Japan: Young talent goes for Grade 1 in Hanshin Juvenile Fillies

The foundations are in place. The Japanese 2-year-old fillies Ascoli Piceno, Corazon Beat, and Culture Day have all won at least twice, and are graded stakes winners.

One of them could become a Grade 1 winner in Sunday’s $863,300 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies at a mile on turf at Hanshin Racecourse. The race drew a full field of 18, all Japanese-breds.

Ascoli Piceno, by Daiwa Major, won a seven-furlong race for first-time starters at Tokyo Racecourse on June 24, and her stakes debut in the Grade 3 Niigata Nisai Stakes at a mile at Niigata Racecourse on Aug. 27. Ascoli Piceno closed from fifth in a field of 12 to win by a length at Niigata.

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Corazon Beat, by Suave Richard, has won 3 of 4 starts, including her last three starts – a maiden race at a mile at Tokyo on June, an allowance race at Niigata on Aug. 6, and the Grade 3 Keio Hai Nisai Stakes at Tokyo on Nov. 4.

In the latter race at seven furlongs, Corazon Beat closed from sixth to win by a neck.

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Culture Day, by Fine Needle, tends to run closer to the pace, a style that has led to wins in her first two starts. Culture Day won a race for first-time starters at six furlongs at Kokura Racecourse on Sept. 2 and her stakes debut in the Grade 3 Kyoto Sho Fantasy Stakes at seven furlongs at Kyoto on Nov. 4.

Culture Day finished a half-length in front of Dona Betty, who is part of the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies field but drew a tough post on the outside of the big field.

Chicago Sting, third in the Fantasy by three-quarters of a length, will start from post 12 in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies. A two-time winner in four starts, Chicago Sting tends to run near the front.

The Hanshin Juvenile Fillies is the only Grade 1 race for the 2-year-old filly division in Japan. The winner is frequently named division champion.

Post time for the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies is 1:40 a.m. Eastern on Sunday or 10:40 p.m. Pacific on Saturday.

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