Heavy favorite Liberty Island continued to validate her 2022 champion 2-year-old filly status and last month's triumph in the Oka Sho (G1) (Japanese 1000 Guineas) by staging another dominant performance in the Yushun Himba (G1) (Japanese Oaks) on Sunday at Tokyo Racecourse.
Sunday Racing Co.'s Duramente filly, who won by six lengths, followed last year's winner, Stars on Earth, as the 17th horse to capture the first two jewels of the fillies' Triple Crown–the 1000 Guineas and Oaks–while becoming the first since 1975 to win by a margin of six lengths—2012's fillies' Triple Crown victress Gentildonna was the closest with her five-length margin in recent years.
With Yuga Kawada riding for trainer Mitsumasa Nakauchida, Liberty Island was unhurried out of the gate and in hand, around seventh from the leader, along the rails. Kawada continued to keep the keen filly under control while measuring his timing to steer her slightly out for a clear run soon after the last turn. As soon he gave her the signal, she unleashed her terrific turn of speed to catch the leader at the furlong pole and continued to pull away uncontested for an overwhelming victory.
“Having (won) the Oka Sho and being transported here to Tokyo for another big race, the filly was quite tense coming into this race, so I had to make an effort to reserve her energy and calm her down before the race,” said Kawada, who guided Gentildonna to victory in the 2012 Oaks. “She settled well once in the gate, allowing us to make a safe start, and we were able to race in good rhythm while I still had the task of keeping her under control up to the critical stages. I knew we were already in a position to finish clear of the other horses once taking the lead, but I wanted her to finish off the race strongly to the wire so I kept driving her to the wire which led to a big margin.”
Second pick Harper was positioned right behind the eventual winner under Christophe Lemaire throughout most of the trip and followed that foe to the outside, rounding the final turn. While unable to keep up with the Liberty Island's explosive burst of speed going up the uphill stretch, the Heart's Cry filly continued with good late speed to overtake Ravel in the last 50 meters while managing to hold back the fast-closing Dura by a neck margin for second.
Lightly regarded 15th choice Dura raced off the pace, around fifth from the rear, and came into the homestretch still well behind the leaders, where the Duramente filly exerted an impressive late speed once angling out just before the 400-meter pole and closed in well to finish just a neck short of second place.
Liberty Island covered 2,400 meters (about 1 1/2 miles) in 2:23.1 on turf rated as good to firm.
Bred in Japan by Northern Racing, Liberty Island was produced by Yankee Rose, by All American. Her record includes a victory in 2022 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (G1).
The third jewel of Japan's fillies' Triple Crown is the Shuka Sho (G1), set for Oct. 15 at Kyoto.
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