Japan: Lovcen heavily favored to sweep Triple Crown in 1 7/8-mile St. Leger
Lovcen will be an odds-on favorite in Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese St. Leger at Kyoto Racecourse to become the first winner of the country’s Triple Crown in six years.
Lovcen won the Grade 1 Japanese 2000 Guineas at 1 1/4 miles at Nakayama on April 19, and the Grade 1 Japanese Derby at 1 1/2 miles at Tokyo Racecourse on May 31, the first two races in the series.
Contrail, in 2020, was the last Triple Crown winner.
After being given the summer off, Lovcen won his first start of the fall, in the Grade 2 Kobe Shimbun Hai at 1 1/2 miles at Hanshin Racecourse on Sept. 21.
The $2.67 million Japanese St. Leger, formally known as the Kikuka Sho, will be a stamina test at 1 7/8 miles. None of the 18 colts have started at the distance. The race is open to fillies, though none were entered. Geldings are not allowed to enter.
Lovcen, by World Premiere, often races from well off the pace, indicating he can handle an extended race. A winner of 5 of 6 starts, Lovcen is owned by Forest Racing and trained by Haruki Sugiyama. He will be ridden by Kohei Matsuyama, his regular rider.
Lovcen drew post 8, and is surrounded by his two chief rivals with Danon History in post 10 and Justin Chicago in post 7.
Danon History has won three of four starts and runs in his first Grade 1 in the Japanese St. Leger. He won consecutive starts at 1 5/8 miles in allowance races at Hakodate and Sapporo in July and August.
The Japanese St. Leger is the Grade 1 debut for Justin Chicago. A three-time winner in seven starts, Justin Chicago won the Grade 2 Asahi Hai St. Lite Kinen Stakes at 1 3/8 miles at Nayakama in his last start on Sept. 13. He tends to run closer to the front than Lovcen.
Post time for the Japanese St. Leger is 2:40 a.m. Eastern on Sunday or 11:40 p.m. Pacific on Saturday.
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