November, 2021 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Contrail Goes Out On A High In Japan Cup

Generational leader and 2020 Japanese Triple Crown winner Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) was bet down to heavy favouritism for his swansong in Sunday's G1 Japan Cup despite having met with defeat in his last three outings, and he justified the betting public's faith with a straightforward score on his way to the stallion barn at Shadai Stallion Station.

After losing his unbeaten record in this race last year when he found only the champion filly Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) too tough, Contrail was third over yielding ground coming off a winter break in the G1 Osaka Hai on Apr. 4. Put away until Oct. 31, the dark bay resurfaced with a second-place finish in the G1 Tenno Sho Autumn over 2000 metres at Tokyo.

Breaking among the leaders from gate two, Contrail was allowed to drop back through the field on the inside as they passed the stands for the first time. A rank Aristoteles (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) took the field around the first bend, with Contrail eventually settling right around midpack with this year's G1 Prix Jean Romanet victress Grand Glory (GB) (Olympic Glory {Ire}), one of three international raiders, tracking him with Aidan O'Brien's Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) both keeping close tabs on her.

Midway down the backstretch the 2017 G1 Kikuka Sho winner Kiseki (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn})-who has not won a race since-made a bold bid to pass the majority of the field on the outside to take the lead on the run into the final bend. Contrail, meanwhile, maintained his placing under Yuichi Fukunaga while working his way to the outside for running room coming off the turn. Contrail had about six lengths to make up upon straightening but was soon rolling down the middle of the course as Authority (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) grabbed a short-lived lead from the tiring Kiseki approaching the 200. Authority's quest for a first Group 1 win was soon quelled by Contrail, who blew past under minimal urging with a furlong to run and drew clear to win by a widening two lengths. This year's G1 Tokyo Yushun scorer Shahryar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) got up for third, with Grand Glory staying on for fifth as she bowed out ahead of a sale date at Arqana December next weekend. Japan and Broome checked in eighth and 11th, respectively, under Yutaka Take and Ryan Moore. Japan was likewise running his last race before he heads to stud at Gestut Etzean in Germany.

Contrail's trainer Yoshito Yahagi said after seeing his stable star cross the wire for the final time, “All I have now is mixed feelings of relief and lonesomeness. In the colt's latest start [the Tenno Sho Autumn], he broke poorly so I told him while he was walking in the paddock earlier to stay calm at the start.

“It worried me a bit since the pace was slow and he wasn't in that good a position, but we had tuned him up to perfection and the colt gave us all he had in the straight. I have to admit I was under a lot of pressure during the two years he was at my stable, but I think it has helped me in becoming more mature, and I can't thank him enough. Wouldn't it be wonderful to win the Arc with an offspring of his someday?”

Fukunaga added, “All I did today was believe in him. He broke well and everything went just perfectly. He has given me every jockey's dream and I am utterly grateful. The colt shone a bright light over a gloomy year due to the pandemic last season. I'm relieved that we can send him off to his next career with this victory.”

Contrail was bringing to a close a distinguished career that began with victories at two in the G1 Hopeful S. and G3 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai S. Named Japan's champion 2-year-old off an unbeaten three-start campaign, Contrail picked up where he left off at three, rolling through the Japanese Triple Crown and also taking the G2 Kobe Shimbun Hai to once again earn divisional honours.

Grand Glory's trainer Gianluca Bietolini said of his mare's fifth-place finish, “I am very satisfied with her performance and her result at fifth-place. She appeared to lose a bit of balance and lean to the inside but thankfully Cristian [Demuro] got her back on her feet by the stretch. She's mentally very strong and the experience to run in the Japan Cup was fantastic for us. It's a great race and we would love to come back with another horse.” Grand Glory's rider Cristian Demuro added, “We couldn't have asked for a better result–having finished fifth in this competition is almost like winning for us. She was in super form, almost as good as when I rode her in the Prix Jean Romanet, which we won. The pace was very fast for this mare, but she handled it remarkably.”

Aidan O'Brien was represented in Tokyo by Pat Keating, who said of Japan, “The track may have been a bit too fast for this horse. He was able to secure a good spot but wasn't able to keep up with the pace.” Of Broome, he added, “He missed his break and that cost him.”

