2016 News
Exclusive Topics for JAPAN AUTUMN INTERNATIONAL 2016 - 1st Edition -
- Japan Cup Runners Meet at Key Prep Kyoto Daishoten
- High Quality Lineup to Battle For 2016 Tenno Sho (Autumn)
- New Power Seek to Take Over in Dirt Racing
- Queen Elizabeth II Cup Prospects Center Around Marialite
- 2016 Mile Championship Too Close to Call
- Three-Year-Olds to Battle for Last Jewel of the 2016 Triple Crown
Welcome back to our annual series of newsletters leading up to the 2016 Japan Cup (G1, 2,400m). The fall racing season is heading towards the Japan Autumn International Series, which will be held over four weekends between November 13 and December 4, consisting of four prestigious G1 races: the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1, 2,200m), the Mile Championship (G1, 1,600m), the Japan Cup and the Champions Cup (G1, dirt, 1,800m). Total prize money for the four G1 events will amount to around ¥1.28 billion (about US$10.7m), with additional bonuses for winners of designated overseas G1 events who also finish within the top three in each race of the series.
Japan Cup Runners Meet at Key Prep Kyoto Daishoten
The recent trend whereby female horses are matching up to their male counterparts in major events was seen again in last year’s Japan Cup. Shonan Pandora (JPN, M5, by Deep Impact), a G1 winner in the 2014 Shuka Sho (G1, 2,000m) as a three-year-old, did not show much in the first half of her 2015 campaign while turning in a third-place effort in the Takarazuka Kinen (G1, 2,200m). However, she kicked off her fall campaign with a grade-race victory in the All Comers (G2, 2,200m) and then coming off a close 0.2-second fourth in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1, 2,000m), proceeded to upset a mixed field of top turf runners for her second career G1 title in the Japan Cup.
She continued to show progress in her first two starts this year, finishing third in the Sankei Osaka Hai (G2, 2,000m), in which she carried penalty weights, and third again in the Victoria Mile (G1, 1,600m) which was shorter than her ideal distance, and raising hopes for her main target, the Takarazuka Kinen. Unfortunately, however, the Deep Impact mare sustained a fracture in her left foreleg during training in advance of her start in June and was forced to sit out for an undetermined period.
Race favorite Lovely Day (JPN, H6, by King Kamehameha) finished third in the Japan Cup and capped off his 2015 season with a fifth in the Arima Kinen. The son of King Kamehameha, who won six of his 10 grade-race starts including two G1 victories during 2015, is below his best this year, finishing fourth in all three starts this spring; the Sankei Osaka Hai, the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1, 2,000m) in Hong Kong and the Takarazuka Kinen.
Jungle Cruise (JPN, G7, by Jungle Pocket) was another Japan Cup outsider who as 17th favorite finished an impressive fourth. However, he failed to capitalize on that performance this spring. Fifth-place finisher Sounds of Earth (JPN, H5, by Neo Universe) continued with a runner-up effort in the Arima Kinen and attracted much attention, especially after another second place in his kick off start this season in the Nikkei Sho (G2, 2,500m) in March. However, he was heavily defeated in his spring target, the Tenno Sho (Spring) (G1, 3,200m), finishing 15th. 2014 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1, 2,400m) winner One and Only (JPN, H5, by Heart’s Cry), who finished seventh in the Japan Cup, was also far from impressive in his following starts and was seventh in his last start, the All Comers (G2, 2,500m) on September 25.
Jungle Cruise in the 2015 World All-Star Jockeys 2nd leg
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Sounds of Earth (right) in the 2015 Arima Kinen
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One and Only in the 2014 Tokyo Yushun
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Mikki Queen (JPN, F4, by Deep Impact), who finished a disappointing eighth while sent to post third favorite, stepped down in distance and finished second in two mile races this spring, the Hanshin Himba Stakes (G2) and the Victoria Mile, proving competitive against milers and speedsters. As for her fall target, she is predicted to face her own gender in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1, 2,200m) and is unlikely to pose a challenge in this year’s Japan Cup.
Gold Actor (JPN, H5, by Screen Hero), while earning a ticket to run in the 2015 Japan Cup after capturing his first grade-race victory in the Copa Republica Argentina (G2, 2,500m), opted to face G1 company coming off three consecutive wins in the Arima Kinen instead and stamped his claim as a G1 winner. He extended his winning streak to five early this season in the Nikkei Sho but failed to perform in the Tenno Sho (Spring), in which he finished well beaten in 12th place, withdrawing then from the Takarazuka Kinen to freshen up for the fall season. The decision proved effective as Gold Actor won the All Comers convincingly, taking command in the last 150 meters and digging deep when challenged by his nearest rival for a neck victory. Curren Mirotic (JPN, G8, by Heart’s Cry), who will be making his overseas challenge in the coming Melbourne Cup (G1, 3,200m), also ran in the race, finishing ninth.
