Japan: Two-mile Tenno Sho should be in Durezza's wheelhouse

Since his debut in a maiden race at 1 1/4 miles in September 2022, the Japanese colt Durezza has had a career strictly in distance races.

Durezza was unbeaten in four starts as a 3-year-old, a season that ended with a win in the Grade 1 Japanese St. Leger at 1 7/8 miles at Kyoto last October.

Durezza is back at Kyoto for his 2024 Grade 1 debut in Sunday’s spring running of the $2.68 million Tenno Sho at two miles. Durezza will have his second start of the year in the Tenno Sho after only the second loss in his seven-race career in the Grade 2 Kinko Sho at 1 1/4 miles at Chukyo Racecourse on March 10.

At Chukyo, Durezza was beaten five lengths by Prognosis, a leading contender in Sunday’s Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup at 1 1/4 miles at Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong.

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In the Tenno Sho, Durezza is part of a field of 17. Post time is 2:40 a.m. Eastern on Sunday, or 11:40 p.m. Pacific on Saturday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

Durezza, by Duramente, will be ridden by Keita Tosaki, a replacement for Christophe Lemaire, who is sidelined with an injury sustained in Dubai on March 30. Tosaki is currently second in the jockey standings at Japan Racing Association tracks through Friday.

Durezza tends to run from off the pace. The Tenno Sho will be the longest race of his career.

The distance will not be an issue for T O Royal, who won the Grade 3 Diamond Stakes at 2 1/8 miles at Tokyo Racecourse in February. T O Royal won the Grade 2 Hanshin Daishoten at 1 7/8 miles at Hanshin Racecourse on March 17 in his most recent start. In both wins, T O Royal closed from a stalking position.

The Tenno Sho is a new distance for Tastiera, who won the Grade 1 Japanese Derby at 1 1/2 miles at Tokyo last May and was later second by 3 1/2 lengths to Durezza in the Japanese St. Leger.

Tastiera was 11th of 16 in the Grade 1 Osaka Hai at 1 1/4 miles at Hanshin Racecourse on March 31, fading in the final furlong. Trainer Noriyuki Hori told JRA publicists recently that Tastiera lost his appetite the day before the Osaka Hai. Hori indicated the colt had worked well through April for the Tenno Sho.

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