Preview and history from Japan Racing
Update and pics of Euro horses.
http://japanracing.jp/_news2007/071116-02.html
Japan Cup (G1) - best race anywhere this year? - Preview
The Grade 1 Japan Cup will be run on Sunday 25th November over 2400m at the internationally renowned Tokyo racecourse. The Japan Cup was established in 1981 in the wake of a push to try and raise the level of Japanese-bred horses during the late 1970s. Seven foreign horses were invited for the inaugural running of the Cup, three horses from the United States and Canada, and one from India. The winner of the race, Mairzy Doates, was from the US and she smashed the Japanese record for the 2400m distance in beating a Canadian representative, Frost King, with the other US entry, The Very One, back in 3rd place.
From the 2nd running of the Japan Cup, invitees from Europe and Oceania were included, and the race quickly built up a reputation as the Olympics of horseracing. In recent years, the Japanese horses have been very hard to beat on their home turf in this race, but the early runnings of the race were very different. Katsuragi Ace won for Japan for the first time in 1984 when he led all the way to win as an outsider, before one of Japan's best horses ever, Symboli Rudolf, won in 1985 as favorite. The Japanese were then winless for 6 years before Symboli Rudolf's best son, Tokai Teio, won an epic renewal of the race in 1992, holding off the Australian galloper Naturalism. Last year, the Japanese superstar Deep Impact returned to Japan from his unfortunate attempt at winning the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, and easily accounted for the very good Japanese 3yo Dream Passport, with globetrotting wonder mare Ouija Board finishing 3rd. Overall, 14 foreign trained horses have won the Cup in the past, compared to Japan's 12 victories.
The 2400m Tokyo course begins in the home straight. There is a 400m run to the first turn which curves for over 550m before the run down the back straight of about 400m. The last curving turn is more than 400m long and leads into the final straight of 525m, the first 225 of which is uphill.
This year's Japan Cup field is stacked with quality horses, and may well be the best middle distance turf race held anywhere in the world this year. Joining the Japanese entrants are the Irish trained Dylan Thomas, the winner of the 2007 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes who was named Europe's Horse of the Year at the 2007 Cartier Racing Awards this week, US trained Artiste Royal (winner of the Group 1 Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship at Santa Anita), UK trained Halicarnassus (last start winner of the Group 3 Dubai Duty Free Arc Trial at Newbury) and Papal Bull (winner of the Group 2 Princess of Wales's WBX.COM Stakes at Newmarket), and the German trained Saddex (winner of the Group 1 Rheinland-Pokal der Sparkasse Kolnbonn at Cologne, and placed 6th behind Dylan Thomas in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe).
The Japan Cup not only offers fantastic prize money - total basic prize money of over 533 million yen (about US$4.4m), with 250 million yen (more than US$2 million) to the winner and participation incentive amounts paid down to the 10th place horse, which receives 5 million yen (more than US$40,000) – but there are also bonuses for eligible horses. If Dylan Thomas (as the winner of the 2007 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe) was to win the Japan Cup, he would be eligible for a further 130 million yen, just over US$1m. Of the Japanese horses, Admire Moon (recently acquired by Darley Japan Farm Co. Ltd.) is eligible for the same bonus as winner of this year’s Grade 1 Takarazuka Kinen, and the 2nd horse in that race, Meisho Samson, is eligible for a 65 million yen bonus – more than US$540,000.
Of the Japanese contingent, four-time Grade 1 winner Meisho Samson looks set to start a warm favorite. As a 3yo, he won the first two legs of the 3yo classic triple crown in Japan – the Grade 1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) and the Grade 1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) – last year before experiencing a lean autumn with unplaced efforts in each of the Grade 1 races he tackled - the Grade 1 Kikuka Sho (3000m), the Grade 1 Japan Cup (2400m) and the Grade 1 Arima Kinen (2500m). However, he came back a formidable force in the spring this year beating subsequent Group 1 Singapore Airlines International Cup winner Shadow Gate in the Grade 2 Sankei Osaka Hai (2000m) before winning the Grade 1 Tenno Sho (Spring) over 3200m in April. He was beaten by Admire Moon (as mentioned above) by 1/2 length when coming back in distance to the 2200m of the Takarazuka Kinen, but he lost no followers with the effort as he made his run early and was only caught in the final stages.