2015 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger, G1, 3,000m) victor Kitasan Black (JPN, C4, by Black Tide) passed up the Japan Cup to face senior G1 runners for the first time in the Arima Kinen and turned in an impressive performance to finish third. He has continued to progress well this season, coming off a runner-up effort in the Sankei Osaka Hai to claim his second G1 title in the Tenno Sho (Spring) followed by a third in the Takarazuka Kinen. With Duramente (JPN, by King Kamehameha) retired from racing after injuring his leg following his runner-up effort in the Takarazuka Kinen, the Black Tide colt will take on the challenge of becoming the next leading middle-distance runner of his generation.
Among the aforementioned horses, Last Impact, Lovely Day, Sounds of Earth and Kitasan Black are scheduled to start in the Kyoto Daishoten (G2, 2,400m) on October 11. The results should allow us to estimate the strength of these horses and predict the likely outcome of this year’s Japan Cup.
2014 Kikuka Sho victor Toho Jackal (JPN, H5, by Special Week) is also planning to make his Japan Cup debut this year, but in three starts this spring his best finish was only fifth place. Moreover, the son of Special Week is still recovering from a minor leg problem following his 15th-place finish in the Takarazuka Kinen, making it inevitable that he will face tough international G1 caliber coming off a long break and without any prep start.
High Quality Lineup to Battle For 2016 Tenno Sho (Autumn)
This year’s Tenno Sho (Autumn) will feature a powerful field of quality runners including three that have succeeded in claiming G1 titles overseas.
Maurice (JPN, H5, by Screen Hero) became an unmistakable winner of the Horse of the Year title of 2015 with a perfect score of six wins out of as many starts that were mainly over a mile. The son of Screen Hero registered his seventh consecutive win under Joao Moreira in his kick-off start of 2016 in Hong Kong’s Champions Mile (G1, 1,600m) but finished second in his comeback start in Japan, the Yasuda Kinen (G1, 1,600m), in which he failed to pin down the front-running outsider Logotype (JPN, H6, by Lohengrin). Following a two and a half month break, he was tested over 2,000 meters in the Sapporo Kinen (G2, 2,000m) and finished second again, this time to stablemate Neorealism (JPN, H5, by Neo Universe) who also led from the start and succeeded in holding off the multiple-G1 winner. Maurice is planning to challenge himself over the extra distance again in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) and then to choose either the Hong Kong Cup (G1, 2,000m) or the Hong Kong Mile (G1, 1,600m) for his final run before retiring to stud.
A Shin Hikari (JPN, H5, by Deep Impact) rose to stardom with two successive G1 victories outside Japan. Setting a new race record when claiming the Hong Kong Cup in December last year, the Deep Impact entire kicked off his new season in France where he marked an overwhelming 10-length victory in the Prix d’Ispahan (G1, 1,800m), which propelled him to the top of the World’s Best Racehorse Rankings with 129 lbs. Although A Shin Hikari’s winning streak came to a halt when he struggled over the soft surface at Royal Ascot in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes (G1, 2,000m) and finished last of a field of six, the late developing five-year-old is under training in his bid to claim his first JRA-G1 victory in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) this fall. He will then fly again to Hong Kong in an attempt to defend his Hong Kong Cup title before retiring to stud.
Real Steel (JPN, C4, by Deep Impact), who scored two seconds and a fourth in three Triple Crown starts as a three-year-old, kicked off his four-year-old campaign with a third-place finish in the Nakayama Kinen and captured his much-awaited G1 title in the Dubai Turf (G1, 1,800m). Returning to Japan, he was sent to post second favorite in the Yasuda Kinen and was nicely positioned close up in third for most of the trip but failed to respond at the stretch and faded to 11th.
Ambitious (JPN, C4, by Deep Impact), who finished second, a 1/2-length in front of Real Steel and only a neck behind winner Duramente in the Nakayama Kinen, also confirmed his strength in the following Sankei Osaka Hai in which he out-rallied five G1 winners for a neck victory and sent to post third choice in his following start in the Takarazuka Kinen. The Deep Impact colt, however, was unable to stay the extra furlong and, tired from his early effort up front, fell back to 16th.
