31 July, 2019
June brings with it the end of an eventful summer racing season in the JRA. The stars of the turf take some time off to prepare for their fall campaigns, and this allows new stars to rise through the ranks in the meantime. However, two all-star packed G1s do take place in June, and they did not disappoint. June also sparks the first-time older horses and three-year-olds will start mixing in races all over the country. As the three-year-old only races begin to dry up, they will have to show their abilities against more seasoned racehorses.
The 2000m G3 Naruo Kinen at Hanshin Racecourse on June 1st was the first race of 2019 to be for three-year-olds and up but none of the eligible youngsters joined the race. Mer de Grace(JPN) by Rulership(JPN) scored his second graded stakes title of his career and of the year over G3 winner Black Spinel(JPN) by Tanino Gimlet(JPN), and G2 winner Stay Foolish(JPN), by Stay Gold(JPN). Mer de Grace(JPN) sat near the back of the pack for the majority of the race before making a powerful drive down the middle of the stretch passing the others in the field handily to win by a length and a half while Black Spinel(JPN) who set the early pace held on for second a head over Stay Foolish(JPN).
The 1600m G1 Yasuda Kinen at Tokyo Racecourse on June 2nd was the last G1 weekend of Tokyo's Spring Meet, the fifth G1 race in a row at that establishment. It proved to be an epic renewal of the race with tons of star power including horse of the year Almond Eye(JPN), by Lord Kanaloa(JPN), Champion Danon Premium(JPN), five other G1 winners, four G2 winners and four G3 winners in the field. The start got a bit hairy for the two superstars and favorites in the race, Almond Eye(JPN) and Danon Premium(JPN) who both got sideswiped at the break by the far outside Logi Cry(JPN), by Heart's Cry. This pushed both favorites further back in the pack than they would have preferred initially to be. Aerolithe(JPN), by Kurofune(USA), took the lead and set her usual blazing fractions. She nearly held on, but Indy Champ(JPN) by Stay Gold(JPN) found his second gear in the stretch and got his neck in front, while Almond Eye(JPN) closed like a rocket to finish third by a nose. Danon Premium(JPN) was pulled up when jockey Yuga Kawada couldn't get the colt to find his rhythm after his tumultuous start, though later there was nothing found to be wrong with him the talented son of Deep Impact(JPN).
The 1800m G3 Epsom Cup on June 9th at Tokyo Racecourse saw yet another winner by the immensely talented King Kamehameha(JPN) when Leyenda(JPN) stalked the pace to become one his sires nearly countless graded stakes winners. King Kamehameha(JPN) be retired from stud by the end of the month, due to ailments associated with old age, but his legacy lives on in horses like Leyenda(JPN). Leyenda(JPN) stalked pacesetter Salacia(JPN) by Deep Impact(JPN) during the course of the race and dueled for most of the stretch before getting three-fourths of a length ahead of Salacia(JPN) by the wire. So Glittering(JPN) by Stay Gold(JPN) got up for third.
On June 9th, Solace(JPN) by Orfevre(JPN) became her sire's fourth graded stakes winner when she captured the 2000m G3 Mermaid Stakes at Hanshin Racecourse. Solace(JPN) sat in the back of the pack after being slower than the rest in the first furlong. She started to make her rally as they turned from home and really kicked into gear mid-stretch where she diligently picked off the field one by one to get her nose in front of Red Landini(JPN) by Deep Impact(JPN) in the final stride. Pacesetter Scarlet Color(JPN) by Victoire Pisa(JPN) who weaved through traffic got third.
Due to a potential tainting of a feed supplement used by many horses in the JRA, June 15th and 16th saw hundreds of horses automatically scratched from races that weekend to protect the integrity of the races held. Of the races on the schedule, none were likely impacted more than the 1200m G3 Hakodate Sprint Stakes at Hakodate Racecourse on June 16th which saw the scratching of talented sprinter Danon Smash(JPN) by Lord Kanaloa(JPN) and five others, cutting the field almost in half. Kaiser Melange(JPN) by Sakura Orion(JPN) broke sharp and ran away with the race and claim his first graded stakes title. Graded stakes winner Aster Pegasus(USA) by Giant's Causeway(USA) a length and a half back in second and Tower of London(JPN) by Raven's Pass(USA) was a neck back in third.