Pedigree Notes

Shinji Maeda's Contrail is the third foal out of Rhodochrosite (Unbridled's Song), who was bought by Maeda's brother Koji of North Hills Farms for $385,000 at Keeneland September in 2011. The daughter of American champion 2-year-old filly Folklore (Tiznow) was placed four times at two, and has a 2-year-old full-brother to Contrail who has run twice this year.

Contrail's page has been further boosted this season by the exploits across the pond of GI Belmont S. and GI Travers S. winner Essential Quality (Tapit), who is out of Folklore's half-sister Delightful Quality. Essential Quality was America's champion 2-year-old of 2020 and goes to stud in 2021 as a four-time Grade I winners with the likelihood of picking up another divisional championship first.

Sunday, Tokyo, Japan
JAPAN CUP-G1, ¥575,460,000, Tokyo, 11-28, 3yo/up, 2400mT, 2:24.70, fm.
1–CONTRAIL (JPN), 126, c, 4, by Deep Impact (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Rhodochrosite, by Unbridled's Song
                2nd Dam: Folklore, by Tiznow
                3rd Dam: Contrive, by Storm Cat
O-Shinji Maeda; B-North Hills; T-Yoshito Yahagi; J-Yuichi
Fukunaga; ¥303,822,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo & 3yo Colt-
Jpn, 11-8-2-1. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for
   the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Authority (Jpn), 126, c, 4, Orfevre (Jpn)–Rosalind (Jpn), by
Symboli Kris S. O-Silk Racing; B-Northern Farm; ¥121,092,000.
3–Shahryar (Jpn), 121, c, 3, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Dubai Majesty,
by Essence of Dubai. O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm;
¥75,546,000.
Margins: 2, 1HF, 3/4. Odds: 0.60, 6.10, 2.70.
Also Ran: Sanrei Pocket (Jpn), Grand Glory (GB), Uberleben (Jpn), Shadow Diva (Jpn), Japan (GB), Aristoteles (Jpn), Kiseki (Jpn), Broome (Ire), You Can Smile (Jpn), Mozu Bello (Jpn), Makahiki (Jpn), Lord My Way (Jpn), Muito Obrigado (Jpn), Windjammer (Jpn), Wagnerian (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart and video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Belle Of The North Best In Safely Kept At Laurel Park

Stronach Stables Inc. homebred Belle of the North, giving up seasoning to each of her rivals while making her stakes debut, came flying on the far outside to edge Fraudulent Charge by a half-length and complete a last-to-first rally in the $100,000 Safely Kept at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

The 31st running of the Safely Kept for 3-year-old fillies was the second of three stakes on the program, preceded by the City of Laurel for 3-year-olds, also sprinting seven furlongs, and followed by the 1 1/8-mile Richard W. Small for 3-year-olds and up.

Belle of the North ($20.60) won in 1:24.02 over a fast main track to give jockey Horacio Karamanos his fourth career Safely Kept victory following Bending Strings (2004), Greed and Fear (2012), and Lady Sabelia (2013). It was the first for trainer Jose Corrales.

“If I don't say yes I'd be lying to you, because that's what I was expecting,” Corrales said. “[I thought] if the race set up today the way I expected, my filly will get them in the end.”

Belle of the North was making just her sixth career start, all this year, after going unraced at 2. She was second to undefeated Moquist in her most recent effort Oct. 16 at Laurel following a 5 ½-length maiden special weight win Sept. 24.

Karamanos was unhurried in the early going racing along the rail while trailing the field as stakes winners Malibu Beauty and Prodigy Doll battled upfront through splits of :22.99 and :46.10 with Fraudulent Charge in the clear three wide and eight-time stakes winner Street Lute, the 2-1 favorite, saving ground inside.

Fraudulent Charge took over the top spot midway around the turn and was in front through the stretch with Street Lute giving chase. Meanwhile, Karamanos tipped Belle of the North from the rail to the far outside to launch their bid and they came with a steady run to reel in Fraudulent Charge near the wire.

Runner-up in a stakes for the fourth time in seven career starts, Fraudulent Charge was 3 ½ lengths clear of Street Lute in third. It was 1 ¾ lengths back to Juror Number Four followed by Happy Constitution, Malibu Beauty, Prodigy Doll, and Be Sneaky.

