Duramente hopes for classic double in Japanese Derby

The 82nd running of the 2400-meter Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) (Jpn-G1)

sees a full field of 18 colts go to the post Sunday at Tokyo Racecourse in

Japan.

The stakes record of 2:23.3 is held jointly by King Kamehameha -- who landed

the 2004 edition -- and Japanese Triple Crown hero Deep Impact, who equaled that

time a year later. Both Derby victors have multiple colts looking to pad their

future stallion credentials in this second jewel of the 2015 Japanese Triple

Crown.

The King Kamehameha-sired Satsuki Sho (Japanese Two Thousand Guineas) winner

Duramente appears to have all the momentum as he aims to add another classic as

the morning line even-money crowd's pick Sunday. First or second in all five

racetrack appearances to date--including the Saintpaulia Sho at Tokyo February 1

and a runner-up effort to the reopposing Satsuki Sho second-place finisher Real

Steel (Deep Impact) in the Tokinominoru Kinen (Jpn-G3) February 15-- the bay has

talent to spare.

However, his biggest hurdle may be himself, with his quirky behavior in his

latest run in the Japanese Two Thousand Guineas forcing the stewards to hand

pilot Mirco Demuro a short suspension, after he swerved markedly away from the

rail in the short Nakayama straight April 19.

"Going around the last two turns in the Satsuki Sho, he was so far inside

that I thought there was no way we could win, especially with the time over the

first 1,000 meters," said Atsunori Hashimoto, assistant to trainer Norimuki

Hori. "But he showed great acceleration down the stretch and because he was so

fast, I was worried about him. We took our time making sure he was OK and there

wasn't a thing wrong with him."

If Duramente should falter, there are several other colts looking to make a

name for themselves in the Tokyo feature. The aforementioned Real Steel is back

for more, as is the Satsuki Sho third Kitasan Black (Black Tide), who leaves

from stall 17. The recent Kyoto Shimbun Hai (Jpn-G2) one-two of Satono Rasen

(Deep Impact), and Cyclomen Sho winner Porte d'Auteuil (Deep Impact) will both

be making their initial forays at the highest level when stretched out an

additional 200 meters Sunday.

The course and distance May 2 TV Tokyo Hai Aoba Sho (Jpn-G2) hero Reve

Mistral (King Kamehameha) could also have a say in the outcome and exits stall

7.

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