Month: March 2023

‘I Knew He Was The Best Horse’: Japan’s Equinox Stuns With Dubai Sheema Classic Win In Record Time

After seven races that produced some thrilling finishes and compelling storylines, Japan-bred Equinox produced a dominant performance of rare quality in the $5-million Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) Saturday at Meydan to stamp his authority on global middle-distance turf racing.

Equinox looks quite simply untouchable if trainer Tetsuya Kimura can keep him at Saturday's level of form and the Silk Racing syndicate can have their pick of the world's great races at 2,000 meters and 2,400 meters.

That Equinox was able to run away from his rivals in the straight was predicted by plenty of people beforehand, though few could have foreseen Christophe Lemaire's decision to lead into the first turn and dictate from the front.

It might well be that tactics were immaterial, such was the superiority of this dazzling son of Kitasan Black, a new champion for both Lemaire and Silk Racing that has come hard on the heels of their horse of a lifetime, Almond Eye.

But, convinced he was on the best horse in the race, Lemaire took chance out of the equation, never taking his hands off the reins, let alone shaking them at Equinox; his measured yet irresistible stride taking him out of range of the pursuing Zagrey and the running-on Westover.

Eqinox won by 3 1/2 lengths and covered 2,410 meters (about 1 1/2 miles) in a stakes record 2:25.65.

In any normal edition of the Sheema Classic, Juddmonte's homebred Westover would have been a good winner and trainer Ralph Beckett can plan an ambitious campaign through the summer the Frankel colt.

And Yann Barberot was almost the happiest man in Meydan as his Dubai World Cup Carnival graduate took another big step forward.

Neither is likely to encounter a horse of Equinox's stature back in Europe, while wherever Japan's newest superstar races, he will be the box office attraction in global racing.

Lemaire said: “I knew he was the best horse and so I was happy to make the pace. I'm really happy for all of the connections. It's been a long time since I won the Sheema, the last time was with Heart's Cry and he passed away two weeks ago. So I am very grateful for this horse and he has allowed me to pay tribute to Heart's Cry.

“Race after race, he's going up the rankings of the horses I have ridden. It was a great, great performance against these kind of horses at the top level. I couldn't be happier.”

Kimura said: “Much like he did last year, he went straight to the lead so that got me a bit worried at the start but the horse travelled fine and everything went well. We didn't have a plan really and Christophe is just a very good jockey who knows how to ride these horses very well. He did a fantastic job in the saddle and Equinox is such a fine horse that knows how to get the job done.

“It was a tough field with some very strong horses but he's a champion and he was just the best. He got the job done and made it all look so simple. I am very happy with this performance.”

Dubai Sheema Classic Quotes:

Westover (2nd), jockey Ryan Moore said: “I'm really happy with the run. He ran a super race and he was beaten by a very good horse, but he showed himself to be a high quality colt. That horse [Equinox] will be a threat wherever he goes.”

Trainer Ralph Beckett said: “Terrific as it hasn't been easy this week, he did two laps of the training track on Tuesday when he was only meant to do one! Although he's keen you have to leave him alone. He's been beaten by a very good horse, to finish second to him is fantastic. I wouldn't rule out dropping back to 10 furlongs for an Eclipse or a Tatts Gold Cup.”

Zagrey (3rd), jockey Christophe Soumillon said: “I'm very happy with him as he's progressed through the Carnival. He ran well to be fourth on his comeback and I knew he'd been a bit held up in his preparation. His last run was great and so we were confident he was a horse for World Cup night. Then it was up to Yann to choose between the Turf and the Sheema Classic and he's had a dream run through.

“When I looked up and saw Christophe was away and gone I just concentrated on my horse. I couldn't do much when Ryan came past either but he really dug in to get third against top horses so I'm delighted.”

Trainer Yann Barberot added: “It's fantastic. He's a proper Group 1 horse and I'm delighted. He wasn't precocious, as is the case with quite a lot of Zarak's progeny. Then he got injured at three after he was second in the Prix Eugene Adam but that turned out to be a blessing in disguise. He loves soft ground so he might be a horse for something like the Champion Stakes at Ascot. He's been beaten by a phenomenon.”

