Lovcen stretches out in Japanese Derby off course-record win in 2000 Guineas
Lovcen set a course record with his win in the Grade 1 Japanese 2000 Guineas in April, a milestone that has left him a strong favorite to win the longest race of his career in Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese Derby at 1 1/2 miles at Tokyo Racecourse.
Lovcen, a winner of 3 of 4 starts, was timed in 1:56.50 for 1 1/4 miles in the Japanese 2000 Guineas at Nakayama Racecourse on April 19. He finished three-quarters of a length in front of Realize Sirius, who is rated as the biggest threat to Lovcen in the $3.8 million Japanese Derby.
The two colts have varied records at Tokyo Racecourse in limited starts.
Lovcen, trained by Haruki Sugiyama, was third behind Realize Sirius in a Grade 3 stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Tokyo in February, his only appearance at the track. For Lovcen, the loss was his first start since a win in the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes for 2-year-olds at 1 1/4 miles in December.
Realize Sirius, who has won 3 of 5 starts, is unbeaten in two starts at Tokyo, beginning with a race for first-time starters at a mile last June. In his only other career loss, Realize Sirius was fifth behind Cavallerizzo in the Grade 1 Asahi Hai Futurity at Hanshin Racecourse in December.
Cavallerizzo, the champion 2-year-old male of 2025, is not part of the Japanese Derby field after finishing 13th in the Japanese 2000 Guineas and 12th in the Grade 1 NHK Mile for 3-year-olds at Tokyo on May 10.
Among the leading contenders, the post position draw for the Japanese Derby appears to favor Realize Sirius, who drew post 6. Lovcen drew post 17, which will force jockey Kohei Matsuyama to use some of the colt’s speed to establish an early position.
Any sort of quick pace will aid Congestus, who is unbeaten in three starts, and the proven stayer Going to Sky. Congestus won the Grade 2 Kyoto Shimbun Hai at 1 3/8 miles at Kyoto on May 9, closing from ninth in a field of 16. Going to Sky won for the second time in his fourth start in the Grade 2 Aoba Sho at 1 1/2 miles at Tokyo on April 25.
Going to Sky will be ridden by 57-year-old Yutaka Take, who has won the Japanese Derby a record six times, most recently in 2002. Going to Sky is his 37th career mount in the race.
The Japanese Derby has a post time of 2:40 a.m. Eastern on Sunday or 11:40 p.m. Pacific on Saturday.
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