“When she was following [Street Lute] I said, 'stay there, stay there,' because she will find a path,” Corrales said. “The horse found a way to get there.”

Belle of the North is a bay daughter of Grade 1 winner Street Boss whose mare, Harley Rose, is a half-sister to Hall of Fame mare Zenyatta.

The Safely Kept honors the champion sprinter of 1989 and member of the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame Class of 2011. The daughter of longtime Maryland sire Horatius was the first sprinter to top $2 million in earnings, the first Maryland-bred to win a Breeders' Cup race in the 1990 G1 Sprint, a four-time Maryland-bred champion including Horse of the Year twice (1989,1990), and is one of only seven horses to win three Maryland Million races. She won 24 races, 22 in stakes, from 31 lifetime starts.

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Pickin’ Time Wins City of Laurel Stakes At Laurel Park

Roseland Farm Stable's graded-stakes winner Pickin' Time swept to the lead on the outside around the far turn and had plenty left to turn back a bid from He'smyhoneybadger nearing the wire for a 1 ¼-length victory in Saturday's $100,000 City of Laurel at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

The 11th running of the City of Laurel for 3-year-olds was the first of three $100,000 stakes on the program, followed by the Safely Kept for 3-year-old fillies, also sprinting seven furlongs, and 1 1/8-mile Richard W. Small for 3-year-olds and up.

Ridden by Mychel Sanchez for trainer Kelly Breen, Pickin' Time ($12.80) earned his fourth career stakes win and first in open company since the 2020 Grade 3 Nashua last November at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y. Most recently, he won the Monmouth Park's New Jersey Breeders Handicap Aug. 29. The winning time was 1:23.74 over a fast main track.

Breaking outside all but one horse in the field of eight, Pickin' Time was positioned third while in the clear behind multiple stakes-placed pacesetter Awesome Gerry, who led through a quarter-mile in :23.28 pressed by 31-1 long shot Three Two Zone. Three Two Zone assumed the lead after a half in :46.60 with Pickin' Time poised to pounce.

“He gave me a pretty good feeling from the beginning. I think the team did a great job getting him ready for the race,” Sanchez said. “He was pretty easy. He broke really well. I had a good position. I didn't have to use him in the beginning, so I pretty much sav[ed ground] the whole way and when I asked him to go, he really took off.”

Pickin' Time rolled past Three Two Zone once straightened for home and powered through the stretch while He'smyhoneybadger, who beat Pickin' Time in the Oct. 23 Perryville at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., came with a belated run. It was three lengths back to Three Two Zone, who was three-quarters of a length better than Awesome Gerry in fourth.

Stakes winner Everett's Song, the 3-2 favorite, ran fifth to snap his three-race win streak. Riden With Biden, Plamen, and Depository completed the order of finish.

“I guess my horse was ready to go today,” Sanchez said. “It seems like he does better when he gets early position clear. The last couple times he was kind of in between horses [when] he broke a little poorly. I think the post position helped me today.”

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Marissa’s Lady Takes Inaugural Fern Creek At Churchill Downs

Boone Family Trust and Tillema Family Trust's homebred Marissa's Lady shot past pacesetter Verylittlecents at the top of the stretch and turned back a late challenge from 8-5 favorite Matereya en route to a one-length victory in the inaugural running of the $200,000 Fern Creek for 2-year-old fillies on Saturday at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

Marissa's Lady, trained by Billy Morey and ridden by Rafael Bejarano, ran 6 ½ furlongs over a fast track in 1:16.85.

The victory was worth $121,140 and increased Marissa's Lady's earnings to $190,600 with a record of two wins in two starts. She is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Violence out of the Cee's Tizzy mare Marissa's Joy, and broke her maiden at first asking on Oct. 31.

Sent off at odds of 3-1, Marissa's Lady returned $8, $4.00, and $2.60. Matareya, under Joel Rosario, and paid $3.40 and $2.60 with Sweet Dani Girl another 2 ½ lengths back in third paying $2.80 to show under Martin Garcia.

Bali Del Sol, Knowing Glance, Verylittlecents, and Laura's Charm completed the order of finish. Golden Sights was scratched.

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