Kicking up white sand with a powerful, straight-line charge down the middle of the track, Mick Fire, the pride of the NAR South Kanto Regional circuit, is in peak form.

Under jockey Takayuki Yano (with Christophe Lemaire set to ride in the race), Mick Fire took to the main track at Oi Racecourse on the 26th. Starting his gallop just past the second lap's finish, the colt displayed an effortless stride, requiring only light urging to stretch out dynamically down the straight.

Clocking a time of 5F in 65.4 seconds, with splits of 38.2 and 12.8 seconds, Yano confidently remarked, "I've been on him several times during key workouts, and this was his best yet. He moved brilliantly." Trainer Kazuo Watanabe, wearing a broad smile, added, "He's not one to dish out compliments lightly. That says a lot about how good this was."

This race has been the target since the spring, marking Mick Fire's second JRA challenge following a 7th-place finish in the February Stakes earlier this year. Back then, concerns over hoof issues led to a three-day break from training during the critical final week. "And even with that, he was only 0.8 seconds off the winner. If he had been fully prepared... This time, everything has gone smoothly," Watanabe said enthusiastically.

Last year, Mick Fire made history by remaining undefeated while claiming the South Kanto Region Triple Crown. Though he has recently faced tough competition from JRA contenders, Watanabe highlighted the colt's progress. "He's overcome the transportation challenges that troubled him earlier, and with each race, he's grown both physically and mentally. With Lemaire in the saddle, we might see a new dimension to him. I can't wait to see what he'll deliver this time."