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With the completion of the two major Japan Cup prep-races, the Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1, 2,000m) and the Copa Republica Argentina (G2, 2,500m), the Japanese field that will face the foreign visitors in the coming international G1 is beginning to take clearer shape. Foremost attention was focused on whether Japan’s national hero Orfevre (JPN, C4, by Stay Gold) would take part in Japanese racing’s biggest international event after his well-noted performance in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October. The interval between the Arc and Japan Cup is shorter than usual this year, and the chestnut colt had been under quarantine since the end of October. Despite some weight loss upon his return to Japan, his connections have announced their decision to start the colt in the Japan Cup. Last year, after sealing the Triple Crown with a victory in the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger, G1, 3000m) in late October, the 2011 Horse of the Year passed up a start in November and headed directly to the Arima Kinen (G1, 2,500m), so this year will be his first Japan Cup challenge. Recent Arc runners who have taken part in the Japan Cup upon returning to Japan include Deep Impact (JPN, by Sunday Silence), who won the race in 2006 after finishing third in the Arc only to be disqualified, and Nakayama Festa (JPN, by Stay Gold), who was 14th in the 2010 Japan Cup after finishing second in the Arc.
Runners who have run successfully in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) are probable starters in the Japan Cup. For this year’s winner, Eishin Flash (JPN, H5, by King’s Best), it was his first G1 title in nearly two and a half years and his second G1 since capturing the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1, 2,400m) in 2010. Under Mirco Demuro’s skillful hands, the dark bay gave a tremendous late charge after a ground-saving trip along the rails for a narrow win. Unfortunately, the Italian jockey is unable to partner him again as his short-term license will have expired, but Christophe Lemaire, who rode Vodka (JPN, by Tanino Gimlet)to victory in 2009, is booked to ride Eishin Flash. Fenomeno (JPN, C3, by Stay Gold) just missed his first G1 title by half a length in the Tenno Sho after placing second by a nose to Deep Brillante (JPN, by Deep Impact) in the Tokyo Yushun. Sent to post the race favorite in the Tenno Sho, with expectations high for the three-year-old’s first challenge against top G1 winners, his performance did not fail to impress. He showed much power in defeat and confirmed his suitability to Tokyo Racecourse, where he has registered three wins and two seconds out of five starts. Third-place finisher Rulership (JPN, H5, by King Kamehameha) came into the race with 18 extra kilos to his frame following a four-month spell. His run in the Tenno Sho began from a poor break, which demanded extra effort from the outside to finish as well as he did. With one race now under his belt, further improvement can be expected in his bid to claim a second G1 title—following the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (Hong Kong; 2,000m) in April—and first G1 victory in Japan.
The standout among this year’s three-year-old fillies is Gentildonna (JPN, F3, by Deep Impact), who claimed the Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas, G1, 1,600m), the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks, G1, 2,400m) and the Shuka Sho (G1, 2,000m) to become JRA’s fourth triple-crown filly. Attracting much attention after kicking off with a win against male foes in the Shinzan Kinen (G3, 1,600m), the Deep Impact filly succumbed to fourth in the Tulip Sho (G3, 1,600m) owing to a fever prior to the race. She returned to form with a victory in the Oka Sho, and then demonstrated her dominance by storming from behind to an overwhelming five-length victory in the Yushun Himba. Her record-breaking time of 2:23.6 over the 2,400-meter course was 0.2 second faster than Deep Brillante‘s winning time over the same distance in the Japanese Derby a week later. Success continued in her fall campaign with a G2 win in the Rose Stakes (1,800m) and then in the last leg of the fillies’ triple, the Shuka Sho, in which she narrowly nosed out Oaks runner-up Verxina (JPN, F3, by Deep Impact), who refused to give in as they dueled to the wire. Coming off a four-grade-race winning streak, the powerful bay filly’s lighter weight (53kg) should work to great advantage in her first challenge against top G1 caliber.
Otherwise, however, the Japanese field falls short of quality three-year-old colts. Gold Ship (JPN, C3, by Stay Gold), who claimed two of this year’s Triple Crown Classics—the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, G1, 2,000m) and the Kikuka Sho—has opted to miss the Japan Cup and head directly to the Arima Kinen. The three Deep Impact colts who had finished within the first five in the Tokyo Yushun all came up with injuries, ruling them out of racing for long periods or even forcing them to retire altogether. World Ace (JPN), the Satsuki Sho runner-up and fourth in the Japanese Derby, was found with a tendon injury during training towards his fall campaign and will be sidelined for quite some time. Tosen Homareboshi (JPN), who finished third in the Derby, retired after developing a bowed tendon during the summer. Tokyo Yushun winner Deep Brillante, who went overseas in July to challenge the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1, 2,400m) at Ascot and finished eighth, was getting prepared for the third leg of the Triple Crown Classic but he also was forced to retire with a tendon injury only days before the race. The three-year-old field has been greatly affected by the absence of so much talent. The Copa Republica Argentina on November 4 was won by second-choice Lelouch (JPN, C4, by Zenno Rob Roy), but after scoring his first grade-race title his connections have decided that the late developer’s first G1 challenge will be the Arima Kinen. The field also included Beat Black (JPN, H5, by Miscast), who scored an overwhelming four-length victory earlier this season in the Tenno Sho (Spring) (G1, 3,200m), but carrying top weights at 59kg in his fall debut, he finished fourth. The black son of Miscast hopes to show improved form in his second start this fall in the Japan Cup. Gustave Cry (JPN, by Heart’s Cry), a promising four-year-old whose dam, Fabulous la Fouine,was the runner-up in the 1996 Japan Cup, was sent to post favorite in the race after coming off an impressive third in the Kyoto Daishoten (G2, 2,400m), but he finished sixth and pulled up with a tendon injury that forced his immediate retirement. The 2009 Japan Cup runner-up Oken Bruce Lee (JPN, H7, by Jungle Pocket), who finished seventh in the Copa Republica Argentina, will make his fifth challenge in this year’s Japan Cup.
Other contenders in the Japan Cup could include Jaguar Mail (JPN, H8, by Jungle Pocket), who finished seventh in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) this year and third in the 2011 Japan Cup. Tosen Jordan (JPN, H6, by Jungle Pocket), the record-making winner of the 2011 Tenno Sho (Autumn) but 13th this year, was runner-up in the Tenno Sho (Spring) in April, although he had to be sidelined with leg problems and a quarter crack, preventing him from starting in the Takarazuka Kinen (G1, 2,200m) and the Sapporo Kinen (G2, 2,000m). Considering that the Tenno Sho (Autumn) was his first start in six months, the 2011 Japan Cup runner-up should improve in his second start of the fall season. If he regains his true form by then, he could become quite a threat in the race. Another horse to watch is Dark Shadow (JPN, H5, by Dance in the Dark), runner-up in the 2011 Tenno Sho (Autumn) and fourth this year.
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Japan Horse Racings
