Japan: Water Navillera can clinch 2-year-old title with Hanshin Juvenile Fillies win
Water Navillera, unbeaten in three starts, can clinch the title of champion 2-year-old filly in Japan with a victory in Sunday’s Grade 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies at Hanshin Racecourse near Osaka.
Water Navillera won the Grade 3 Kyoto Sho Fantasy Stakes at seven furlongs at Hanshin on Nov. 6 in her stakes debut, racing near the front throughout. Water Navillera is likely to have a forward position in the $1.1 million Hanshin Juvenile Fillies at a mile.
The race drew a full field of 18, with several other fillies capable of a win in a race that plays an important role in deciding the year-end championship as well as offering clues for the leading races for the division in the spring.
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Water Navillera, who will be ridden by the legendary former champion rider Yutaka Take, starts from post 13. Namura Clair, second to Water Navillera in the Fantasy Stakes, drew the rail. The Hanshin Juvenile Fillies is run on a right-handed course.
Circle of Life, who starts from post 10, has won 2 of 3 starts, including her stakes debut in the Grade 3 Artemis Stakes at a mile at Tokyo Racecourse on Oct. 30. Circle of Life closed from off the pace to win by a neck over Bella Cresta, another contender in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies.
Lovely Your Eyes and Namura Lycoris have attractive credentials.
Lovely Your Eyes has had a different preparation, winning her first two starts before a third by two lengths to King Hermes in the Grade 2 Nisai Stakes against males at seven furlongs at Tokyo on Nov. 6.
This will be the first start beyond six furlongs for Namura Lycoris, who has not raced since a win in the Grade 3 Hakodate Nisai Stakes at Hakodate Racecourse on July 17 on the island of Hokkaido.
The race at Hanshin will be the first on the mainland for Namura Lycoris, and her first involving a lengthy van ride.
“It will be her first time to ship to the track for a race,” trainer Masahiro Maruta told Japan Racing Association publicity. “She’s not a hothead, so I think she’ll be okay.”
The Hanshin Juvenile Fillies has a post time of 1:40 a.m. Eastern on Sunday, or 10:40 p.m. Pacific on Saturday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.