by Myra Lewyn

Pacesetter Laurel Guerreiro edged B B Guldan by the slimmest of margins in a rousing finish on Sunday in the Sprinters Stakes (Jpn-G1) at Nakayama Racecourse while Australian Horse of the Year Scenic Blast found trouble and finished last.

The race produced one of the most exciting finishes the 43-year history of Sprinters Stakes, and stewards needed approximately 15 minutes to determine the outcome while an estimated 46,000 on-track fans and an international television audience anxiously awaited their decision—a nose victory to sixth wagering choice, Laurel Guerreiro

Laurel Guerreiro seized the lead at the start under Shinji Fujita and was pressed early by 3.70-to-1 favorite Ultima Thule.

A five-year-old King Halo horse, Laurel Guerreiro opened a clear lead on the backstretch before B B Guldan accelerated to challenge from his outside turning for home. The two matched strides in the closing yards and appeared to reach the finish line on even terms.

Laurel Guerreiro covered 1,200 meters (5.97 furlongs) in 1:07.50 on firm turf. Centaur Stakes (Jpn-G2) winner Ultima Thule faded to finish fifth while making her Group 1 debut.

The Sprinters Stakes is the sixth leg of the eight-race Global Sprint Challenge, and the points leader of the series, Scenic Blast, was bidding for a $1-million bonus with a third series victory in three different nations. He raced in midfield early, but his bid was thwarted after he lost his footing and stumbled before the final turn. He was caught in traffic and eventually faded out of contention, finishing last of 16 runners.

Winner of the Takamatsunomiya Kinen (Jpn-G1) in March, Laurel Guerreiro became the only the third horse in Japan Racing Association history to win both Group 1 sprint races in spring and fall with the Sprinters Stakes triumph.

Fujita was relieved by the stewards’ decision.

“I’m just glad we won today,” he said. “To be honest, I thought we may have been at a disadvantage at the wire. It was just really hard to tell because there was a lot of space between us and the horse on the outside.”

Trained by Mitsugu Kon for owner Laurel Racing Co., Laurel Guerreiro entered off a disappointing 14th-place finish in the Centaur Stakes on September 13 at Hanshin Racecourse. He emphatically rebounded with a gutsy performance on Sunday.

Bred in Japan by Murata Bokujo, Laurel Guerreiro is out of winner Big Tenby, by Tenby. He improved to five wins, seven seconds, and two thirds in 26 career starts and earned consideration for the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint (HK-G1) on December 13 at Sha Tin Racecourse, the Global Sprint Challenge finale.

The series continues with the seventh leg, the Patinack Farm Classic (Aus-G1) on November 7 at Flemington Racecourse in Australia.

Myra Lewyn is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor