The Tenno (Autumn) (G1, 2,000m) on October 31 was billed as one of the strongest G1 fields in the latter half of JRA’s 2021 season, but it turned out to be a one-horse race from wire-to-wire as third-favorite Efforia (JPN, C3, by Epiphaneia) became the first three-year-old in 19 years to claim the title. Race favorite Contrail (JPN, C4, by Deep Impact) finished a length back in second, and a neck behind in third was Gran Alegria (JPN, M5, by Deep Impact), whose five G1 titles are tops among JRA’s active runners. In retrospect, the race’s top three favorites—all considered leaders of their respective generations—lived up to expectations. Efforia’s connections continue to aim him at the Arima Kinen (G1, 2,500m) on December 26 and Gran Alegria will seek a repeat victory in the Mile Championship (G1, 1,600m) on November 21, which will leave Contrail as the sole Japan Cup starter among the autumn Tenno Sho’s top three finishers.

Last year, Contrail , who became only the third undefeated Triple Crown winner, challenged his seniors in the Japan Cup and was defeated for the first time in his career by Almond Eye. He kicked off his four-year-old campaign in the Osaka Hai (G1, 2,000m) in April but struggled with the course’s rain-soddened turf and finished third. Given a long break in the hope of bouncing back to form in the Tenno Sho, the brown colt was slow to pick up speed, trailed leader Efforia by over a length in mid-pack and couldn’t make up ground despite angling out for the stretch run, settling for second. With three winless starts since his victory in last year’s Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger, G1, 3,000m), Contrail’s connections are determined to race him to one more victory before his announced retirement at the end of this season.

Other notable Japan Cup starters coming off the Tenno Sho (Autumn) could include this year’s Niigata Daishoten (G3, 2,000m) victor Sanrei Pocket (JPN, H6, by Jungle Pocket) (4th), three-time graded winner You Can Smile (JPN, H6, by King Kamehameha) (9th), 2019 Copa Republica Argentina (G2, 2,500m) champion Muito Obrigado (JPN, H7, by Rulership) (10th) or Mozu Bello (JPN, H5, by Deep Brillante) (13th), who was second in the Osaka Hai 3/4-length in front of Contrail.

Another talented three-year-old and possible Japan Cup starter is Shahryar (JPN, C3, by Deep Impact), who beat Efforia in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1, 2,400m). The colt, winner of his only start as a two-year-old, was third to Efforia in his three-year-old debut, the Kyodo News Hai (G3, 1,800m) in February. He then scored his first grade-race victory in the Mainichi Hai (G3, 1,800m) while renewing the track record. Having earned a ticket to the three-year-old classic, the Tokyo Yushun, he nosed out Efforia by an estimated 10cm at the wire. In his fall comeback, the Kobe Shimbun Hai (G2, 2,200m), he lacked a finishing kick on a heavy track in pouring rain and finished fourth. But he has outstanding speed, as he showed in winning the 2,400-meter Japanese Derby with a record time of 2:22.5. He could be a Japan Cup threat if he can produce the kind of speed he used to beat a talented foe like Efforia, the Tenno Sho (Autumn) victor against best older G1 runners.

Curren Bouquetd’or (JPN, M5, by Deep Impact) is one of several top female runners who have reached new highs in Japan in recent years. After finishing second against male counterparts in the 2019 Japan Cup, she attracted high expectations going into the Tenno Sho (Autumn), but was heavily defeated to 12th to suffer her first finish below fifth in 16 starts. Hopes are she will improve in the Japan Cup, her second run this autumn and a step up in distance. Another female standout, Uberleben (JPN, F3, by Gold Ship), was diagnosed with a minor tendon injury following her victory in the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks, G1, 2,400m) and was sidelined for an extended period. She returned in the Shuka Sho (G1, 2,000m) but failed to contend, crossing the wire in 13th place. Nevertheless, the Gold Ship filly has good finishing speed as one of the three fastest over the final three furlongs in all but the last of eight career starts, so there are still hopes that the brown filly will follow Almond Eye as the second three-year-old filly to take the Japan Cup title. Shadow Diva (JPN, M5, by Heart’s Cry), another leading female runner, will come off her first grade-race victory in the Fuchu Himba Stakes (G2, 1,800m) to face her first mixed field of male and female G1 runners in the Japan Cup.