Mostahdaf (4th), jockey Jim Crowley said: “I was in second behind the winner. He's broken a track record on the bridle. My guy ran well as he could but Equinox is something else. I think he's the best Japanese horse we have seen over here in many years.”

Shahryar (5th), jockey Cristian Demuro said: “Ran OK but Equinox is very special.”

Win Marilyn (6th), jockey Damian Lane said: “Travelled nice on the fence but she couldn't finish off from that strong tempo. It doesn't matter anyway – Equinox is just a very special horse.”

Rebel's Romance (7th), jockey William Buick said: “Just didn't have any luck from the gate. He's still a very good horse.”

Trainer Charlie Appleby quipped: “I wouldn't having one of those [Equinox].”

Russian Emperor (8th), jockey Alberto Sanna said: “We tracked last year's winner [Shahryar] but it was a serious race. He has had a good time in this part of the world.”

Trainer Douglas Whyte added: “He was never in it, Alberto said the track was a bit more firm than last time. He just never got comfortable – he still ran on, but not like we expected.

“He was still hitting the line, he just didn't do it the way he did on Super Saturday. We'll go back and assess things – I'm happy with the horse, he looked great tonight.”

Botanik (9th), jockey Mickael Barzalona said: “I tracked the winner but he was only at the same pace in the straight.”

Senor Toba (10th), jockey Frankie Dettori said: “I couldn't blow my nose out there.”

The post ‘I Knew He Was The Best Horse’: Japan’s Equinox Stuns With Dubai Sheema Classic Win In Record Time appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Scintillating Equinox Smashes Sheema Classic Record

Japan's Horse of the Year Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) took a huge step towards global recognition with a dominant victory in the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic, routing his nine rivals under a motionless Christophe Lemaire.

Despite being eased down towards the line, the Tetsuya Kimura-trained 4-year-old lowered the course record previously held by Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) by exactly a second to stop the clock at 2:26.65.

G1 Irish Derby winner Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) gave chase in vain, running home best of the rest to reduce the winning margin to 3 1/2 lengths, with French-trained Zagrey (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) taking third.

Equinox had the race at his mercy almost from the off, charging to the front from gate six to bowl along with ease. As jockeys on runners in behind started to ask serious questions of their mounts, Lemaire had merely to ease his rein out an inch for the leader to increase his stride–and his lead–with no further effort required from the rider who had partnered another Japanese Horse of the Year, Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), to victory in the Dubai Turf of 2019.

“I knew he was the best horse and so I was happy to make the pace,” Lemaire said of Equinox. “I'm really happy for all of the connections. It's been a long time since I won the Sheema; the last time was with Heart's Cry, and he passed away two weeks ago. So I am very grateful for this horse; he has allowed me to pay tribute to Heart's Cry.”

He continued, “Race after race, he's going up the rankings of the horses I have ridden. It was a great, great performance against these kind of horses at the top level. I couldn't be happier.”

Tetsuya Kimura had already saddled his stable star to win the G1 Tenno Sho and G1 Arima Kinen in the last six months but even he appeared staggered by Equinox's bloodless victory. He said, “It was a tough field with some very strong horses but he's a champion and he was just the best. He got the job done and made it all look so simple.”

Ryan Moore had already secured two wins on the Dubai World Cup card but he had to settle for second on Juddmonte's Westover. The 4-year-old's trainer Ralph Beckett expressed relief after a testing time in the build-up to Saturday.

“It hasn't been easy this week–he did two laps of the training track on Tuesday when he was only meant to do one,” said Beckett. “Although he's keen you have to leave him alone. He's been beaten by a very good horse, to finish second to him is fantastic. I wouldn't rule out dropping back to 10 furlongs for an Eclipse or a Tatts Gold Cup.”

