Resistencia must overcome wide draw in Japanese 1000 Guineas

The draw for Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese 1000 Guineas at Hanshin Racecourse was not kind to Resistencia, the country’s champion 2-year-old filly of 2019.

Resistencia, who figures to be a slight favorite in a field of 18 3-year-old fillies, will start from post 17, and will have a different rider than in her last race. The legendary Yutaka Take replaces Yuichi Kitamura. Take, who has ridden more than 4,000 winners in Japan, rode Resistencia to a win in her debut last October. Kitamura had the mount for Resistencia’s next three starts – two stakes wins and a third in the Grade 2 Tulip Sho at a mile on March 7, her first defeat.

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Kitamura will ride the longshot Hiruno Malibu in the $2.17 million Japanese 1000 Guineas, which is formally known as the Oka Sho and is run at a mile on turf on a right-handed course. All of the runners were bred in Japan.

Post time is 2:40 a.m. Eastern on Sunday, or 11:40 p.m. Pacific on Saturday. Wagering is available at DRFBets.com.

Resistencia, trained by Takeshi Matsushita for U. Carrot Farm, typically runs as a stalker. In the Tulip Sho, Resistencia was beaten 1 1/4 lengths at odds of 2-5 by Maltese Diosa, who was second to Resistencia in the Grade 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies in December.

Maltese Diosa drew post 5 in Sunday’s race and figures to be the third choice in the betting behind Resistencia and Daring Tact. Ria Amelia and Cravache d’Or are rated to have excellent chances.

Daring Tact is unbeaten in two starts and will have her graded stakes debut on Sunday. Cravache d’Or was third in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies and second by a nose in the Tulip Sho.

Ria Amelia won a Grade 3 race at a mile on turf at Tokyo Racecourse last October and was sixth in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies. Sunday’s race is her first start of 2020. Ria Amelia is by top Japanese stallion Deep Impact, and is out of Ria Antonia, the champion 2-year-old filly in Canada in 2013.

Ria Antonia is best known for being promoted from second to first in the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita at odds of 32-1 after She’s a Tiger was disqualified for drifting out in the stretch. Ria Antonia was sold for $1.8 million at Keeneland in November 2014.