Second favorite Cavallerizzo claimed the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes on Sunday, December 21 to become the 2-year-old champion miler of 2025.
The son of Saturnalia broke his maiden in his debut start in late August (Chukyo, 1,600 meters) and was runner-up in his most recent Daily Hai Nisai Stakes (Kyoto, G2, 1,600 meters) start on November 15.
On Sunday at Hanshin Racecourse in Takarazuka, Hyogo Prefecture, trainer Tatsuya Yoshioka scored his second Japan Racing Association G1 title following the 2024 Takarazuka Kinen with Blow the Horn.
Italian jockey Cristian Demuro, who has been riding in Japan under a short-term license since November 1, registered his sixth G1 title. Prior to Sunday, his most recent G1 victory was the 2024 Queen Elizabeth II Cup with Stunning Rose. This win gives Cavallerizzo's sire Saturnalia, the 2019 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) champion who has stood at stud since 2021, his first G1 victory.
The Path to Victory for Cavallerizzo
On yielding ground, Cavallerizzo was settled in midfield on the outside of Ecoro Alba (jockey Kohei Matsuyama's ride), running on the rails and behind Corteo Soleil (Yuga Kawada) as the field approached the final turns. As the field fanned out and was still in a two-wide position at the top of the stretch, Demuro, instead of shifting out, guided his mount to surge through an opening on the rails.
With only the pacesetter Diamond Knot (Christophe Lemaire) to beat by the 200-meter pole, the son of Saturnalia closed powerfully with the fastest late speed (34.3 seconds over the final three furlongs). Cavallerizzo overtook the leader just before the wire for a 3/4-length victory. (Watch the race on the JRA's YouTube channel.)
Cavallerizzo completed the race in 1 minute, 33.2 seconds.
"After a normal start, I had a good position behind Yuga," Lemaire commented after the race. "In the last corner, I had a little bit of trouble with another horse next to me, but when I asked my horse to go inside, he had a good reaction, a good turn of foot."
Demuro added, "Christophe was trying to escape, but my horse was very strong in the end."
The 77th Running of the Asahi Futurity Stakes
Fifth pick Diamond Knot broke sharply to set the pace, putting a length and a half between himself and the rest of the field by the 800-meter marker. The son of Bricks and Mortar stubbornly held on to his lead up to the final strides. But he gave way to the fast-closing winner for second place.
Breaking moderately from a wide gate, race favorite Admire Quads (Ryusei Sakai) was unhurried sitting in fourth from the rear before advancing rapidly from the outside before the last turn, making a wide bid into the lane. While the runners in front gradually tired, Admire Quads closed from the outside and drew even to briefly rally with Ecoro Alba in the last 50 meters. Admire Quads then dug in with another gear in the last strides to secure third.
Ecoro Alba finished fourth and Realize Sirius (Akihide Tsumura) placed fifth in the 14-horse race.
A Look Ahead
The last two JRA G1 races of the 2025 JRA season, the Hopeful Stakes and the Arima Kinen (The Grand Prix), will be held on Saturday and Sunday, December 27 and 28, respectively. Both races are at Nakayama Racecourse.
Read the full report, including details on each of the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes entrants, on JRA News.
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Author: JRA News
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