FUNABASHI, Chiba Pref. -- Race favorite Admire Don, with Shinji Fujita up, stepped into the limelight for next year's classics as he bested the 16 colts of the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes on Sunday at Nakayama Racecourse.
Displaying good turn of foot and excellent speed, the unbeaten 2-year-old son of Timber Country shook the tightly bunched field in the straight for a cheeky three-quarter-length win.
Second pick Yamano Blizzard was over the line next, followed a half length later by American-bred Star El Dorado, ridden by Italian jockey Mirco Demuro. The Northern Farm-bred Admire Don (Timber Country-Vega, by Tony Bin) clocked 1:33.8 over the 1,600 meters of firm turf.
With his 3 for 3 record and 60 million yen for Sunday's win, Admire Don has now earned over 83 million yen for owner Riichi Kondo.