The Usual Q.T. gets Japan invitation

The Usual Q.T. has been invited by the Japan Racing Association to run in the $1.9 million Yasuda Kinen at Tokyo Racecourse on June 6, but his trainer, Jim Cassidy, is also considering him for Hollywood Park's $250,000 Shoemaker Mile on May 31. Both are one-mile turf events at the Grade 1 level.

"Right now I'm 50-50 about sending him to Japan," said Cassidy on Wednesday. "Since he came back from Dubai" - where he finished fourth in the Dubai Duty Free - "I've just been trying to keep him happy . . . . It's too early to tell what his next race will be."

Should The Usual Q.T. take up the Japanese challenge, he could be facing Hong Kong's Able One, the winner on Sunday of the Group 1, $1.5 million Champions Mile at Sha Tin, and perhaps Fellowship and Beauty Flash, who were second and third in the same race. All three have been invited to the Yasuda Kinen, as has Cat Junior, who was fourth behind Paco Boy in the Group 2 Sandown Mile on Saturday.