Makahiki (JPN, H8, by Deep Impact) returned to his winning ways by scoring his first victory in some five years in the Kyoto Daishoten (G2, 2,400m) on October 10. The eight-year-old son of Deep Impact won the 2016 Tokyo Yushun after a runner-up effort in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, G1, 2,000m). He then embarked on a trip to France and won his prep start, the Prix Niel (G2, 2,400m), before a big G1 challenge in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1, 2,400m), but he was heavily beaten to 14th. For a long time after that, Makahiki maintained a low profile but remained active nevertheless. Meanwhile, Dee Majesty and Satono Diamond, who split the Triple with Makahiki as three-year-olds, both retired to stud and Dee Majesty’s first crop made its two-year-old debut this year. The unconventional Makahiki, an eight-year-old former derby winner, has had 12 starts (nine G1) since 2018, of which his best score was a fourth in the 2019 Osaka Hai and Japan Cup. Two other Kyoto Daishoten runners, Aristoteles (JPN, C4, by Epiphaneia) and Kiseki (JPN, H7, by Rulership), both took the front mid-stretch and were soon joined by the winner in an exciting three-horse rally and eventually finished second and third, respectively, much to the approval of the spectators. Both horses are slated to run in the Japan Cup, and they will be joined by Wagnerian (JPN, H6, by Deep Impact), a stablemate of Makahiki and also a derby winner in 2018, which will place four derby winners in the race.

Authority (JPN, C4, by Orfevre) accomplished a repeat victory in the Copa Republica Argentina (G2, 2,500m) on November 7. He has registered three wins and a second from four starts, all graded, at Tokyo Racecourse, making him a strong candidate in the coming Japan Cup. However, he has been allowed plenty of spacing between his previous starts, at least seven weeks, but he will be required to return to his best form in three weeks for the Japan Cup.

Lord My Way (JPN, H5, by Just a Way), who had his best season in 2019 when he won five in a row, including his first graded victory in the Challenge Cup (G3, 2,000m), has been winless in 12 starts since and is coming off a 13th place in the Copa Republica Argentina. Horses registered as substitutes in the Japan Cup include Windjammer (JPN, G4, by Spielberg), Go for the Summit (JPN, H6, by Heart’s Cry) and Trust Kenshin (JPN, H6, by Heart’s Cry).

Meanwhile, Glory Vase (JPN, H6, by Deep Impact), who was fifth in last year’s Japan Cup, was third in her fall comeback, the All Comers (G2, 2,200m), and will aim for a second victory in the Hong Kong Vase (G1, 2,400m), which he won two years ago. World Premiere (JPN, H5, by Deep Impact),　who was sixth in the 2020 Japan Cup and won the Tenno Sho (Spring) (G1, 3,200m) in May this year, disappointed to 11th in his following start, the Tenno Sho (Autumn), which has prompted his connections to pass up both an invitation to the Hong Kong Vase and registration for the Japan Cup.

Three foreign runners have accepted invitations to the Japan Cup. Top Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien will saddle two horses: Broome (IRE, H5, by Australia), this year’s Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (G1, 2,400m) champion, and Japan (GB, H5, by Galileo), who has G1 wins in the 2019 Grand Prix de Paris (2,400m) and the 2019 International Stakes (2,050m). The same two runners started in the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1, 2,400m) on November 6 and finished second and fourth, respectively. Meanwhile, representing France will be Grand Glory (GB, M5, by Olympic Glory), who claimed her first Group 1 in the Prix Jean Romanet (2,000m) in August and is coming off a runner-up effort in the Prix de l’Opera (G1, 2,000m) on October 3.