Arima Kinen | Horse Racing Free Tips

York On Top Of The World

York's G1 Juddmonte International S. didn't just provide the world's best 130-rated performance of 2020 for Ghaiyyath (Ire) but, with its stellar back-up cast of seven-time Group 1 winner Magical (Ire), the G1 St James's Palace S. winner Lord North (Ire) and 2000 Guineas hero Kameko, the race was also judged to be the Longines World's Best Horse Race last year on ratings.

Along with announcing the World's Best Racehorse Rankings on Tuesday, Longines and the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) also published the list of top 100 Group 1 and Grade 1 races of the year. It is the first time that the Juddmonte International has achieved this accolade and its rating of 125.25 was derived from the average rating of the first four finishers in the race.

William Derby, chief executive and clerk of the course at York Racecourse, said, “This is a huge honour and a thrill. It's what we're all about at York Racecourse in terms of trying to attract the very best horses and jockeys to race on the Knavesmire. We're thrilled to be named number one against all the wonderful races around the global sport of horseracing.”

He continued, “We're incredibly grateful to Longines and the IFHA for compiling these ratings, ranking every [Group/Grade 1] race around the world based on the first four horses home. To come top of that pile is a huge honour. We're delighted and grateful for their support, and that of the connections of every horse, and Juddmonte Farms, without whom we wouldn't be able to stage such a magnificent race for everyone to enjoy.”

The QIPCO Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown, in which Magical turned the tables on Ghaiyyath, was the second highest-rated race in the world last year on 124.75, with Armory (Ire) and subsequent Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass (Fr) completing the first four.

With Japan's darling of the racecourse, Almond Eye (Jpn) set to make her swansong, the Japan Cup of 2020 was always going to be special, not least because the field also featured the two best 3-year-olds in the country, Triple Crown winner Contrail (Jpn) and Triple Tiara winner Daring Tact (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}). The star trio crossed the line in that order in Tokyo, with Curren Bouquetd'or (Jpn) (Dee Impact {Jpn}) in fourth to make the Japan Cup the third top race of the year on 124.50.

Japan had two races in the top five, the other being the Tenno Sho, which was joint-fourth with the Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland on 123.75. Also making the top ten were the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown, Tokyo's Yasuda Kinen, the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville, the QIPCO Champion S. at Ascot, and the Arima Kinen, run at Nakayama.

Churchill Downs staged both the highest-rated race in the world for fillies only, the Kentucky Oaks (119.25), won by Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil), and the highest-rated race reserved for 3-year-olds, the Kentucky Derby (121.25), won by subsequent Breeders' Cup Classic hero Authentic.

Among the 11 countries in the list of top Group/Grade 1 races run at 40 different racecourses, Australia, with 25, was the world leader, followed by Britain (18), Japan (14), America (13), France (9), Hong Kong (9), South Africa (6), Ireland (4), Germany (3), Argentina (1), and New Zealand (1). The 2020 list of top races stretches to 103 contests owing to a six-way tie for the 98th spot.

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Japan: Fan-Favorite Filly Chrono Genesis Delivers Popular Repeat Victory In Arima Kinen

Voted first pick by a record number of 214,742 ballots, race favorite Chrono Genesis displayed a determined performance in capturing this year's Arima Kinen (the Grand Prix), her third G1 victory following the 2019 Shuka Sho (G1) and this year's Takarazuka Kinen (the Grand Prix, G1). The Bago filly has become the 15th horse and the second mare to dominate both Grand Prix races following Lys Gracieux last year (11th horse to win both races in the same year). Not only is it the first time in 60 years for a filly/mare to claim the Arima Kinen title two years in a row, but also the record set by fillies/mares to claim G1 races open to both male and female runners in a single season has now been extended to nine.

For the owner, Sunday Racing Co., Ltd., this is their fifth Arima Kinen title, the most in history, as they celebrate their ninth JRA-G1 victory this year alone (three with Gran Alegria, two each with Lucky Lilac and Chrono Genesis, one with Fierement and one with Grenadier Guards) which is also the most claimed in a single season. For both trainer Takashi Saito and jockey Yuichi Kitamura, this is the first JRA-G1 title since their Takarazuka Kinen win with the filly, and fourth and fifth overall, respectively.

The 16-horse field got underway with Babbitt taking the early lead, Authority and Blast Onepiece stalking the pace while Chrono Genesis camped way behind, around fifth from the rear. The gray filly made an early move gradually making headway in the middle of the backstretch and moved up on the field, entering the straight in third. After immediately picking off the tired pacesetter, Chrono Genesis tagged Fierement 100 meters out and battled stride for stride through the lane until the filly finally wore down the second favorite while holding off the strong-closing Salacia to prevail by a neck.

