Second favorite Do Deuce, making his third start in a comeback from injury, claimed his third elite-level win in the $8,283,000 Arima Kinen (G1) against a quality field that included eight Grade 1 winners Sunday at Nakayama Racecourse.
With legendary Japanese jockey Yutaka Take aboard for the first time since early this season, Do Deuce was unhurried out of the gate and rated near the rear outside a rival. Held back and still well behind the pace along the backstretch, the 4-year-old Heart's Cry colt advanced along the outside approaching the third corner and was already joining the front group turning for home while still about four lengths behind the leader.
With 200 meters to go, Do Deuce, together with filly Stars on Earth, closed in on the leader with a strong late charge to pin that foe 100 meters out. He then outdueled Stars on Earth just before the wire for a half-length victory.
Titleholder was third, one length behind Stars on Earth. Favorite Justin Palace was fourth in the field of 16.
Time for the 2,500 meters (about 1 9/16 miles) was 2:30.9 on turf rated as good to firm.
“It's great to comeback with Do Deuce to win this race against some really strong opponents,” Take said. “He was in good shape coming into this race, and although the colt was a bit keen and I had to keep him in hand and maintain a good rhythm and not let him rush and gave him the go from about 700 meters out. His response was very good rounding the last corner and gave a terrific late charge to the wire. We did have our struggles after winning the Kyoto Kinen (G2) early this year, but I was determined to show his true strength and prove what he was really made of in this big race.”
Do Deuce had a major setback after the Kyoto Kinen in February in which he was ruled out of his intended start in which he was ruled out of his intended overseas start in the Dubai Turf (G1) with a lame left foreleg, then, in his comeback this fall in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1) in October as well as the following Japan Cup (G1) in November–Take was unable to take the reins due to injury from another race—he finished seventh and fourth, respectively. Reunited with his regular rider Sunday, Do Deuce would not be denied.
Stars on Earth broke sharply from the widest stall under Christophe Lemaire and tracked the leader off the rails in second. After allowing the pacesetter to open the margin by a distance, the Duramente filly maintained her position while joined by the eventual winner on the outside and matched that foe up to the wire while outdueled in the end.
Sixth choice Titleholder shot out of the gate to dispute the lead with Stars on Earth and eventually assumed command entering the homestretch (first round). Eventually opening the gap by more than seven lengths along the backstretch, the son of Duramente continued strongly to maintain his lead until finally being caught by the top two finishers after the 100-meter marker and hold off the fast-closing Justin Palace to finish third.
Race favorite Justin Palace missed a beat coming out of the starting gate and raced at the very rear, almost 20 lengths or so from the leader along the backstretch, before making headway approaching the third corner and circling wide into the homestretch. Under strong urging from Takeshi Yokoyama, the Deep Impact colt closed strongly with a furlong to go and, while unable to reach the top two, turned in a strong finishing run to just miss third place by a head.
Take previously won the Arima Kinen with Oguri Cap (1990), Deep Impact (2006), and Kitasan Black (2017). His victory Sunday marked his fourth Arima Kinen, which ties Kenichi Ikezoe for most wins in the race.
Do Deuce is trained by Yasuo Tomomichi for Kieffers Co. Ltd. Bred by Northern Farm, his dam is the two-time graded stakes-winning Vindication mare Dust and Diamonds, runner-up to Groupie Doll in the 2012 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1). Northern Farm's Katsumi Yoshida paid $1 million for her in foal to Pioneerof the Nile at the 2016 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, where Three Chimneys Farm consigned her.
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