1 of 3 | Do Deuce (No. 3) holds on to win Sunday’s Grade 1 Japan Cup at Tokyo Racecourse. Photo by and courtesy of Katsumi Saito
Nov. 25 (UPI) — International forces mounted their most serious assault on the Japan Cup in many years, but it didn’t make any difference, as locals swept the first five placings in Sunday’s 44th running, the acme of weekend horse racing.
Japan also hosted the only 2-year-old action likely to impact the 2025 Kentucky Derby, while Del Mar and Churchill Downs kept the wheels on the bus going round in weekend action in North American.
In relative order of importance:
The Japan Cup
Do Deuce unleashed a furious stretch run to take the lead in the stretch in Sunday’s Group 1 Japan Cup, and then held off an inside bid by Shin Emperor to win by a neck.
Durezza led the field into the straight and dead-heated with Shin Emperor for second, with 3-year-old filly Cervinia an encouraging fourth and Justin Palace fifth.
Goliath was best of the foreigners, finishing sixth. Auguste Rodin was eighth and Fantastic Moon 11th. All the international connections said their chances were compromised by a very slow early pace in the 2,000-meter race.
Goliath and Fantastic Moon hold entries in the Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Cup on Dec. 8, but a decision on that bid will depend on an evaluation of Sunday’s effort.
Fives were wild. Do Deuce now has five Grade 1 wins, including the 2022 Japanese Derby. He’s a 5-year-old son of Heart’s Cry. And jockey Yutaka Take won the Japan Cup for a record fifth time.
Do Deuce now has a chance to run his Grade 1 total to six in next month’s Arima Kinen, set to be his last start before a stud career.
“The Japan Cup this year was fortunate to have great runners from overseas to raise the quality of this race and I feel privileged to have won in such company and sincerely hope that the race will go on to be recognized as a leader within the world of racing,” Take said.
The Road to the Roses
The “Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby” got under way Saturday at Tokyo Racecourse, with Natural Rise earning 20 points with the victory in the Cattleya Sho.
The Kizuna colt raced off the pace, swung to the outside early in the stretch run and found clear sailing. After opening up a big lead, he held off a late bid by Clay King, who was trapped behind horses until the final 200 meters.
Natural Rise is 2-for-2. He had been sidelined with some minor issues since his first victory July 20 at Sapporo. Three more races loom in the “Road” series with the points on offer increasing.
Natural Rise’s connections didn’t enthusiastically endorse him as a Kentucky Derby candidate, but didn’t rule it out, either.
“Now that he’s won this race, he’s eligible to run in the open class, trainer Keizo Ito told Bloodhorse’s Frank Angst. “So I think of the future races that I can think of for him — some would be the future races in the series. So that’s possible.”
On the filly side and on the turf, Serving Time found another gear in the stretch run to win a classy $58,000 allowance sprint at Fair Grounds by 1 3/4 lengths over first-timer Elite Heat while finishing 5 1/2 furlongs on firm going in 1:04.48 — just 0.48 second off the course record.
Classic
White Abarrio is back — maybe. The 2022 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner dominated four rivals in a 7-furlong allowance race Friday at Gulfstream Park, winning by 10 1/4 lengths while finishing sharply.
The 5-year-old has been reunited with trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. after two unimpressive efforts for Richard Dutrow Jr. earlier in the year.
The effort Friday was visually impressive, and Joseph indicated it should give the go-ahead to keep White Abarrio on the path to the Grade I Pegasus Invitational and possibly a return engagement in the Saudi Cup.
But it should be noted that Friday’s race was heavily restricted to exclude the top rungs of the class ladder. It wasn’t exactly Jake Paul versus Mike Tyson. But it was a mismatch.
At Del Mar, Skinner started last of six in Saturday’s $100,000 Native Diver Stakes, caught up with the dueling leaders a furlong from the finish and edged ahead to win by 1 length. Tarantino was second, a head in front of Mixto.
Skinner, a Curlin colt, finished 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:48.95 with Hector Berrios riding for trainer John Shirreffs. It was only the second win from 12 starts for Skinner, who did have four in-the-money finishes in graded stakes since his maiden win, including a second in last year’s Native Diver.
Distaff
Two Sharp was too good for seven rivals in Saturday’s $300,000 Grade III Chilukki Stakes at Churchill Downs, leading comfortably from the start on the way to a 5 3/4-length score.
The 3-year-old Twirling Candy filly, with Junior Alvarado up for trainer Phil Bauer, ran 1 mile on a fast track in 1:34.40, the second-fastest time in race history. She now has three wins and two seconds from five starts.
Bauer said Two Sharp’s next start is expected to come against Grade I company in the $300,000 La Brea for 3-year-old fillies at 7 furlongs on Boxing Day at Santa Anita.
Turf
Lagynos tracked the pace in Saturday’s $300,000 Grade III Commonwealth Turf Stakes for 3-year-olds at Churchill Downs, split rivals near the furlong pole and drove home first by 3/4 length over another late-runner, Evade.
Flavien Prat had the mount on Lagynos for trainer Steve Asmussen and completed the 1 1/16 miles on firm turf in 1:40.83.
The Kantharos colt last visited the winner’s circle 363 days earlier and had made nine winless starts in the interim.
“He deserved this win,” Asmussen said. “He’s gotten in so much trouble in his last couple starts and even this spring at Keeneland. He’s shown up for every start and runs hard each time.”
Filly & Mare Turf
Mrs. Astor rallied to the lead near the furlong pole in Sunday’s $100,000 Red Carpet Stakes at Del Mar, and then held off a late bid by the favorite, Forever After All, before posting a 1-length victory. Marksman Queen was third.
The first three finishers all made their previous start at Keeneland. Mrs. Astor, a 4-year-old Lookin At Lucky filly, ran 1 3/8 miles on firm turf in 2:16.82. Vincent Cheminaud rode for trainer Jonathan Thomas.
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