The thriving Puro Magic (Asia Express) led from pillar to post to cause a mild upset when making her Group 1 breakthrough in Sunday's Sprinters Stakes at Nakayama, with Classic heroine Star Anise (Drefong) running a race full of promise on her return from a four-month absence to finish on the heels of the leaders.Breaking widest of all in gate 16, Puro Magic was sent straight to the front by Mirai Iwata and soon established a three-length lead over her 15 rivals. Though challenged by World's End (Lord Kanaloa) and Sound Moryana (Mikki Isle) inside the final furlong, the five-year-old kept responding to get the verdict by a neck, with Sound Moryana just a nose further back in third.Star Anise, the winner of the G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1,000 Guineas), before seemingly failing to stay in the G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks), made rapid late headway to pass the post just a length and a half behind the winner in fourth.“I was a bit worried about the ground conditions but, thanks to her ability and speed, we were able to take the lead. She was more composed than in her last race and managed to hang on in the stretch,” said Iwata, who was registering his second top-level win in Japan after that of Arma Veloce in the 2024 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies. It was also a second for trainer Shogo Yasuda, who previously struck in the 2024 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) with Danon Decile.Puro Magic, meanwhile, arrived at Nakayama as a five-time Group winner, notably having won June's G3 Hakodate Sprint Stakes, before following up at Niigata in August when winning the G3 Ibis Summer Dash for the second consecutive year. She posted another creditable effort earlier this month when runner-up in the G2 Centaur Stakes behind Flicker Jab (Saturnalia), who was among the market leaders for this Group 1 but could manage only 12th. 【Sprinters Stakes (G1) , 1200m, Nakayama, JRA】Puro Magic won the Sprinters Stakes !#JRA #horseracing #SprintersStakes #PuroMagic pic.twitter.com/cHZPWt71FK— HorseRacingInJapan (@HorseRacing_JPN) September 27, 2026 Pedigree NotesPuro Magic becomes the first top-level winner for her sire, Asia Express, who enjoyed his finest hour on the racecourse when winning the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes in 2013. He is based at the Yushun Stallion Station, with the G3 Leopard Stakes hero Don In The Mood featuring among his other notable progeny.The dam, Medjerda (Deep Impact), who ran her best race when filling the runner-up spot in the G3 Fantasy Stakes, has produced three winners from five runners thus far, with Puro Magic the first to gain black type. This is also the family of the Canadian Horse of the Year and sire Peteski.Sunday, Nakayama, JapanSPRINTERS STAKES-G1, ¥328,800,000, Nakayama, 9-27, 3yo/up, 1200mT, 1:09.20, gd.1–PURO MAGIC (JPN), 123, m, 5, by Asia Express 1st Dam: Medjerda (Jpn) (GSP-Jpn, $203,880), by Deep Impact (Jpn) 2nd Dam: Medjerda (Jpn), by French Deputy 3rd Dam: Megere, by Tabasco Cat1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (¥29,700,000 Ylg '22 HOKJUL). O-Three HRacing; B-Murata Bokujo; T-Shogo Yasuda; J-Mirai Iwata;¥173,360,000. Lifetime Record: 22-8-3-1, $2,827,028.Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.2–World's End (Jpn), 128, h, 5, by Lord Kanaloa (Jpn)–Lilavati(Jpn), by Zenno Rob Roy (Jpn). O-Carrot Farm; B-NorthernFarm; ¥68,960,000.3–Sound Moryana (Jpn), 123, f, 4, Mikki Isle (Jpn)–SoundRihanna (Jpn), by Came Home. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE.O-Yuichi Masuda; B-Homma Farm; ¥43,480,000.Margins: NK, NS, 1 1/4. Odds: 23.50, 9.70, 26.00.Also Ran: Star Anise (Jpn), Red Mon Reve (Jpn), Win Carnelian (Jpn), A T Makfi (Jpn), June Blair, Pair Pollux (Jpn), Mama Cocha (Jpn), Ai Sansan (Jpn), Flicker Jab (Jpn), Rapier (Jpn), Lugal (Jpn), Panja Tower (Jpn), Black Chalice (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart & video.The post Puro Magic Casts A Spell Over Sprinters Stakes Rivals, Star Anise Fourth appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.