Silk Racing Co.'s Equinox showcased intimidating speed in dominating the 15-horse field of graded winners in the $3,757,000 Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1) Sunday at Tokyo Racecourse.
Following last year's victor Efforia to capture the race as a 3-year-old, the sophomore Kitasan Black colt marked his first win in his first attempt against older foes and in claiming a Grade 1 race in his fifth career start, which makes him the fastest to do so in Japan Racing Association history.
Equinox registered two wins out of as many starts in his 2-year-old season, including the Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes (G2), and was runner-up in earlier this year two jewels of this year's Triple Crown: the Satsuki Sho (G1) (Japanese 2000 Guineas) in April and the Tokyo Yushun (G1) (Japanese Derby) in May, by a length and a neck, respectively.
Additionally, he provided Kitasan Black—a seven-time Grade 1 winner, including the 2017 Tenno Sho (Autumn)—his first Grade 1 winner as a sire.
The colt also posted the third Grade 1 victory for trainer Tetsuya Kimura, who landed this year's Satsuki Sho with Geoglyph, while jockey Christophe Lemaire pocketed his 42nd JRA Grade 1 win—his latest was the Yushun Himba (G1) (Japanese Oaks) with Stars on Earth—while adding another Tenno Sho (Autumn) title following wins with Rey de Oro (2018) and Almond Eye (2019 and 2020).
Sent off race favorite, Equinox was reserved 10th from the front while Dubai Turf (G1) victor Panthalassa, under jockey Yutaka Yoshida, took the early lead as expected and set a rapid pace running about five furlongs in :57.4.
Following Panthalassa, who expanded his huge lead to 15 lengths by the third corner, Equinox was seen still near the rear of the field coming out of the last turn. It was from there he unleashed a spectacular and fastest drive down the straight picking off his rivals one by one. After pulling away from a stubborn Jack d'Or 100 meters out, he finally swooped past the tiring pacesetter in the final strides to notch one length victory.
“I'm happy that we were able to catch Panthalassa,” Lemaire said. “When I saw him way in front of us after turning into the straight, the huge gap did worry me a bit, but my colt gave his best and displayed an incredible turn of foot. If he comes out of this race safe and well, he has every chance to do well in the Japan Cup (G1) or the Arima Kinen (G1). This was his first G1 win but definitely not his last.”
Fourth pick Danon Beluga settled behind the race favorite in 11th, ran strongly with the second-fastest final three-furlong drive to threaten on an inner route and while failing to keep up with the winner's speed or catching the runner-up he was able to secure third place in overtaking Jack d'Or right before the wire.
Equinox, bred by Northern Farm from the King Halo mare Chateau Blanche, is the first race favorite to win a Grade 1 flat race since Efforia's victory in the Arima Kinen last year.
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