Photo:

Japan Racing Association

Post-time favorite Cervinia asserted herself in the final
furlong Sunday at Kyoto to win the 29th running of the Grade 1, US$1.6 million Shuka
Sho, the last jewel of the Japan triple crown for 3-year-old fillies.

The Harbinger filly became the fifth horse since Mikki Queen
in 2015 to double in this and the Yushun Himba (G1), also known as the Japanese
Oaks. She registered her third graded-stakes victory following the Artemis
Stakes (G3) as a 2-year-old and her Yushun Himba triumph in May.

The 15 fillies were sent on their way in front of 35,539
fans with Sekitoba East (32-1) gunning for the lead while Cervinia (6-5) was
unhurried in mid-pack. After the pacemaker who eventually faded to 13th extended
her huge lead up the backstretch setting a rapid pace, the field gradually
started making its bids in the second turn.

Still surrounded by her rivals turning for home, Cervinia
readily responded with an eighth of a mile to go and easily kicked clear,
stretching away to a 1 3/4-length victory.

“As always, it’s not easy to win a Grade 1 race, but
Cervinia ran an incredible race today, and everything went smoothly,” winning
jockey Christophe Lemaire said. “The distance was right for her. We were able
to sit in a good position. She found her own rhythm and was very calm
throughout. The fast pace was also a good factor, and she responded beautifully.”

On the turf course rated good to firm, the winning time was
1:57.1 without a run-up covering 2,000 meters, 13 yards short of 1 1/4 miles.
That was 0.2 seconds off the stakes record. The early fractions were 23.0,
45.8, 1:08.8 and 1:32.6.

Both Lemaire and trainer Tetsuya Kimura earned their first
Japan Grade 1 wins since the Yushun Himba. For Lemaire this was his third Shuka
Sho victory, the other two being with Deirdre in 2017 and Almond Eye in 2018.

This marked the third consecutive Shuka Sho title for owner
Sunday Racing following its successes with Stunning Rose in 2022 and Liberty
Island last year.

A little late out of the gate, Bond Girl (13-1) was eased
back near the rear early before making a wide bid into the lane. With the
fastest late speed, the Daiwa Major filly closed strongly but had too much
ground to make up and had to settle for second.

Stellenbosch (5-2), the winner of the Oka Sho (G1), also
known as the Japanese 1,000 Guineas, was off slowly and traveled early in 10th.
After slightly angling out rounding the last turn, the bay filly switched to an
inside path for running room a furlong out and quickened willingly, improving
to second. But she was pinned by Bond Girl just before the wire and finished
third.