Long-shot Zagrey, who was runner-up in the G3 Dubai Millennium S. on his last start, has his trainer Yann Barberot dreaming of major targets closer to home after his third-place finish. He said, “It's fantastic. He's a proper Group 1 horse and I'm delighted. He wasn't precocious, as is the case with quite a lot of Zarak's progeny. Then he got injured at three after he was second in the Prix Eugene Adam but that turned out to be a blessing in disguise. He loves soft ground so he might be a horse for something like the Champion S. at Ascot. He's been beaten by a phenomenon.”

 

Pedigree Notes

A son of the young Shadai stallion Kitasan Black, whose sire Black Tide (Jpn) is a full-brother to Deep Impact (Jpn), Equinox is the third foal of his Group 3-winning dam Chateau Blanche (Jpn) (King Halo {Jpn}). His year-older half-brother Weiss Meteor (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) won the G3 Nikkei Sho, and the mare has a 3-year-old colt whose sire Just A Way (Jpn) won the Dubai Turf of 2014. Chateau Blanche's current 2-year-old filly is a daughter of Kizuna (Jpn), and she is due to foal a full-sibling to Equinox this season.

 

Saturday, Meydan, Dubai
LONGINES DUBAI SHEEMA CLASSIC-G1, $6,000,000, Meydan, 3-25, NH 4yo/up & SH 3yo/up, 2410mT, 2:25.65 (NCR), gd.
1–EQUINOX (JPN), 125, c, 4, by Kitasan Black (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Chateau Blanche (Jpn) (GSW-Jpn,
                                   $1,096,970), by King Halo (Jpn)
                2nd Dam: Blancherie (Jpn), by Tony Bin (Ire)
                3rd Dam: Maison Blanche (Jpn), by Alleged
O-Silk Racing Co Ltd; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-Tetsuya
Kimura; J-Christophe-Patrice Lemaire. $3,480,000. Lifetime
Record: Horse of the Year & Ch. 3yo Colt-Jpn, MG1SW-
Jpn, 7-5-2-0, $9,516,220. *Half to Weiss Meteor (Jpn) (King
Kamehameha {Jpn}), GSW-Jpn, $820,531. Werk Nick Rating:
   A+++. *Triple Plus*.  Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross
   pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style
   pedigree.
2–Westover (GB), 125, c, 4, Frankel (GB)–Mirabilis, by Lear Fan.
O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-Ralph Beckett.
$1,200,000.
3–Zagrey (Fr), 125, c, 4, Zarak (Fr)–Grey Anatomy (GB), by
Slickly (Fr). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (€32,000 RNA Ylg '20
ARQSEP). O-Ecurie Altima & Gerard Augustin-Normand; B-
Ecurie Euroling (Fr); T-Yann Barberot. $600,000.
Margins: 3HF, 2 1/4, 1 1/4.
Also Ran: Mostahdaf (Ire), Shahryar (Jpn), Win Marilyn (Jpn), Rebel's Romance (Ire), Russian Emperor (Ire), Botanik (Ire), Senor Toba (Aus). VIDEO.

 

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Arkansas Derby, Fantasy Fields Taking Shape

Oaklawn's four-race Kentucky Derby (G1) points series will produce four different winners. But two trainers will have a chance to win multiple races in the series that concludes with the $1.25 million Arkansas Derby (G1) at 1 1/8 miles April 1.

Two-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox is scheduled to send out one of the favorites in Angel of Empire, who returns to Oaklawn after winning the $400,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2) at 1 1/8 miles Feb. 18 at Fair Grounds in his most recent start.

Angel of Empire, a son of 2017 Arkansas Derby winner Classic Empire, finished second behind stablemate Victory Formation in the Smarty Jones Stakes at 1 mile Jan. 1 at Oaklawn. The Smarty Jones was Oaklawn's first Kentucky Derby points race.