Plans to travel to France for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in the summer had to be abandoned when the Equine Influenza (EI) epidemic hit Japan – especially as Meisho Samson himself contracted the virus. However, with Japan's champion jockey Yutaka Take in the saddle last start in the Grade 1 Tenno Sho (Autumn), he showed that EI had left no ill effects with an impressive 2 1/2 length victory. He races handy, fights hard in the straight and if anything the 2400m course of the Japan Cup is more suitable than the 2000m Tenno Sho (Autumn). Impossible to leave out of the chances.
Pop Rock could possibly be the next most favored Japanese runner. A lightly raced 6yo, Pop Rock came through the grades in the first half of the year last year, with 4 consecutive wins in Japan culminating in the Grade 2 Meguro Kinen on Derby day, 2006 at the Tokyo racecourse over 2500m. He was then targeted at the Group 1 Emirates Melbourne Cup in Australia, and after finishing an unlucky 7th in the lead-up Group 1 BMW Caulfield Cup, he finished on well in the 3200m Melbourne Cup, only to be staved off by his Japanese stablemate, Delta Blues. Since returning to Japan, he has finished in place in five of six domestic races, that streak beginning with a brilliant performance to finish 2nd behind Deep Impact in the Arima Kinen last year.
He just missed catching Admire Moon first up in the 2200m Grade 2 Kyoto Kinen before getting too far back and finishing a disappointing 6th in the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic in March. Since returning once again to Japan though, he has been racing well against the best horses in Japan, including winning the Meguro Kinen for the second year in a row, before finishing a very credible 3rd behind Admire Moon and Meisho Samson in the Grade 1 Takarazuka Kinen in June. He resumed in the Grade 2 Kyoto Daishoten (2400m), and although beaten into 2nd by the up-and-coming Inti Raimi (who is also in the field for this race), he was only beaten a neck with 58 kgs. In the Tenno Sho (Autumn), champion French jockey Olivier Peslier had no choice but to go back in the early stages from the bad barrier, and that effectively eliminated any chance he had in the race, but he still finished very well for 4th. He is another who will appreciate the 2400m even more. He performs very well at Tokyo, and he has a huge chance to break through here for his first Group 1 victory.
Admire Moon will be possibly having his last run in the Japan Cup, and as mentioned above, he is eligible for a 130 million yen bonus if he is successful here. He was well fancied in several major Japanese races last year after some very good 2yo performances, but disappointed in the first half of the year. He came back a much better horse in the second half and had not missed a place before his 6th last start in the Tenno Sho (Autumn). He finished 3rd in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) in 2006 behind Daiwa Major and Swift Current last year before traveling to Hong Kong where he was narrowly beaten by arguably the best horse in the world in 2006 - Pride.
This year he began his 4yo season with a narrow but dominant win over Pop Rock in the 2200m Grade 2 Kyoto Kinen, before winning his first Grade 1 when impressively accounting for an international field in the Dubai Duty Free in March. He then again ventured to Hong Kong where he probably deserved to finish closer than the 3rd placing he did, when ridden from a long way back and wide in the Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Sha Tin, won by Viva Pataca. He then returned to Japan and won his first domestic Grade 1 race when running down Meisho Samson in the final stages of the Takarazuka Kinen.
After that win he was subsequently sold to Darley Japan Farm Co. Ltd. for a reported US$40 million, and he will be looking to justify that purchase price here, after being a little disappointing last start. He was involved in the interference in the straight at the Tenno Sho (Autumn), but it did not seem to be as bad as some others in the race, and was probably entitled to finish off the race better. Once again jockey Yasunari Iwata's placement (he doesn't have a great record at Tokyo racecourse) will be crucial.
Cosmo Bulk will go around in the Japan Cup once again – his 4th year in a row. The evergreen galloper who won the $3 Million Singapore Airlines International Cup in May last year before finishing 2nd behind Shadow Gate this year is officially registered with the NAR (National Association of Racing) which is run by local governments - and began his career racing for much less prize money than is available in the JRA (his 2nd career win earned him just 200,000 yen - less than US$2,000!). His domestic career so far has seen him win one JRA Grade 3 and two JRA Grade 2 races, as well as 2nd placings in two of the most prestigious JRA races - the Satsuki Sho (2000 Guineas equivalent) and this race - the Japan Cup, in 2004. He was 5th in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) last start, and once again looks to have a slight place chance in this race if he can get a comfortable run on the pace.
