NHK Mile Cup Preview: The Tough Tokyo Mile is a True Test for 3-Year-Olds

Starting off five consecutive weeks of top-level JRA action at Tokyo Racecourse, the Grade 1 NHK Mile Cup will be run on Sunday, May 5, to give 3-year-olds their chance of glory over a mile.

Later in May, 3-year-olds compete in the Grade 1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) and the Grade 1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, ), both of which are contested over 2,400 meters at the same venue.

The NHK Mile Cup was first run in 1996, and it became an international race in 2009. This tough Tokyo mile is a true test for the 3-year-olds, even though some of them have already proved themselves at Hanshin in the Grade 1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) on April 7, or as 2-year-olds in G1 races also run at Hanshin in 2023. 

However, conquering the long homestraight at Tokyo is definitely one of the keys to success in this week's big race.

There are 27 nominations for the NHK Mile Cup, with a maximum field size of 18, so there's plenty of competition for a place in the final lineup. No geldings are permitted to run, and colts carry 57 kg, with a 2-kg allowance given to fillies. 

The 1,600-meter race often throws up a winner at a big price, as was the case in 2023 when Champagne Color won as the ninth favorite.

Recent History of the NHK Mile Cup

Just two first favorites have won in the last 10 years, with Major Emblem being the last one in 2016. The last filly to win was Aerolithe in 2017. 

Record time for the race is still held by Danon Chantilly, who won in 2010 in a time of 1 minute, 31.4 seconds. 

This year's winner's check is JPY ¥130 million JPY (about $850,000 USD).

Two official trial races leading into Sunday's feature race have been the Grade 2 New Zealand Trophy, run at Nakayama over a mile in April, and the Grade 3 Arlington Cup, also run over a mile in April, but at Hanshin.

The 29th running of the NHK Mile Cup will be Race 11 on the Sunday card at Tokyo, with a post time of 3:40 PM.

Here's a look at some of the runners expected to take on the race.

Ascoli Piceno Returns to Site of Winning Debut

Daiwa Major-sired filly Ascoli Piceno might have lost her unbeaten record at the Grade 1 Oka Sho. But she will be back at Tokyo this time, where she won in her debut as a 2-year-old over 1,400 meters. 

Trainer Yoichi Kuroiwa said, "She handled the transportation over to the track well for the Oka Sho, and despite starting slowly in the race, she quickly recovered to get a good position."

Kuroiwa added, "She got bumped a little turning for home, but despite this, she still ran on well. [And] she's recovered from that race without any problems, and we've been able to make this next race the target for her."

Returning from injuries sustained in the G1 Dubai Turf in the United Arab Emirates on March 30, Christophe Lemaire is scheduled to ride Ascoli Piceno.

NHK Mile Cup Quest: Jantar Mantar Aims for 1st Win of 2024

Jantar Mantar, the Best Two-Year-Old Colt of 2023, has had two races as a 3-year-old, finishing second in the Grade 3 Kyodo News Hai over 1,800 meters at Tokyo in February, and most recently placing third in the Grade 1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) at Nakayama in April. 

"He wasn't able to hold off the other two horses in the closing stages last time," trainer Tomokazu Takano said, "and just couldn't find any more at the end. But I was still satisfied with his third-place finish."

Takano added, "He's a top-class horse with a lot of ability." 

Coming back in trip looks ideal for the son of Palace Malice, and Yuga Kawada, who is currently at the top of the jockeys' table, is penciled in to take the ride once again.

Bond Girl to Appear in Her Second Race This Year 

Bond Girl has had an interrupted career so far, and it will be interesting to see if the filly can realize some of her potential here. In her first run of 2024, the Daiwa Major-sired Bond Girl finished second in the Grade 2 New Zealand Trophy in early April at Nakayama. 

Trainer Takahisa Tezuka said: "She had to miss the Juvenile Fillies last year, so we then thought about going directly to the Oka Sho, but she couldn't get balloted into that. The New Zealand Trophy became her next race, and despite being off for a while, she put in a good run."

Tezuka added, "The jockey (Yutaka Take) was riding her for the first time, and thought she got into a good rhythm in the race. What's more, it gained her some valuable prize money to get entered into races from now.” 

Take is set to once again ride the filly.

Read the rest of this article about the NHK Mile Cup as well as the Japanese horses in contention on JRA News.

RELATED:

• Tenno Sho Favorite T O Royal Storms to 2-Length Victory
• Ascoli Piceno Edges Stellenbosch to Win the 75th Hanshin Juvenile Fillies
• Champagne Color Records Thrilling Victory in NHK Mile Cup

Author: JRA News