Coconut Brown, a 6-year-old mare from the Ritto Training Center, is preparing for the 21st Victoria Mile (G1, Tokyo Racecourse, turf 1600m, fillies and mares) on May 17. After finishing third in the Kokura Fillies & Mares Stakes, she trained on the hill track ahead of her final workout on Wednesday. Trainer Hiroyuki Uemura nodded with confidence, saying her condition is stable and she is eating well.
In her last two starts, she placed fifth in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup and third in the Kokura Fillies & Mares Stakes, coming up just short each time. Uemura analyzed that the longer distance may have been an issue, noting that she was pulling hard on the bit. However, two starts ago in the Nishiki Stakes (Class 3 win), she powered home with a blistering final 3 furlongs of 32.8 seconds. “That was a strong performance. Over a mile, I believe her finishing kick can match any horse in this field. The 1600m distance is her best,” the trainer said, expressing confidence in her distance adaptability.
One concern is that she tends to lose weight when traveling to races, but she handled the trip to Kokura well last time. She currently weighs around 470 kg. “The key will be her mental state after arriving at the venue,” Uemura added. If she can stay calm and focused, a surprise result is certainly within reach.
