Schnell Meister gets favorable distance in NHK Mile

Schnell Meister is a lightly raced and somewhat unexposed colt who will have a leading role in Sunday’s Grade 1 NHK Mile on turf for 3-year-old colts and fillies at Tokyo Racecourse in Japan.

A rare German-bred racing in Japan, Schnell Meister has won 2 of 3 starts, and was beaten in his stakes debut when second by 1 1/4 lengths in a Grade 2 at 1 1/4 miles at Nakayama Racecourse on March 7.

The distance may have been too far for Schnell Meister, who won a maiden race at 7 1/2 furlongs at Sapporo last September and an allowance race at a mile at Nakayama last December.

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In the $1.88 million NHK Mile, Schnell Meister will be ridden by Christophe Lemaire, the leading rider in Japan, who was aboard for the colt’s two most recent starts. Schnell Meister will break from post 15 in a field of 18, and it will up to Lemaire to save some ground through the one-turn race.

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In the NHK Mile, Schnell Meister will be ridden by Christophe Lemaire, the leading rider in Japan, who was aboard for the colt’s two most recent starts. Schnell Meister will break from post 15 in a field of 18, and it will up to Lemaire to save some ground through the one-turn race.

The NHK Mile became a goal for Schnell Meister after the loss at Nakayama, which ended plans for a start in the Grade 1 Japanese 2000 Guineas at 1 1/4 miles last month, trainer Takahisa Tezuka told Japan Racing Association publicity.

A two-month gap between starts has been an additional benefit, Tezuka said.

“He has definitely improved,” Tezuka said. “He runs well in morning work. Last week, on April 28, he had a good, strong workout and showed me some of his best footwork yet.

“He’s not the kind of horse you have to let do his own thing. He speeds up when cued by the rider, so I think he’s especially suited to Tokyo. He looks like a Grade 1 horse now and I’m looking forward to the race.”

The NHK Mile has a post time of 2:40 a.m. Eastern on Sunday, or 11:40 p.m. Pacific on Saturday.

Schnell Meister will be well supported by bettors, partially because of the presence of Lemaire.

Rooks Nest and Grenadier Guards, first and second in the Grade 3 Falcon Stakes at seven furlongs at Chukyo Racecourse on March 20, and Bathrat Leon, winner of the Grade 2 New Zealand Trophy at a mile at Nakayama Racecourse on April 10, are capable of winning.

Grenadier Guards was 4-5 when second in his 2021 debut in the Falcon Stakes. Grenadier Guards stalked the pace but could not pass his rival who had the benefit of a prep race in January.

Grenadier Guards, a Grade 1 winner at a mile last December, is by Frankel and is out of Wavell Avenue, the winner of the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Keeneland in 2015.

Bathrat Leon has won his last two starts and is quick enough to set the pace.