Trainer Keith Desormeaux will be searching for his second series victory this year with longshot Kolomio, a son of Constitution owned by Big Chief Racing (Matthew Bryan). Desormeaux, on behalf of Big Chief Racing, claimed Kolomio out of his last start, a third-place finish in a one-mile turf race Feb. 3 at Santa Anita, for $50,000.

“I got lucky enough to get him,” Desormeaux said. “It was a two-way shake and horse has just been training out of his mind over the last five or six weeks. We've got a bad case of Derby fever with Confidence Game and Single Ruler stoking the coals. We're going to give it a shot.”

Desormeaux captured Oaklawn's third Kentucky Derby points race, the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 25, with Confidence Game. He also had Single Ruler entered in the $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2) Saturday at Fair Grounds.

“This is what Derby fever does to you,” Desormeaux said. “Man, I better check my temperature now that I'm saying all this stuff out in the open. It seems like real wackiness, but it's a lot of fun. And Big Chief Racing claimed the horse and we're old friends. That's Exaggerator's owner and it would be just a great story and a lot of fun to get Matt back to the Derby.”

Desormeaux and Bryan, in partnership, campaigned Exaggerator, the 2016 Preakness (G1) winner and Kentucky Derby runner-up.

Post positions for the Arkansas Derby and $600,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles April 1 will be drawn Sunday at 11:40 a.m. (Central) in the Larry Snyder Winner's Circle.

The Arkansas Derby will offer 200 points to the top five finishers (100-40-30-20-10, respectively) toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby.

The Oaklawn racing department listed 11 Arkansas Derby probables Saturday morning – Airtime for trainer Robertino Diodoro, Angel of Empire, Bourbon Bash (D. Wayne Lukas), Harlocap (Steve Asmussen), Interlock Empire (Kenny McPeek), King Russell (Ron Moquett), Kolomio, Mendelssohns March (McPeek), Red Route One (Asmussen), Reincarnate (Tim Yakteen), Rocket Can (Bill Mott) and Two Eagles River (Chris Hartman).

Rocket Can won the Holy Bull Stakes (G3) Feb. 4 and finished second behind champion Forte in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) March 4. Both 1 1/16-mile races were at Gulfstream Park. Rocket Can is owned by prominent North Little Rock, Ark., businessman Frank Fletcher, who is seeking his first victory in the Arkansas Derby, a race he covets the most.

Red Route One and Reincarnate finished second and third, respectively, behind Confidence Game in the Rebel. Confidence Game, Desormeaux said, could run next in the $1-million Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at 1 1/8 miles April 8 at Keeneland, $400,000 Lexington Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles April 15 at Keeneland or train up to the Kentucky Derby.

Victory Formation and unbeaten Arabian Knight, winner of the Southwest Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Jan. 28 at Oaklawn, are off the Arkansas Derby trail. The Southwest was Oaklawn's second Kentucky Derby points race.

Fantasy probables, according to the Oaklawn racing department, include Condensation for trainer Chris Hartman, Grand Love (Asmussen), Olivia Twist (Todd Fincher), Pate (Mike Maker), Royal Spa (Rodolphe Brisset), She's Lookin Lucky (Matt Shirer), Taxed (Randy Morse), Towhead (Maker) and Wet Paint (Cox).

The Fantasy is Oaklawn's third and final Kentucky Oaks (G1) points race. Wet Paint has won the first two legs in the series, capturing the $200,000 Martha Washington Stakes at 1 1/16 miles Jan. 28 and the $300,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 25. Wet Paint is unbeaten in three career starts on dirt. All three races, including the Martha Washington and Honeybee, have been on off tracks.

The Fantasy will offer 200 points to the top five finishers (100-40-30-20-10, respectively) toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Oaks, the country's biggest race for 3-year-old fillies. Wet Paint (70) entered Saturday as the Kentucky Oaks points leader. She worked 5 furlongs in 1:01 Saturday at Oaklawn.

Post positions for two other stakes races April 1 – $400,000 Oaklawn Mile (G3) for older horses and the inaugural $200,000 Hot Springs for 3-year-olds at 1 mile – will be drawn Monday.

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