Both Real Steal and Ambitious will be running in the Mainichi Okan (G2, 1,800m) on October 9, then head for the Tenno Sho (Autumn), as will 2012 Best Two-Year-Old Colt Logotype, who captured his first win in 26 months in the Yasuda Kinen, and Staphanos (JPN, H5, by Deep Impact), runner-up in last year’s Hong Kong’s Queen Elizabeth II Cup and the Tenno Sho (Autumn).
Neorealism in the 2016 Sapporo Kinen |
Ambitious in the 2016 Sankei Osaka Hai |
Staphanos in the 2014 Fuji Stakes |
New Power Seek to Take Over in Dirt Racing
The 2015 Champions Cup was won by lightly-regarded 12th favorite Sambista (JPN, by Suzuka Mambo), who became the first female runner to claim the JRA’s dirt-G1 title. With the 2015 champion already retired after her sensational victory, runner-up Nonkono Yume (JPN, C4, by Twining) carried high expectations for his 2016 season, in the first half of which he registered two second places and a fourth out of three starts, while yet to score a win—succumbed to second behind fellow four-year-old Moanin (USA, C4, by Henny Hughes) in the February Stakes (G1, dirt, 1,600m) and failed to handle the tight turns at Funabashi Racecourse in the Kashiwa Kinen (dirt, 1,600m), finishing fourth. He was also roundly defeated by multiple-G1 winner Copano Rickey (JPN, H6, by Gold Allure) while besting the rest in second in the Teio Sho (dirt, 2,000m). The Twining colt is predicted to begin his fall campaign with the JBC Classic (dirt, 2,100m) on November 3.
Third-place finisher Sound True (JPN, G6, by French Deputy) capped off the 2015 season with his long-awaited G1 title in the Tokyo Daishoten (G1, dirt, 2,000m). He returned for his 2016 campaign in January in the Kawasaki Kinen (dirt, 2,100m), just missing by a head to Hokko Tarumae (JPN, H7, by King Kamehameha) for second place, finished fifth when stepping down to a mile in the Kashiwa Kinen and was third in the following Teio Sho. While unable to score a win, the French Deputy gelding continues to turn in consistent results.
Sambista in the 2015 Champions Cup |
Nonkono Yume in the 2015 Musashino Stakes |
Sound True in the 2015 July Stakes |
Fourth-place Roi Jardin (JPN, H5, by King Kamehameha) has not made much impact other than a close fifth-place finish in the February Stakes in which he was just 0.3 seconds behind the winner. Multiple-G1 winner Hokko Tarumae, who was fifth in the Champions Cup last year, followed with a runner-up effort in the year-end Tokyo Daishoten and reached his 10th G1 victory, a record, when capturing his third consecutive Kawasaki Kinen title in January. He was, however, unsuccessful in his overseas endeavor to Dubai in March for his third challenge in the Dubai World Cup (G1, dirt, 2,000m), finishing ninth in a field of 12, and was a dull fourth in his comeback start in the Teio Sho.
Despite being sent to post race favorite in the Champions Cup last year, Copano Rickey disappointed by finishing seventh in the February Stakes, which he had won in both 2013 and 2014, but bounced back to form in the following Kashiwa Kinen, in which he shot to the lead after stalking the pace then drew away to post an overwhelming victory. He made use of the same tactics in his next Teio Sho and again won comfortably by 3-1/2 lengths, extending his career G1 titles to seven. He is scheduled to make a trip to the U.S. for the Breeders’ Cup this fall but depending on his condition may choose to stay in Japan, which would make the Mile Championship Nambu Hai (dirt, 1,600m) on October 10 and the subsequent JBC Classic and the Champions Cup a possibility.
Roi Jardin in the 2015 Miyako Stakes |
Hokko Tarumae in the 2014 Champions Cup |
Copano Rickey in the 2015 February Stakes |
Among those not included in the Champions Cup last year but who may be among the lineup for 2016 is four-year-old Moanin who won his first G1 victory in the February Stakes and was sent to post race favorite in the following Kashiwa Kinen with six wins and a third out of seven career starts; however he ended up heavily beaten to eighth. Lani (USA, C3, by Tapit) became the first Japanese-trained horse to win the UAE Derby (G2, dirt, 1,900m) and continued his overseas endeavors, this time in the U.S. Triple Crown Classics, where he finished ninth and fifth in the Kentucky Derby (G1, dirt, 2,000m) and the Preakness Stakes (G1, dirt, 1,900m) respectively, before finishing third in the final Belmont Stakes (G1, dirt, 2,400m). His connections are eager to fly him to Dubai and the U.S. again next year but first plan to target the Champions Cup this fall, beginning with the Miyako Stakes (G3, dirt, 1,800m) on November 6, where the Tapit colt may face his half-siblings Awardee (USA, H6, by Jungle Pocket) and Amour Briller (USA, M5, by Smart Strike).
