2025 Tokyo Yushun: Group 1 Preview
Venue: Tokyo Racecourse
Distance: 2400m
Value: ¥651,000,000 (US$4,465,848)
Who is Japan’s best three-year-old? The answer to that question is likely to be determined in Sunday’s G1 Tokyo Yushun (2400m), the Japanese Derby.
Since 1932, it has been the country’s premier race for three-year-olds and has been won by the likes of King Kamehameha, Deep Impact, Vodka, Orfevre, Duramente, Contrail, Shahryar, Do Deuce, Tastiera and Danon Decile in the last 25 years alone.
The Horse To Beat: Croix du Nord
Ever since Croix du Nord won here at Tokyo last June, he has been a leading candidate to take this race. And when he won the G1 Hopeful Stakes (2000m) at Nakayama easily, he emerged as the top contender – a position he still holds even after he was beaten for the first time in the G1 Satsuki Sho (2000m).
On that day, Croix du Nord was rushed to press the lead on the Nakayama turn but peaked on his run as he found rising ground at the furlong. A son of Kitasan Black, he will appreciate firmer ground than the choppy track he struck last start and he looks as though he should relish 2400m.
Both trainer Takashi Saito and jockey Yuichi Kitamura are chasing their first Tokyo Yushun success. Croix du Nord is aiming to join Tastiera and Makahiki who, in the last decade, have won the Tokyo Yushun after finishing second in the Satsuki Sho.
The Spoiler: Museum Mile
Museum Mile has always been rated highly and enhanced his reputation by finishing second in the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity (1600m). However, after finishing fourth in the G2 Deep Impact Kinen (2000m), his standing as a Derby contender plummeted.
Until, of course, he came out and defeated Croix du Nord to land the Satsuki Sho – Japan’s 2,000 Guineas – in impressive style.
Only the very best colts follow a Satsuki Sho win with Derby glory and to do that he must measure up to the likes of Contrail, Duramente and Orfevre in recent times.
Damian Lane has been booked to take the ride on Daisuke Takayanagi’s colt in the Tokyo Yushun, having also won on Tastiera two years ago.
The History Maker: Satono Shining
There have been many jockeys around the world who have ridden colts that were fathers and sons to win the same Derby. At Epsom, for instance, Fred Archer, Sam Arnull, Bill Clift and John Wells all achieved the feat. Andrzej Tylicki won the Deutsches Derby on Acatenango and his son Lando; Charles Semblat, Charlie Elliott and George Stern managed it in the Prix du Jockey Club.
However, none have managed to win a single Derby aboard three generations. That is a feat that Yutaka Take is trying to achieve with Satono Shining, having won the Tokyo Yushun on his sire Kizuna in 2013 and Kizuna’s sire Deep Impact in 2005.
Take, who is making his 36th appearance in the Tokyo Yushun, picked up the ride on the Haruki Sugiyama-trained Satono Shining because Atsuya Nishimura is currently out injured. He will also be aiming to become the second consecutive 56-year-old jockey to win the Japanese Derby after Norihiro Yokoyama’s success on Danon Decile last year.
However, Satono Shining will have to overcome gate 18 – something that even the great Equinox could not achieve. Jungle Pocket was the last to win from the outside gate in 2001.
The Star Quality: Shohei
Shohei may not be one of the favourites, but he has attracted plenty of attention due to his namesake – baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani, after whom he is named.
The equine Shohei was an easy winner of the G2 Kyoto Shimbun Hai (2200m), a race that has been won by horses like Special Week, Admire Vega, Agnes Flight, Heart’s Cry and Kizuna among others.
But what puts him above horses like Masquerade Ball, Fandom, Faust Rasen, Lila Emblem and Nishino Agent, all who have won stakes races leading into the Derby, is his namesake and the accompanying attention beyond racing fans.
Christophe Lemaire will be looking for his second Tokyo Yushun, while Yasuo Tomomichi – who also won last weekend’s G1 Yushun Himba with Kamunyak – is after his fourth success.
The X-Factor: Toppi Born
It may be six months too early, but don’t be surprised to see Toppi Born run a bold race here. An arrogant win over the Hanshin 2000m in mid-April catapulted him into Derby contention before he finished fourth to Shohei in the Kyoto Shimbun Hai last start.
Another who should appreciate firmer ground, he has plenty of upside and he could be one to watch at a big price.
Mirai Iwata will aim to follow his father Yasunari as a Tokyo Yushun-winning jockey. ∎