Chosan is a 5yo Dance in the Dark horse who is showing signs of coming of age. After slowly making his way through the grades, he finally broke through 3 starts ago to earn place in the open class races of the JRA. Then at his first start at Grade level, he settled towards the rear of a very hot pace in the 1800m Grade 2 Mainichi Okan before finishing too well for everything else (including Daiwa Major and Agnes Ark) in the final straight to record a stunning win. In a stronger field last start in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) last start, he finished a disappointing 8th, but he did get a long way back and ran the fastest 600m in the field. With a good track and a quick pace, a big run would not surprise.
Delta Blues struggled throughout 2005 and through the early parts of 2006 after winning the Grade 1 Kikuka Sho (over 3000m) as a 3yo in 2004. The trip to Melbourne, Australia with Pop Rock last year got him back in form however, and he came back with a 3rd in the Group 1 BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) and victory in the Group 1 Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m). After some ordinary efforts back in Japan, the plan was to return to Australia for the Melbourne Cup again, but the EI epidemic put an end to those plans. His first up run last start was positive, and the 2000m distance at the Tenno Sho (Autumn) was much too short for this out and out stayer, and he is a lot better than the 12th he finished last start. Will probably be over the odds he should be.
Dream Passport is the tricky horse to line up in this year’s renewal. There is no doubt that he has the ability to win the race. He has consistently performed as well as, if not better than, the likely favorite for the Japan Cup – Meisho Samson. In 14 starts, he has only missed a place once, and even then was an unlucky 4th! He was 2nd in this race to Deep Impact last year, and there is no Deep Impact in this year’s race. The big query over this horse’s chance this year is that he is first up after coming back from a fracture that has kept him out most of the big races this year. If he is right, he can win this, but it is a big task first up against this field.
Inti Raimi is another horse than cannot be ruled out. He finished 2nd over this course – 2400m at Tokyo – in the 2005 Japanese Derby behind Deep Impact. He had struggled to regain that form through late 2006 and early 2007, but his last 2 runs have been brilliant. He ran down the leaders with a 33.3 sectional two starts back in an easier Grade 3 Asahi Challenge Cup, and showed that he was up to these with a big effort to run down Pop Rock, Delta Blues and the subsequent runnerup in the Kikka Sho (the Japanese St. Leger equivalent) Al Nasrain over 2400m at Kyoto in winning the Grade 2 Kyoto Daishoten, once again running an amazing sectional for the last 600m – 33.4 seconds.
One other horse that everyone will have their eye on (if she runs) is this year’s Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) winner Vodka. Her run to become the first filly to win the Derby in 64 years had to be seen to be believed, and these are the perfect conditions for her. She has always shown herself to be extremely talented - her trainer Katsuhiko Sumii (who also trains Pop Rock and Delta Blues) was telling people she would go down in history when she was still a 2yo. The stable had plans to take her to France for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in the summer, but like Meisho Samson, those plans had to be abandoned when the Equine Influenza (EI) epidemic hit Japan. After the setback, she had been brought along slowly, and the plan was to run her in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Commerative Cup last week. However, she slightly injured herself on the morning of the race and was scratched by the connections. The good news is that it was a very minor injury and if she lines up in this race, you can be sure she is fit to run. If she had won her first start this preparation (when finishing 3rd behind rival 3yo filly Daiwa Scarlet) and if there were no injury concerns around her, she may well have been the favorite for this race, and many Japanese punters will have her on top if she lines up.
The only other filly in the race is the 4yo Fusaichi Pandora who last year put in a bad run in the Grade 1 Oka Sho (1000 Guineas equivalent over 1600m), but was then consistent after that against the top 3yo fillies in the classics behind Kawakami Princess in particular. That form is good as Kawakami Princess was a good filly, but the 3yos this year look to be even better. Fusaichi Pandora won the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Commerative Stakes against the fillies and mares last year (after Kawakami Princess was demoted for causing interference) and finished 2nd in the same race this year, behind the top 3yo filly Daiwa Scarlet. A more than handy 4yo filly, but you would struggle to find a harder race than this one.
The other horse with a major chance in the race is the 3yo colt Victory. The winner of this year’s Satsuki Sho (the Japanese equivalent of the 2000 Guineas), this horse has shown so much promise but refuses to race kindly, and is yet to learn how to settle in his races. Top Japanese jockey Yasunari Iwata spent much of his spare time during the summer travelling to the north of Japan to ride the horse in training, but unfortunately the horse still hasn’t been settling in his autumn appearances. If Christophe Lemaire, who is expected to take the ride with Iwata committed to Admire Moon, can get him to settle, there is a great chance he will be in the finish – especially if he races forward where he has always done best.
