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Up to Date Wins the Nakayama Daishogai to Capture both J-GI Jump Titles in 2015

Second pick Up to Date claimed this year’s Nakayama Daishogai, marking a three grade-race winning streak since winning the Nakayama Grand Jump in April to ensure his JRA Award Best Steeplechase Horse title for 2015. He is the first horse to win both JRA-G1 races in the same year since the grading system was introduced to steeplechase racing in 1999. This win marked trainer Shozo Sasaki’s second steeplechase G1 title following this year’s Nakayama Grand Jump and seventh JRA-G1 win overall (including five titles in flat racing). This also marked jockey Mitsuaki Hayashi’s second steeplechase G1 title following the Nakayama Grand Jump and 12th steeplechase grade-race title overall.

Up to Date broke alertly from stall 13 and advanced to third behind Sanacion after the first jump. Stalking behind the race favorite for most of the journey, the son of Kurofune progressed to second after Sanacion overtook the front at the tenth obstacle (fence 4). The five-year-old gray closed in on the leader and dueled strongly in the last 200 meters but pulled away in the last strides while fending off the strong challenge by Acorn Path before the wire for his second G1 victory.

“We were marking Sanacion throughout the trip but the pace was fast. We were challenged by Acorn Pass before the wire but the horse managed to fend him off,” commented Mitsuaki Hayashi. “Up to Date was injured when he had won the Kokura Summer Jump and it took some time to bring him back to his form. We were worried about the transportation but he had gained six kilos and grown up mentally since the last race. He seems to become stronger with longer distance and he’s a really tough horse,” added Shozo Sasaki.

Fifth choice Acorn Path settled in midfield and gradually improved his position to fourth around the seventh obstacle (fence 7) and raced behind Up to Date all the way to the homestretch, threatening the winner in the last strides, but finishing 1/2 length short in second.

Other Horses:

4th: (9) Dantsu Mutant—raced 3 lengths behind winner in 5th, passed Tyrian Purple at stretch, but finished more than 12 lengths behind Sanacion
5th: (6) Tyrian Purple—traveled in mid-pack, advanced after 9th obstacle (fence 3), entered 4th to lane but outrun by Dantsu Mutant passing 200m marker
6th: (1) Oju Chosan—raced near rear, passed tired rivals at stretch
7th: (12) Ashvin—sat 3rd-4th from rear, lacked needed kick
8th: (10) Wanted—positioned back in mid-division, unable to reach contention
9th: (11) Tanino Tuxedo—ran in mid-group, stayed on same pace
10th: (7) Dream Sailing—set pace, led until 10th obstacle (fence 4), ran out of steam thereafter
11th: (5) Makio Bowler—traveled in mid-pack, sustained bid until stretch, then outrun
12th: (14) Tamamo Chopin—raced in mid-division, gradually dropped back after 2nd corner (2nd lap)
13th: (3) Shigeru Kyokucho—far rear throughout trip, no factor
Fail to Finish: (2) Apollo Maverick—pulled up before 6th obstacle (fence 5) due to fracture in left foreleg

THE 138TH NAKAYAMA DAISHOGAI (J-G1)
3-year-old & up, 4,100 meters (about 2.56 miles), turf
Saturday, December 26, 2015   Nakayama Racecourse     10th Race      Post time: 14:45
Total prize money: ¥ 135,000,000 (about US$ 1,125,000 <US$1=¥120>)
3-y-o: 61kg (about 134-135 lbs), 4-y-o & up: 63kg (about 139 lbs), 2kg allowance for Fillies & Mares
Safety factor: 16 runners

1. Up to Date (JPN), gray, horse, 5-year-old
   Kurofune / Linear Muse (Tony Bin)
   

   Owner: Kazuo Imanishi	Breeder: North Hills Co,. Ltd.
   Trainer: Shozo Sasaki	Jockey: Mitsuaki Hayashi
   23 Starts, 7 Wins (8 Starts, 5 Wins *steeplechases only)
   Added money: ¥ 65,497,000	Career earnings: ¥ 224,248,000 (¥ 193,200,000 *steeplechases only)
   Principal Race Performances:	’15 Nakayama Grand Jump (J-G1, 4,250m)	1st
   	’15 Kokura Summer Jump (J-G3, 3,390m)	1st

   
   
2. Acorn Path (JPN), chestnut, horse, 6-year-old
   Time Paradox / Acorn Ring (Jade Robbery)
   

   Owner: Kazuko Yoshida	Breeder: Shadai Corporation Inc.
   Trainer: Hiroyoshi Matsuda	Jockey: Jun Takada

   
   
3. Sanacion (JPN), bay, horse, 6-year-old
   Symboli Kris S / Jadeite (Sunday Silence)
   

   Owner: Sunday Racing Co., Ltd.	Breeder: Northern Farm
   Trainer: Mikio Matsunaga	Jockey: Makoto Nishitani

* Nakayama Daishogai (J-G1)
The history of the Nakayama Daishogai dates back to 1934 when the biggest jump race in Japan was established in the aim of providing equal excitement to the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), which was the most popular race in flat racing. The highest level of steeplechase racing was originally held as a biannual event held in April and December until the spring version was renamed the Nakayama Grand Jump (J-G1, 4,250m) in 1999. Still, the two jump races continued to position itself as the only two obstacle races of J-G1 level of equal standard and its results serving as a decisive factor in the selection of the seasonal JRA Award for Best Steeplechase Horse. In addition to the Nakayama Grand Jump, which was designated an international race in 2000, the Nakayama Daishogai became an international steeplechase event open to foreign contenders in 2011.
The Nakayama Daishogai features 11 jumps over the figure-of-eight-shaped course which includes six up-and-downs over the banks. The first half resembles that of the Nakayama Grand Jump while the Nakayama Daishogai does not include the movable hurdles along the outside turf track and the total distance being 150 meters shorter. The uphill stretch before the wire also is quite a test for many of the runners especially after running at a solid pace throughout the race.
Last year’s champion Red Kingdom (JPN, by Deep Impact) retired this spring as he was found to have a bowed tendon after finishing seventh in this year’s Nakayama Grand Jump in April. Up to Date, who claimed the Nakayama Grand Jump with record time, came off a five-month break after scoring another win in the Kokura Summer Jump (J-G3, 3,390m) held in August.
Contenders coming off the Illumination Jump Stakes (3,570m) held on December 5 were: winner Sanacion who marked a five-race winning streak, which also included the Tokyo High-Jump (J-G2, 3,110m) in October; runner-up Ashvin; third-place finisher and 2013 & 2014 Best Steeplechase Horse Apollo Maverick who was the Nakayama Daishogai champion in 2013; fourth-place Oju Chosan who had scored three wins a second and a third out of nine starts since switching to steeplechase racing.
Other contenders included: Dantsu Mutant and Makio Bowler who came off a win in the Kyoto Jump Stakes (J-G3, 3,170m) on November 14 and Shuyo Jump Stakes (3,110m) on November 23, respectively; and Tyrian Purple, winner of the Niigata Jump Stakes (J-G3, 3,250m) in August.
Symboli Montreux (JPN, by Mogami) set the record when winning the 1991 Nakayama Daishogai (Autumn) in 4:37.2.