Summertime Oaks and an extended weekend of racing continues with some enthralling graded stakes action across the globe on Sunday. There are two huge races in Japan to look forward to, while US fans will also see a Grade 2 race at Santa Anita.
Meguro Kinen
The Meguro Kinen will kick off a brilliant couple of hours at Tokyo Racecourse in Japan this weekend. The Grade 2 contest is competed for over 2500 meters, and horses that are aged four and older are able to enter. This race has been an important one in Japanese racing since being introduced back in 1932. There looks set to be a talented field lining up for the race this year. A number of the contenders come into this race after wins last time out. Gold Gear won the Metropolitan Stakes, while Miss Mamma Mia won The Osaka-Hamburg Cup.
Heat on Beat finished second in that race but did win the Mino Stakes at the beginning of the year. The outstanding chances could come in the forms of Admire Polaris and Win Kiitos. The latter was disappointing in the Grade 2 Nikkei Sho last time out but was a commanding winner in the Wangan Stakes in March. Admire Polaris has already won two from three starts, including the Sunshine Stakes last time out.
Tokyo Yushun
The Japanese Derby is the race of the day on Sunday, as the second leg of the Japanese Triple Crown takes place. This race was first run in 1932 and is a Grade 1. Horses aged three will compete in the race, and it will be run over 2400 meters at Tokyo Racecourse. All eyes this weekend will be on Efforia, who will be looking to win his second straight Triple Crown race.
His record highlights that he is the one to beat, as he has won all four career starts to date. The three-year-old looks hard to oppose in the Derby. Those looks for other horses to consider should examine Shahryar and Wonderful Town. The latter won the Grade 2 Aoba Sho last time out and has won two from three. Shahryar bounced back from a third in the Kyodo Tsushin by winning the Grade 3 Mainichi Hai last time out.
Summertime Oaks
Tokyo isn’t the only place where there will be graded action taking place this weekend, as there is also Grade 2 action taking place at Santa Anita. Fillies aged three will be lining up for the Summertime Oaks on Sunday, as the field competes over a distance of 1 1/16 miles on the dirt. Lady Aces and Li’l Tootsie will have the most to find after struggling to step up to graded company previously. Crazy Beautiful has a lot of ability and has already won the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks this season.
Miss Peaky Blinder could have an outside chance, but it will be interesting to see how she fares on her first graded run after finishing fourth in the California Oaks. Soothsay looks like the standout horse in the field, as she comes into this after winning the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks last time. That was her second successive win, and a third should follow this graded stakes weekend.
| Horse | Jockey | Odds Courtesy of Jazzsports |
| LADY ACES | Umberto Rispoli | +400 |
| CRAZY BEAUTIFUL | Mike E. Smith | +120 |
| PLUM SEXY | Abel Cedillo | +2000 |
| SOOTHSAY | Flavien Prat | -125 |
| ABSOLUTE SCENES | Trevor McCarthy | +5000 |
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