Suave Richard fresh for Tenno Sho Stakes

Suave Richard, the winner of the Grade 1 Osaka Hai in April, will have his first start since June in Sunday’s Grade 1 Tenno Sho Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse, a vital prep race for the Grade 1 Japan Cup at the same venue on Nov. 25.

Suave Richard was third in the Grade 1 Yasuda Kinen Stakes at a mile at Tokyo on June 3 and is one of several notable runners in a field of 14 in the $2.59 million Tenno Sho, which is run at 1 1/4 miles on turf.

There are two runnings of the Tenno Sho each year – a spring race at two miles at Hanshin Racecourse in April and Sunday’s race.

The Tenno Sho drew only older horses, including Rey do Oro and Makahiki, who were second and fourth in the 2017 Japan Cup, and Mikki Rocket, a Grade 1 winner in his last start.

Suave Richard, a 4-year-old colt by Heart’s Cry, has won 5 of 11 starts in his career. Trained by Yasushi Shono, Suave Richard has won three of his last five starts, all in graded stakes. The Osaka Hai was run at 1 1/4 miles at Hanshin Racecourse.

Rey do Oro was fourth in the Group 1 Sheema Classic at 1 1/2 miles on turf at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates in March and won his only subsequent start, the Grade 2 Sankei Sho All Comers Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse on Sept. 23.

Al Ain and Danburite, second and third in the Sankei Sho, are part of the Tenno Sho field. Al Ain won the 2017 Japanese 2000 Guineas at 1 1/4 miles.

Makahiki was second in the Grade 2 Sapporo Kinen Stakes on Aug. 19 in his lone start this year and was fifth in the 2017 Tenno Sho.

The 5-year-old Mikki Rocket won the Grade 1 Takarazuka Kinen at 1 3/8 miles on turf at Hanshin Racecourse in June in his latest start. Mikki Rocket was 12th in the 2017 autumn running of the Tenno Sho and fourth in the spring running of the race this year.

The first three finishers of the spring running of the Tenno Sho are not part of Sunday’s race.