Japan's champion juvenile filly of 2022, Liberty Island, responded with a class performance as the overwhelming race favorite in her 3-year-old debut for owner Sunday Racing Co., to claim her second Group 1 victory in the $2,309,000 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) Sunday at Hanshin Racecourse.
Liberty Island, unhurried out of the gate, relaxed third from the rear along the rails early, angled out to secure a clear path, and made headway along the outside with a little more than 600 meters to go.
Still positioned behind with much ground to cover after circling wide into the stretch, the Duramente filly responded with a powerful finishing speed to mow down her foes with every stride until finally pinning the leader just before the wire for a three-quarter-length victory.
Time was 1:32.1 for the 1,6000 meters (about one mile) on turf.
“I feel relieved to have done my job of guiding her to the wire in time (to win),” winning jockey Yuga Kawada said. “We picked an inside draw and she wasn't keen to hurry out of the gate so the position (behind) was where it was going to be. But she was relaxed today, was in good rhythm in the race and clicked into gear nicely, so this is where she ended up (winning) so I am glad. Now that we have accomplished our aim in the first (race) of the Triple Crown (for fillies), I hope that we can meet expectations in the (next race of the series, the Yushun Himba [G1] [Japanese Oaks]).”
Sixth favorite Kona Coast tracked the pacesetter in second and maintained at the leader's tail coming into the homestretch. The Kitasan Black filly soon inherited the lead from Mozu Meimei who weakened before reaching the final furlong and carried on strongly, successfully fending off Perifania on her outside, but was outfinished in the last strides by Liberty Island, who came charging up with tremendous force
Fifth favorite Perifania was forwardly positioned around fourth outside a rival and showed a good turn of speed down the center lane in the homestretch, finishing just a neck short of reaching Kona Coast in the full field of 18.
Liberty Island, who is trained by Mitsumasa Nakauchida, was bred in Japan by Northern Racing. Her dam is Yankee Rose, by All American. Her record includes a victory in last year's Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (G1).
The post Champion Liberty Island Convincing Winner Of Japanese 1000 Guineas appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
