Red Falx stands out in Sprinters Stakes at Japan's Hanshin

Red Falx will be favored to win the Grade 1 Sprinters Stakes for the second consecutive year at Hanshin Racecourse in Japan on Sunday.

Red Falx is among 16 in the $1,702,887 race at six furlongs on turf. The winner receives a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at five furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 4.

A 6-year-old Japanese-bred by Swept Overboard, Red Falx has not raced since finishing third in the Grade 1 Yasuda Kinen at a mile at Tokyo Racecourse on June 4. Trained by Tomohito Ozeki, Red Falx won the Group 2 Keio Hai Spring Cup at seven furlongs on turf at Tokyo on May 13.

The 2016 Sprinters Stakes is one of three career stakes wins for Red Falx.

The Sprinters Stakes field has five fillies and mares, including the 4-year-old Diana Halo, who has won four consecutive races including a Group 3 race at Kokura Racecourse on Aug. 20

The field includes the first four finishers of the Grade 2 Centaur Stakes at six furlongs on turf at Hanshin Racecourse on Sept. 10 – Fine Needle, Rhein Meteor, Dance Director and Seiun Kosei.