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Do Deuce Bests Strong Field with Powerful Late Charge in This Year’s Tenno Sho (Autumn)

Second favorite Do Deuce registered his fourth G1 title by claiming this year’s Tenno Sho (Autumn) following his victories in the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes (1,600m) in 2021, the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, 2,400m) in 2022 and the Arima Kinen (2,500m) in 2023, and became the seventh horse in JRA history to win G1 races for four consecutive years. The five-year-old bay bounced back from two unsuccessful starts in spring and will probably head to the Japan Cup (G1, 2,400m) on November 24 and the Arima Kinen on December 22 before capping off his racing career at the end of this season. This win marked trainer Yasuo Tomomichi’s 20th JRA-G1 title following this year’s Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) with Justin Milano and jockey Yutaka Take’s 82nd JRA-G1 title following last year’s Arima Kinen with this horse. Having won this race with Super Creek (1989), Air Groove (1997), Special Week (1999), Meisho Samson (2007), Vodka (2008) and Kitasan Black (2017) in the past, this win also marked Take’s seventh Tenno Sho (Autumn) title, tying him with Takayoshi Yasuda for most wins in this autumn edition’s race.

Breaking smoothly from stall seven, Do Deuce eased back to settle second from last. The son of Heart’s Cry turned the last two corners wide and steered further to the outside after entering the lane to make bid. Though still second from last at the 400-meter pole, the bay unleashed an explosive turn of speed, passing his rivals one by one with the fastest finishing speed in the field, to overtake the front just before the wire for a 1-1/4-length victory.

“I wanted to show the true ability and strength of Do Deuce today, so I was really happy when he was able to display his usual powerful kick in the last stretch and crossed the wire first. The pace was not very fast and I was relying on his strong finishing speed, so I didn’t want to make any unnecessary moves in the first half of the race and settled him second from last,” commented Yutaka Take.

Ninth pick and 2023 Tokyo Yushun champion Tastiera settled around fourth between horses, slightly angled out rounding the last corners, further switched to the outside 300 meters out and, while no match for the winner, passed the front runners in the last 200 meters to secure the runner-up seat by half a length.

Eighth choice Ho O Biscuits set a slightly slow pace, sustained the bid before overtaken by the top two finishers just before the wire and showed tenacity to hold off the late chargers by a neck for a well-deserved third.

Race favorite Liberty Island broke smoothly from the outer stall, traveled around fourth and entered the lane in good striking position, but the fillies’ Triple Crown champion was used up in the last 200 meters and finished 13th.

Other Horses:
4th: (11) Justin Palace—positioned around 11th, struggled to find clear path, quickened between horses in last 300m
5th: (2) Matenro Sky—saved ground around 5th, ran gamely until 100m out
6th: (1) Bellagio Opera—chased leaders around 3rd on rails, outrun in last 50m
7th: (6) Sol Oriens—ran around 8th, showed effort but needed more
8th: (14) Lebensstil—settled wide around 11th, unable to reach contention
9th: (3) Stella Veloce—sat around 8th, ran willingly at stretch, was checked 100m out
10th: (15) Nishino Revenant—trailed in rear, passed tired rivals with 2nd fastest late kick
11th: (5) North Bridge—hugged rails in 13th, showed effort but met traffic in last 100m
12th: (8) King’s Palace—traveled wide around 8th, lacked needed kick at stretch
14th: (10) Danon Beluga—raced wide around 6th, was checked 300m out, failed to respond
15th: (13) Schilthorn—tracked leader in 2nd, faded after 200m pole

THE 170TH TENNO SHO (AUTUMN) (G1)
3-year-olds & up, 2,000 meters (about 10 furlongs), turf, left-handed
Sunday, October 27, 2024        Tokyo Racecourse        11th Race         Post time: 15:40
Total prize money: ¥ 475,200,000 (about US$ 3,371,000 <US$1=¥141>)
3-y-o: 56kg (about 123-124 lbs), 4-y-o & up: 58kg (about 128 lbs),
2kg allowance for Fillies & Mares, 2kg allowance for Southern Hemisphere-bred born in 2021
Course Record: 1:55.2            Race Record: 1:55.2 [Equinox (JPN, by Kitasan Black), 2023]
Safety factor: 18 runners          Going: Good to Firm      Weather: Cloudy

Turnover for the Race alone: ¥ 23,368,611,400       Turnover for the Day: ¥ 34,346,321,500       Attendance: 72,485

Winner= 15 starts: 7 wins, 1 second & 1 third / Added & stakes money: ¥ 223,234,000 / Career earnings: ¥ 1,272,893,800

* Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1)

“The Emperor’s Cup” was first held in 1905 to promote the horse racing sport through annual events that gave the winner the highest honor of being awarded the Imperial prize. Then the Tenno Sho (Autumn) was established in 1937 together with its counterpart, Tenno Sho (Spring), under the name “Teishitsu Goshoten Kyoso” and held biannually in both the Eastern and Western parts of Japan. The race was officially renamed the “Tenno Sho” in 1947. Both the spring and autumn races, which secured their status as the most prestigious events for older horses, were run over 3,200 meters in the early years. Later, the autumn version was shortened to 2,000 meters in 1984 so that the spring version could determine the best stayer, while the Tenno Sho (Autumn) would be the main target for middle-distance champions. This also gives the three-year-olds, who find the third leg of the Triple Crown, the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger, G1, 3,000m), to be beyond their suitability, an alternative G1 as the ultimate goal for their autumn campaign. The Tenno Sho (Autumn) entered a new chapter in its long history when opening its doors to foreign contenders as an international race in 2005.
Last year, Equinox (JPN, by Kitasan Black) defended his Tenno Sho (Autumn) title and went on to claim the Japan Cup before capping off his stellar racing career and being named the Horse of the Year for two consecutive seasons.
Runners from the Takarazuka Kinen (G1, 2,200m, Jun.23) who commenced their autumn campaign with this race included 2023 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, G1, 2,000m) champion Sol Oriens (2nd), this year’s Osaka Hai (G1, 2,000m) victor Bellagio Opera (3rd), three-time G1 winner Do Deuce (6th) and last year’s Tenno Sho (Spring) (G1, 3,200m) victor Justin Palace (10th). Also coming off a long break were Liberty Island who swept the fillies’ Triple Crown last year, Danon Beluga who was second and third, respectively, in the 2023 and 2024 Dubai Turf (G1, 1,800m) and Tastiera, victor of the 2023 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1, 2,400m). The field also included North Bridge and Lebensstil, respective winners of the Sapporo Kinen (G2, 2,000m, Aug.18) and the All Comers (G2, 2,200m, Sep.22).