Tokyo: Logotype seeks second jewel of crown in Japanese Derby

Logotype, the dominant 2- and 3-year-old colt in Japan since last fall, will be favored to win Sunday’s $4,088,050 Japanese Derby over about 1 1/2 miles on turf at Tokyo Racecourse.

Logotype is unbeaten in two starts this year, including the first leg of the Japanese Triple Crown, the Grade 1 Japanese 2000 Guineas at Nakayama Racecourse on April 14. The Grade 1 Japanese Derby is the second leg of the Triple Crown.

Owned by Teruya Yoshida and trained by Tsuyoshi Tanaka, Logotype, who is by Lohengrin, has won 5 of 8 starts. He has won his last four starts, a streak that includes the Grade 1 Asahi Hai Futurity last December. The Japanese Derby will be Logotype’s first start at Tokyo Racecourse since a win in an allowance race last November, the first victory of the winning streak.

Cristian Demuro rides Logotype in the Japanese Derby, which drew a field of 18. The field includes Epiphaneia and Codino, the second- and third-place finishers in the Japanese 2000 Guineas, and Kizuna, a Grade 2 winner in the Shimbun Hai over about 1 3/8 miles on turf at Kyoto Racecourse on May 4.

◗ Going Somewhere won the Group 1 Carlos Pellegrini at San Isidro Racecourse in Argentina last December, and he is among the leading contenders for Saturday’s Group 1 Gran Premio 25 de Mayo at the same course.

The Gran Premio 25 de Mayo, which is run over 1 1/2 miles on turf, is part of the Breeders’ Cup’s Win and You’re In program, offering a fees paid berth to the winner for the BC Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 2.

Going Somewhere, a 4-year-old colt by Sulamani, was second in the Group 3 Clasico Porteno at San Isidro on April 21 to Storm Rancher, another contender in the Gran Premio 25 de Mayo.