Love Only You makes first start since May in Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Kyoto Racecourse

Undefeated Love Only You makes her first start since May 19 when she faces 17 rivals Sunday at Kyoto Racecourse in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Love Only You has four wins from four starts, ascending from listed stakes competition to annex the Group 1 Japanese Oaks over 1 1/2 miles at Tokyo Racecourse nearly six months ago and hasn’t seen racing action since. Her trainer, Yoshito Yahagi, told Japanese racing media that his filly has been training steadily and should be fit and ready for her comeback run over 1 3/8 miles, and early wagering on the race suggests bettors agree, with Love Only You a solid 2-1 favorite as of Friday.

Mirco Demuro has the ride on this daughter of Deep Impact and the Storm Cat mare, Loves Only Me.

Chrono Genesis, another 3-year-old in a race open to older fillies and mares, finished third in the Japanese Oaks but already has a start behind her this autumn and has turned in nothing but solid performances during her seven-race career, logging four wins, one second, and a pair of third-place finishes. On Oct. 13, Chrono Genesis won the Group 1 Shuka Sho over 1 1/4 miles on this same Kyoto Course, and on pedigree the daughter of Arc winner Bago should stay 1 3/8 miles.

Chrono Genesis as of Friday was about a 9-2 shot, as was Scarlet Honor, who has improved considerably this year at age 4 over her 3-year-old form. Scarlet Honor had a strong three-race spring campaign and returned to racing last month with a sharp score in the Group 2 Fuchu Himba over 1 1/8 miles at Tokyo. Scarlet Honor and all the other older females concede about 3 1/2 pounds to 3-year-olds like Love Only You and Chrono Genesis.

Post time for the Queen Elizabeth II is 12:40 a.m. Eastern early Sunday morning.