Back-to-back Yasuda Kinen wins for American-bound Songline

The five-year-old, who was positioned outside of the midfield, moved up on the far outside to catch Serifos in the final strides and land the Japan Racing Association's spring season turf mile champions' contest at Tokyo by a length and a quarter. Market leader Schnell Meister, who finished second last year and third in 2021, finished fast from the rear to be third, a head behind Serifos.

Songline, the Toru Hayashi-trained and Northern Farm-bred Kizuna mare out of Symboli Kris S's winning daughter Luminous Parade, was scoring her seventh win from 15 starts, with this being her third Group 1 success, the most recent having been last month's Victoria Mile on the same course, for owner Sunday Racing.

She had earned the 2023 Breeders' Cup 'win and you're in' ticket for Santa Anita in the Victoria Mile and connections have announced they will consider the idea of a trip that was cancelled due to a swollen throat last year. 

The same owners have the 2021 Tokyo Yushun and 2022 Dubai Sheema Classic winner Shahryar slated for the Breeders' Cup Turf, while this year's Dubai World Cup winner Ushba Tesoro is being considered for the Classic.

Songline's rider Keita Tosaki said: "I am very happy to ride such a wonderful horse and win two consecutive Group 1s. I was able to get a feeling that her condition was improving even more, so I was able to ride her with confidence. 

"I was able to get a good position after a smart break, and I felt her response in the race. We can hopefully expect further success in future, because her potential is increasing."

Hayashi added: "Today, Tosaki rode her 120 per cent. When she was two years old, she was a delicate horse, but now she has a solid body and mind. This is thanks to the owner and Northern Farm. 

"Thanks to her mental and physical growth, she is able to recover quickly after the race, and is able to train well and, as a consequence, her performance improved.

"As for overseas, she had a good result in Saudi [winning last year's Turf Sprint], so I think she has enough aptitude."

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