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Jockey Norihiro Yokoyama Captures G1 titles Two Weeks in a Row

Third pick Clarity Sky landed this year’s NHK Mile Cup, his first G1 win, and marked a father-son victory as sire Kurofune (USA, by French Deputy) claimed the race in 2001. After breaking his maiden in his third outing last September, the bay colt went on to register his first grade-race win, the Icho Stakes (1,600m) in record time, and had capped off his debut season with a third in the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes (G1, 1,600m). His two starts this season included a sixth in the Yayoi Sho (G2, 2,000m), and a fifth in the classics’ first leg, the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, G1, 2,000m) in April. Following last year’s Victoria Mile victory with Verxina (JPN), this is trainer Yasuo Tomomichi’s fifth JRA-G1 win, while it is the 25th for jockey Norihiro Yokoyama who just captured the G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) title the preceding week. It is the jockey’s second NHK Mile Cup title—his first was with Symboli Indy (USA) back in 1999.

The field broke evenly at the head of the backstretch with Ren England up front stalked by one of the only two fillies in the field Albiano, along with Tagano Azaghal and Matenro Happiness. Sitting just off the pace in fourth to fifth and two-wide, Clarity Sky began to uncoil his run down the straight chasing fourth-pick Albiano, who had inherited the lead from the used-up pace setter just after the last turn and had stretched her lead to two lengths with a quarter of a mile to go. After easily holding off the late chargers, the Kurofune colt closed impressively to draw even with the filly 100 meters out and steadily pull away for a length victory.

“The pace was pretty slow up to the fourth corner and the colt was so keen to go—it was tough but I was able to hold him in an ideal position. He’s won in record time here, so as long as his condition was good, I was confident he had a good chance today. I’m sure he will improve more seeing how he raced today at his young age,” commented Norihiro Yokoyama.

Other Horses:
4th: (1) Avenir Marcher—hugged rail toward rear, quickened between horses, timed fastest over last 3 furlongs
6th: (14) Young Man Power—raced wide in mid-pack, showed effort outside Musee Sultan, checked 200m out
7th: (15) Fumino Moon—sat 2nd from last, turned wide and accelerated until furlong pole
8th: (17) Nishino Rush—raced wide in mid-group, showed effort, weakened after furlong pole
9th: (10) Arma Waioli—ran in mid-pack, met traffic at top of stretch, switched to right, quickened in last 200m
10th: (13) Cosmo Nine Ball—trailed in rear, angled wide, showed belated charge
11th: (16) Danon Major—advanced to 4th from wide draw, ran gamely until 300m out, outrun thereafter
12th: (4) Guanciale—broke slowly, raced 4th from last, even paced after turning wide
13th: (11) Yamakatsu Ace—traveled outside winner, lacked needed kick at stretch
14th: (3) Cool Hotarubi—positioned 2nd or 3rd from last, passed tired rivals at stretch
15th: (8) Night Fox—raced behind winner in mid-division, boxed in 400m out, lost momentum
16th: (6) Ren England—set pace, surrendered lead to Albiano at top of stretch, faded
17th: (18) Matenro Happiness—rushed to 3rd from widest stall, checked at early stretch, lost momentum
18th: (5) Tagano Azaghal—stalked pacesetter in 3rd early, gradually dropped back, no factor at stretch

THE 20TH NHK MILE CUP (G1)

3-year-old Colts & Fillies, 1,600 meters (about 8 furlongs), turf, left-handed
Sunday, May 10, 2015     Tokyo Racecourse         11th Race          Post Time: 15:40
Total prize money: ¥ 191,760,000 (about US$ 1,598,000 <US$1=¥120>)
3-y-o: 57 kg (about 126 lbs), 2 kg allowance for Fillies,
2 kg allowance for Southern Hemisphere-bred born in 2012
Safety factor: 18 runners

1. Clarity Sky (JPN), bay, colt, 3-year-old
   Kurofune / Taiki Clarity (Special Week)

   Owner: Tadakuni Sugiyama	Breeder: Taiki Clarity Partnership
   Trainer: Yasuo Tomomichi	Jockey: Norihiro Yokoyama
   8 Starts, 3 Wins
   Added money: ¥ 95,822,000	Career earnings: ¥ 164,231,000
   Principal Race Performances:	’14 Icho Stakes (1,600m)	1st
   	’14 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes (G1, 1,600m)	1st

   
   
2. Albiano (USA), bay, filly, 3-year-old
   Harlan’s Holiday / Antics (Unbridled)

   Owner: Kazumi Yoshida	Breeder: Helen Alexander & Helen Groves Rev Trust.
   Trainer: Tetsuya Kimura	Jockey: Yuichi Shibayama

   
   
3. Musee Sultan (JPN), bay, colt, 3-year-old
   King Kamehameha / Ask Deputy (French Deputy)

   Owner: Jin Takahashi	Breeder: Shadai Farm
   Trainer: Satoshi Oehara	Jockey: Yoshitomi Shibata

* NHK Mile Cup (G1)
While races in Japan for three-year-olds had been programmed mainly to facilitate those aiming towards the middle-long distance three-year-old Classics as typified by the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1, 2,400m), the interest in speed races is growing both within and outside Japan, and earning much respect as the traditional Classics. In 1996, JRA reorganized its races in order to accommodate and promote the three-year-olds suited to short distances, and established the NHK Mile Cup which was named after its sponsor Nippon Hoso Kyokai (Japan Broadcasting Corporation)—Japan’s only public broadcaster. The race was designated as an international race in 2009.
Past NHK Mile Cup winners include subsequent derby winners King Kamehameha (JPN, by Kingmambo; ’04) and Deep Sky (JPN, by Agnes Tachyon; ’08) while El Condor Pasa (USA, by Kingmambo; ’98) and Kurofune (USA, by French Deputy; ’01) won the Japan Cup (G1, 2,400m) and the Japan Cup Dirt (G1, dirt, 2,100m), respectively.
The top three finishers in the New Zealand Trophy (G2, 1,600m) on April 11 were among this year’s line-up; winner and seventh pick Yamakatsu Ace, runner-up and race favorite Grand Silk, and in third was second pick Arma Waioli who was second in the 2014 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes (G1, 1,600m). Young Man Power, who claimed the Arlington Cup (G3, 1,600m) in February, was eighth in the same race. Victor of the graded Icho Stakes (1,600m) last October, Clarity Sky was entered coming off a fifth in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, G1, 2,000m) held on April 19.
Other key runners included winner of last August’s Niigata Nisai Stakes (G3, 1,600m) Musee Sultan, victor of January’s Shinzan Kinen (G3, 1,600m) Guanciale, and Albiano and Tagano Azaghal who claimed the Flower Cup (G3, 1,800m) and the Falcon Stakes (G3, 1,400m) in March, respectively.