1

Ares Barows

He will be coming into the race at a disadvantage over some of the younger stock in the race as he hasn’t been in the winner’s circle for some time. While he was 2nd in a G3 back in June, he was 6th in another just last month.

2

Danon Smash

Easily the post time favorite, he will be looking to win the race his father Lord Kanaloa so easily won twice. Though it should be noted the last time he ran in G1 company he finished 4th in the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen back in March.

3

Seiun Kosei

A G1 winning sprinter himself, he finished 2nd in the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen this March. He is coming into the race off a disappointing 6th in the G3 Keeneland Cup, though poor prep performances have never meant much to the veteran sprinter when it comes to big day performances in the past.

4

Linate

The mare has a good record behind her, placing in many graded races this year alone and winning an ungraded stakes back in August. She was 3rd in the G3 Keeneland Cup against Danon Smash.

5

Let’s Go Donki

This veteran racemare has been 2nd in this race in 2017 and always gives it her all but her best days might be behind her. She hasn’t won a race since February 2017 and has only finished 2nd four times since.

6

No One

The filly won the 1400m G2 Fillies’ Revue in March. While her next two starts over longer distances were disappointing, she will be shorting back up this weekend which could improve her going. However, she exchanges distance for a field of talented male and female rivals.

7

Mozu Superflare

The filly was very promising early in the season but failed to fire in the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen. She is coming into the race with a 4th in the G3 Kitakyushu Kinen but will need to be back to her springtime self if she hopes to make a showing this weekend. She has won twice over the same course as the Sprinters Stakes earlier this year.

8

Tower Of London

The record setting G2 Centaur Stakes winner will be Danon Smash’s main rival for post time favorite going into the race this weekend. Over his last four starts he hasn’t been worse than 3rd going over 1200m and has won two of them.

9

Dirndl

This speedy filly will have a weight advantage going into the weekend’s main event. While she was soundly beaten in the G3 Kitakyushu Kinen last month, she finished second. She has only been beaten twice in her career and has won twice over 1200m at Nakayama.

10

Love Kampf

The filly has not finished better than 11th in her six starts this year though she will likely break quickly.

11

Maltese Apogee

A possible pace setter, the seven-year-old hasn’t been in the money since early 2018.

12

Daimei Princess

The mare won the G3 Kitakyushu Kinen last month but was a disappointing 6th in the much stronger G2 Centaur Stakes earlier this month against many of the same contenders she will face this weekend.

13

Mr Melody

The winner of the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen is going into the weekend with a disappointing 8th place finish in his early prep, the fully loaded G2 Centaur Stakes. The colt will need to be at the top of his game to beat Danon Smash and Tower Of London this weekend.

14

Happy Hour

He won the G3 Falcon Stakes over 1400m earlier this spring but when tried in the 1200m G3 Keeneland Cup the three-year-old finished 10th. He will have tougher company to go up against this weekend than he has met before.

15

Iberis

This filly won the G3 Arlington Cup this spring and was 3rd in a very strong renewal of the G2 Centaur Stakes earlier this month. With her age and sex weight allowance this could also give her an edge come race day if she can position herself well early on.

16

Fantasist

A promising two-year-old, he hit some major snags in his summer campaign finishing poorly in his classic attempt in April and again in May when he tried his hand over a mile. He made a gallant attempt in the G2 Centaur Stakes earlier this month and going into the Sprinters Stakes he will have a slight weight advantage over the older males since.