One of the most challenging aspects for many internationals to understand, especially Americans, about Japanese racing is the dirt stakes schedule for younger horses. While America has an extensive calendar of graded stakes for two-year-olds and young three-year-olds going into the American Classic season, JRA dirt racing doesn't offer a graded stakes for young dirt horses until the 1600m G3 Unicorn Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse on June 16th. While has and will continue to lead to a lot of confusion as Japanese horses try their luck at the American Triple Crown, as proved by Master Fencer(JPN), having no graded stakes black-type to your name doesn't mean you can't be competitive in the US dirt racing scene. Wide Pharaoh(JPN) by Henny Hughes(USA) already had black type going into the race, as he had already won the G2 New Zealand Trophy back in April over the turf. Making the switch to dirt proved just as easy for the colt continues his sire's legacy of producing very versatile progeny. He was his sire's first native-born graded stakes winner since Henny Hughes(USA) was imported to Japan a few years back and now he is also his first dirt graded stakes winner as well. Due Process(GB) by Daiwa Major(JPN) was second, and Dantsu Castle(JPN) by Rulership(JPN) was third.
The last G1 event before the JRA's summer season is the mid-year Grand Prix where fans get to vote on the fan-favorite top 10 horses in the country and give them a chance to participate in the race. The 2200m G1 Takarazuka Kinen on June 23rd at Hanshin Racecourse started off in much the way people expected with popular Kiseki(JPN) by Rulership(JPN) taking the lead and setting the pace. In a significant change from her typical come from behind running style, Lys Gracieux(JPN) by Heart's Cry(JPN) stalked Kiseki(JPN) closely during the course of the race. This put the G1 winning filly in the perfect position to be able to strike with her lightly fast turn of foot to sprint away in the stretch to win by a comfortable three lengths and claim free tickets to either the G1 Breeders Cup Turf or G1 Caulfield Cup. Suave Richard(JPN) was unable to catch Kiseki(JPN) who still had a solid lead on the rest of the field, so the son of Heart's Cry(JPN) finished two-length behind in third.
On June 30th, the 1200m G3 CBC Sho at Chukyo Racecourse had a quality array of contenders among its ranks, including one G1 winner, a multiple G3 winner, and six graded stakes-placed horses. The graded stakes winners going into the race likely had the advantage, but it was post-time favorite Red en Ciel(JPN) by Manhattan Cafe(JPN) who came out on top. G1 winner Seiun Kosei(JPN) by Admire Moon(JPN) took the lead out of the gate and set the early fractions in the pouring rain. Eventual winner Red en Ciel(JPN) was mid-pack and made his charge in the stretch, making up lost ground and likely getting some help from the soft ground to win by a neck. Seiun Kosei(JPN) held on admirably, but Ares Barows(JPN) by Deep Impact(JPN) slid past him along the inside rail to snag second place by a neck.
Three-year-old only races like the June 30th 1800m G3 Radio Nikkei Sho at Fukushima Racecourse begin to really dry up in the second half of the year in the JRA as two-year-old races take precedence and three-year-olds are pushed into taking on older horses but here some three-year-olds who are looking for their place to shine get the opportunity to do so. Winner Breaking Dawn(JPN) by Victoire Pisa(JPN) had shown some early promise in some two-year-old races and on the classic trail, but it was in the Radio Nikkei Sho that he finally was able to get his first graded stakes title. He raced wide mid-pack for the majority of the race before making his move in the stretch, mounting a powerful charge down the middle of the stretch picking off the remaining competition to win by three-fourths of a length over Meiner Surpass(JPN) by I'll Have Another(USA). Go Timing(JPN) by Deep Impact(JPN) was a length and a quarter back in third.
All JRA graded stakes results and race replays are available on Japan Association for International Racing, and Stud Book (JAIRS)'s website: http://japanracing.jp/.
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