Moanin in the 2016 February Stakes |
Lani in the 2016 UAE Derby |
Awardee in the 2015 Sirius Stakes |
Lani’s fellow three-year-olds that will also be expected to challenge senior G1 caliber in the Champions Cup include G1 victor Kyoei Gere (JPN, C3, by Deep Sky), who won the Japan Dirt Derby (dirt, 2,000m), and the two JRA-G3 winners Gold Dream (JPN, C3, by Gold Allure) and Glanzend (JPN, C3, by Neo Universe), who claimed the Unicorn Stakes (G3, dirt, 1,600m) and the Leopard Stakes (G3, dirt, 1,800m), respectively.
Queen Elizabeth II Cup Prospects Center Around Marialite
The Queen Elizabeth II Cup, which determines the female champion on turf in Japan, will feature last year’s winner Marialite (JPN, M5, by Deep Impact). The Deep Impact mare, who marked her first G1 victory in the race, went on to face male G1 winners in the Arima Kinen in which she finished an impressive fourth. She has continued to be in form this year, turning in a third-place finish in the Nikkei Sho in March and a runner-up effort in the Meguro Kinen (G2, 2,500m) in May, before becoming the first female horse in 11 years and only the third overall to have claimed the All-Star “Grand Prix” Takarazuka Kinen event. Sent to post second choice in the All Comers, she was rated in mid-division while keeping a close watch on race favorite and eventual winner, Gold Actor, but was wide coming into the straight and was unable to launch a rally in the closing stages, finishing fifth.
Nuovo Record (JPN, M5, by Heart’s Cry), who was runner-up in the 2015 edition of the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, was also impressive in her subsequent start in the Hong Kong Cup, in which she also finished second. The Heart’s Cry mare, after finishing fourth in the Sapporo Kinen in August, plans to campaign overseas in America, aiming for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1, 2,000m) held on November 5. Queen Elizabeth II Cup third-place finisher Touching Speech (JPN, F4, by Deep Impact) kicked off this season by finishing second in the Kyoto Kinen (G2, 2,200m) in February but has not made much impression since, her best finish being a sixth in three starts.
Marialite in the 2016 Takarazuka Kinen |
Nuovo Record in the 2014 Yushun Himba |
Touching Speech in the 2015 Rose Stakes |
Rouge Buck (JPN, F4, by Manhattan Cafe), fourth last year, registered her first win in seven starts in June when securing victory in the Epsom Cup (G3, 1,800m). She will be making her fall debut in the Mainichi Okan. Fifth-place Smart Layer (JPN, M6, by Deep Impact) has won one G2 and one G3 title over a mile and expects to kick off her fall campaign on October 15 in the Fuchu Himba Stakes (G2, 1,800m). Denim and Ruby (JPN, M6, by Deep Impact) is also scheduled to make her comeback start in the same race, following a long break due to a tendon injury sustained after her runner-up effort in the Takarazuka Kinen last year. After that, she will head either towards the Queen Elizabeth II Cup or the Japan Cup, in which she was second in 2013.
Rouge Buck in the 2016 Epsom Cup |
Smart Layer in the 2016 Hanshin Himba Stakes |
Denim and Ruby (front) in the 2013 Japan Cup |
These, with the addition of the aforementioned Mikki Queen and a number of newcomers coming off their start in the last leg of the three-year-old fillies’ Triple Crown, the Shuka Sho, should form an exciting lineup in the coming Queen Elizabeth II Cup.
2016 Mile Championship Too Close to Call
While 2015 Mile Championship winner Maurice seeks new challenges outside the the mile category, last year’s runner up Fiero (JPN, H7, by Deep Impact) appears to be maintaining his form, finishing third in this year’s Yasuda Kinen. The son of Deep Impact is booked to start in the Swan Stakes (G2, 1,400m) on October 29 while Mile Championship third-place finisher Isla Bonita (JPN, H5, by Fuji Kiseki) is predicted to make his fall debut in the Fuji Stakes (G3, 1,600m) prior to this year’s fall mile G1. Fourth-placed Satono Aladdin (JPN, H5, by Deep Impact) was fourth again in the Yasuda Kinen this spring and will kick off his fall campaign with the Swan Stakes.
