, including last spring’s Grade 1 Tenno Sho. Titleholder will try to repeat in the two-mile Tenno Sho on Sunday.
The spring Tenno Sho returns to its historic base at Kyoto Racecourse after two years at Hanshin when Kyoto was undergoing renovation. It will be Titleholder’s first start at Kyoto.
A winner of 7 of 15 races, Titleholder is part of a field of 17 that includes Justin Palace, a Grade 2 winner at 1 7/8 miles on March 19, and Silver Sonic, who won the Group 3 Red Sea Cup at 1 7/8 miles in Saudi Arabia in February.
Titleholder, trained by Toru Kurita, is not totally reliant on getting the lead. He was second early in the Grade 2 Nikkei Sho at 1 7/8 miles at Nakayama Racecourse on a soft turf course in March, took the lead midway through the race, and pulled away to win by eight lengths.
:: Get PPs for racing at Kyoto Racecourse here.
The Nikkei Sho was Titleholder’s first start since a ninth-place finish in the Grade 1 Arima Kinen at 1 9/16 miles in December, won by 2022 Japanese Horse of the Year Equinox. Last October, Titleholder set the pace in the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe but faded to finish 11th in a field of 20.
The 4-year-old Justin Palace will be stalking Titleholder on Sunday. A winner of 4 of 9 starts, Justin Palace was third in the Japanese St. Leger last October.
:: Get selections for racing at Kyoto Racecourse here.
Post time for the Tenno Sho is 2:40 a.m. Eastern on Sunday or 11:40 p.m. Pacific on Saturday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.