03 February, 2022
Another year of JRA graded stakes racing is in the books.
In the 3600m, G2 Stayers Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse on December 4th, Divine Force(JPN) by Workforce(GB) posted a mild upset when he took home top honors, earning his first graded stakes win. He sat mid-pack throughout the long race before charging down the stretch to catch pacesetter Iron Barows(JPN) by Orfevre(JPN) to win by half a length. Silver Sonic(JPN) by Orfevre(JPN) was a length and a half back in third.
In the 2000m, G3 Challenge Cup at Hanshin Racecourse on December 4th, So Valiant(JPN) by Orfevre(JPN) lived up to his post-time favoritism to earn his first graded stakes title. He closely stalked the pace throughout, taking the lead in the stretch and pulling away to win by three and a half lengths. Heat on Beat(JPN) by King Kamehameha(JPN) was second, and Persian Knight(JPN) by Harbinger(GB) was a head back in third.
The 1800m G1 Champions Cup on the dirt at Chukyo Racecourse on December 5th was marketed as champion all-white filly Sodashi(JPN) big debut on dirt. Her sire, Kurofune(USA), had been a G1 winner on turf and dirt during his racing career. However, the task was not one she could live up to as the dirt masters overtook her in the stretch. T O Keynes(JPN) by Sinister Minister(USA) was too much for anyone to handle and powered away to win by a spectacular six lengths. Chuwa Wizard(JPN) by King Kamehameha(JPN), coming back from a minor injury, was second, and Another Truth(JPN) by I'll Have Another(USA) was three quarters of a length back in third. This was the first JRA G1 win for top dirt stallion Sinister Minister(USA).
In the 2000m G3 Chunichi Shimbun Hai at Chukyo Racecourse on December 11th, Shonan Bardi(JPN) by King's Best(USA) posted an upset to earn his first graded stakes win. The five-year-old broke sharp and wired the race, holding off a determined African Gold(JPN) by Stay Gold(JPN) by half a length. Shigeru Pink Dia(JPN) by Daiwa Major(JPN) was a neck back in third.
In the 1200m, G3 Capella Stakes on the dirt at Nakayama Racecourse on December 12th, Dancing Prince(JPN) by Pas de Trois(JPN) earned his first graded stakes win for both him and his sire. He stalked pacesetter G1 winner Mozu Superflare(USA) by Speightstown(USA) throughout before overtaking her in the stretch. He held off a fast closing Ryuno Yukina(JPN) by Vermilion(JPN) by half a length at the wire. Omega Rainbow(JPN) by I'll Have Another(USA) was two lengths back in third.
The 1600m G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies at Hanshin Racecourse on December 12th saw Epiphaneia(JPN) continue to show his worth as a top young stallion when his daughter Circle of Life(JPN) came from the back of the pack to win the most significant race for two-year-old fillies in Japan. She was near the back of the pack for the early stages of the race and had to swing wide to find a lane to charge down the stretch to win by half a length. Lovely Your Eyes(JPN) by Logotype(JPN) was second, and Water Navillera(JPN) by Silver State(JPN) was another half a length back in third.
In the 1600m, G3 Turquoise Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse on December 18th Miss New York(JPN) worked her way up from the back of the pack to earn her first graded stakes win. The daughter of King's Best(USA) broke sharp enough but was pushed back and had to settle into the back of the pack. Her jockey rallied her as they entered the turn and brought her wide as they entered the stretch. She barreled down the center of the track to win by a length and a quarter pulling away. Andraste(JPN) by Orfevre(JPN) was seconds, and Gilded Mirror(JPN), also by Orfevre(JPN), was another half-length back in third.
The 1600m G1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes at Hanshin Racecourse on December 19th used to be the championship race for two-year-old males, but in recent years it has lost out to the G1 Hopeful Stakes held at the end of the month. Many champions have still come from this race, so all eyes will be on Do Deuce(JPN) by Heart's Cry(JPN) next year. The colt jumped a little slow out of the gate and got stuck mid-field in the race's early stages. He was angled wide in the stretch and launched into a duel with favorite Serifos(JPN) by Daiwa Major(JPN), but in the final strides, he was able to pull ahead and win by half a length. Serifos(JPN) was second, and Danon Scorpion(JPN) by Lord Kanaloa(JPN) was another half-length in third.
In the 1400m, G2 Hanshin Cup at Hanshin Racecourse on December 25th Grenadier Guards(JPN) by Frankel(GB) made a stellar come back. Having only managed to finish in the money in three of four starts this year and coming back a month after finishing a very disappointing 13th in the G1 Mile Championship, he made up for lost time by charging down the center of the track to win by an easy looking length and a half. He was in the back of the pack most of the race before he was angled very wide as most of the field wanted to avoid the choppy inside turf. The smoother going likely helped his powerful stretch drive as he sailed home. Ho O Amazon(JPN) by King Kamehameha(JPN) was second, and Danon Fantasy(JPN) by Deep Impact(JPN) was a neck back in third.
The 2500m G1 Arima Kinen at Nakayama Racecourse on December 26th ended in true changing of the guard fashion with Efforia(JPN) by Epiphaneia(JPN) capping off a fantastic three-year-old season. The colt not only impressively won the G1 Satsuki Sho(Japanese 2000 Guineas) in April and defeated top older horses in the G1 Tenno Sho Fall in October while narrowly losing the G1 Japanese Derby by the thinnest of margins, he beat even more of the stayers in Japan in the year-end Arima Kinen, not by massive margins like before but confidently ridden to the wire. Deep Bond(JPN) by Kizuna(JPN) tried his best to challenge the talented young horse but was no match for his powerful stretch drive and had to settle for second by three-quarters of a length. Chrono Genesis(JPN) by Bago(FR) had been right behind Efforia(JPN) the entire way around had to settle for third half a length as she wasn't able to find a lane till late to get her typical closing charge rolling.
The 2000m G1 Hopeful Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse on December 28th has been a significant player in the development of future stars for many years, and its promotion to a G1 2017 has only made it more of a breed shaper. Many Derby winners have come from this race over the years, Logi Universe(JPN) by Neo Universe(JPN), One and Only(JPN) by Heart's Cry(JPN), Rey de Oro(JPN) by King Kamehameha(JPN) and of course Contrail(JPN) by Deep Impact(JPN). Plenty of other top racehorses or stallions have come out of this race as well, like Agnes Tachyon(JPN) by Sunday Silence(USA), Victoire Pisa(JPN) by Neo Universe(JPN), Epiphaneia(JPN) by Symboli Kris S(USA), and Saturnalia(JPN) by Lord Kanaloa(JPN). The Hopeful Stakes has managed to eclipse the much older G1 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes as the primary championship race for two-year-old colts as well, with many year-end champions coming from this race instead now that it is a G1. In its latest renewal, top honors went to Killer Ability(JPN) by Deep Impact(JPN), who stalked the pace for much of the race and showed a blazing turn of foot in the final furlong to win by a length and a half. Justin Palace(JPN) by Deep Impact(JPN) was second, and Lagulf(JPN) by Maurice(JPN) was a further 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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