Fiero (right) in the 2015 Mile Championship |
Isla Bonita in the 2014 Satsuki Sho |
Satono Aladdin in the 2016 Keio Hai Spring Cup |
2016 Yasuda Kinen champion Logotype and 2014 Mile Championship winner Danon Shark (JPN, H8, by Deep Impact) will both start in the Mainichi Okan—Logotype is also expected to run in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) prior to the Mile Championship—while Albiano (USA, F4, by Harlan’s Holiday) will return from a long break following her third-place finish in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen (G1, 1,200m) in March to start in the Swan Stakes.
Logotype in the 2016 Yasuda Kinen |
Danon Shark in the 2014 Mile Championship |
Albiano in the 2015 Swan Stakes |
The Keisei Hai Autumn Handicap (G3, 1,600m) on September 11 was won by 2016 NHK Mile Cup runner-up Lord Quest (JPN, C3, by Matsurida Gogh) with 2014 Best Two-Year-Old Colt Danon Platina (JPN, C4, by Deep Impact) in third, followed by 2015 NHK Mile Cup (G1, 1,600m) winner Clarity Sky (JPN, C4, by Kurofune) in fourth. Lord Quest and Danon Platina are entered to run in the Fuji Stakes.
Danon Platina in the 2014 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes |
Clarity Sky in the 2015 NHK Mile Cup |
Lord Quest in the 2016 Keisei Hai Autumn Handicap |
Three-Year-Olds to Battle for Last Jewel of the 2016 Triple Crown
While Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1, 2,400m) victor Makahiki (JPN, C3, by Deep Impact) will not be present for the last leg of the Triple Crown, seeking bigger challenges against an international field of G1 winners in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1, 2,400m), Dee Majesty (JPN, C3, by Deep Impact) and Satono Diamond (JPN, C3, by Deep Impact), both of whom together with Makahiki dominated the top three spots in the first two legs of the series, are bidding to claim the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger, G1, 3,000m) title on October 23. The former, who already has one Triple Crown title in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, G1, 2,000m), continues to be in good form, prevailing by a neck for another title in his fall debut, the St. Lite Kinen (G2, 2,200m) on September 18. The latter, who was third in the Satsuki Sho and runner-up in the Tokyo Yushun, appeared to take the front in mid-stretch effortlessly after being positioned well off the pace in mid-field earlier, then quickened impressively when challenged by the runner-up in the closing stages for a neck victory. 2015 Best Two-Year-Old Colt Leontes (JPN, C3, by King Kamehameha), who finished fifth in both Triple Crown starts, was planning to start in the Kobe Shimbun Hai but was diagnosed with a tendon injury to his left foreleg, and is predicted to take more than nine months to recover.
Dee Majesty in the 2016 Satsuki Sho |
Satono Diamond (left) in the 2016 Tokyo Yushun |
Leontes in the 2015 Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes |
Meanwhile, the three-year-old fillies are also preparing for the Shuka Sho (G1, 2,000m), the last leg of the Fillies’ Triple Crown. After being sidelined with a fractured left foreleg that forced her to pass up the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks, G1, 2,400m), Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas, G1, 1,600m) winner Jeweler (JPN, F3, by Victoire Pisa) made a comeback start on September 18 in the Rose Stakes (G2, 1,800m) to face Sinhalite (JPN, F3, by Deep Imact), winner of the second three-year-old fillies’ classics. The race unfolded with Sinhalite claiming victory while Jeweler, in contrast, disappointed badly in 11th. Yushun Himba third-place finisher Biche (JPN, F3, by Deep Imact) also made her fall debut in great form, winning comfortably by 2-1/2 lengths margin in the Shion Stakes (G3, 2,000m) on September 10.
2015 Best Two-Year-Old Filly Major Emblem (JPN, F3, by Daiwa Major), who challenged and won against three-year-old colts in the NHK Mile Cup, will be rested for the remainder of the season with a strained hamstring in her left hindquarter.
Jeweler (right) in the 2016 Oka Sho |
Sinhalite in the 2016 Yushun Himba |
Major Emblem in the 2016 NHK Mile Cup |
Three-year-old fillies have made use of their weight advantage in the past Japan Cup races; Gentildonna (JPN, by Deep Impact) claimed the title in 2012, Denim and Ruby was runner-up in 2013 and Harp Star (JPN, by Deep Impact) fifth in 2014. The top finishers in the Shuka Sho may choose to start in the Japan Cup instead of facing their own gender in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup.