“All I wanted was her to be relaxed and her break wasn't that bad, she was in hand and ran in the same rhythm as before. Yesterday and today, I was in 2,500 meter-races here at Nakayama which enabled me to get warmed up with a good idea of how I wanted her to run. We haven't faced the two Triple Crown winners yet, but I hope she performs well and stays in the spotlight next season,” commented Yuichi Kitamura. “She was in good form and gave us a great impression before the race. I was worried that Yuichi might have made a too early bid, but he was confident and rode her beautifully, holding off the others. This is a dream come true and I have a feeling there will be many more,” added trainer Takashi Saito.

Sent off 11th favorite, Salacia broke from a wide stall before sitting in fourth from the rear right behind the eventual winner and was still trailing near the back when hitting the top of the stretch with a wide move. However, with a monstrous closing kick that was timed the fastest of the field, the five-year-old mare came looming up on the outside to challenge the dueling front runners and while a neck late to pin the winner, caught Fierement right before the wire to steal the runner-up trophy by a neck. Chrono Genesis and Salacia have become the first female runners to notch the top two places in the history of the race.

Moving up from mid-pack to second before hitting the backstretch and turning the final corners in good striking position, second pick Fierement entered the straight first but could not repel the determined challenge from the winner and was also caught right before the wire by the fast-closing Salacia to finish third.

Other Horses:
4th: (7) Lucky Lilac—sat 3-wide around 9th, gradually advanced, showed effort, no match for top 3 finishers
5th: (5) World Premiere—hugged rails around 5th, fell back turning final corners, quickened between horses
5th: (10) Curren Bouquetd'or—ran 3-wide around 8th, advanced to 3rd by final corner, lacked needed kick
7th: (8) Persian Knight—saved ground around 9th, angled out, showed belated charge
8th: (3) Crescendo Love—settled around 5th, dropped back rounding final corners, even paced
9th: (15) Ocea Great—sat 3-wide around 5th, showed brief effort until 100m marker
10th: (4) Loves Only You—raced around 9th, angled out but met traffic at early stretch, never a threat
11th: (16) You Can Smile—took economic trip near rear, showed little at stretch
12th: (6) Kiseki—was off slow, traveled 3-wide around 14th, advanced in backstretch, nothing left at stretch
13th: (1) Babbitt—set slow pace, faded after surrendering lead at top of stretch
14th: (12) Authority—tracked leader around 2nd, ridden after 3rd corner but outrun
15th: (11) Mozu Bello—broke poorly, trailed in rear, no factor
FF: (2) Blast Onepiece—stalked leader, fell back in backstretch, pulled up due to atrial fibrillation

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Chrono Genesis Highlights Arima Kinen

Fan favorite Chrono Genesis (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}), who will attempt to add a victory in Sunday’s G1 Arima Kinen at Nakayama after a win in the G1 Takarazuka Kinen earlier this season, aims to follow in the illustrious hoofprints of Lys Gracieux (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}), who completed the double in 2019. The 2019 G1 Shuka Sho winner, Chrono Genesis kicked off 2020 with a score in the G2 Kyoto Kinen in February before finishing second to Lucky Lilac (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) in the 2,000-meter G1 Osaka Hai at Hanshin Apr. 5. Back in the winner’s circle following the Takarazuka Kinen June 26, the 4-year-old filly finished a close-up third behind recently retired champion Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) and 2020 G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) hero Fierement (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in Tokyo’s G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) Nov. 1.

World Premiere (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) recorded a career high win in last season’s 3,000-meter G1 Kikura Sho (Japanese St. Leger) before rounding out the term with a third behind Lys Gracieux in the G1 Arima Kinen. Off for the next 11 months, the 4-year-old returned with a credible sixth behind Almond Eye in the Nov. 29 G1 Japan Cup.

Following her Osaka Hai win last spring, Lucky Lilac finished sixth in the Takarazuka Kinen prior to a third in the G2 Sapporo Kinen in August. Most recently, the 5-year-old mare won the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Hanshin Nov. 15.

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Japan: Fan Votes Decide Which Horses Compete In Sunday’s Arima Kinen

The 65th running of the Grade 1 Arima Kinen (The Grand Prix) is set for Sunday, Dec. 27. With the 2-year-old G1 Hopeful Stakes scheduled for the previous day, the Arima Kinen, for the first time in four years, is once again back in its traditional spot as the year's final hurrah at Nakayama Racecourse in Japan.

Twenty-three horses, with eight Grade 1 champions among them, have been signed up for the race and 16 of those will find a berth in the 2,500-meter (about 1.55 miles) turf event that boasts a winner's prize of JPY300 million (about UA$2.89 million), an amount that ties the Japan Cup for the highest prize money of JRA races.

As with the Takarazuka Kinen in late June, racing fans vote for which horse they would most like to see race in the Arima Kinen. And their hopes will be largely met, with six of fans' top ten favorite picks set to appear. The 4-year-old filly Chrono Genesis was the fan-ballot favorite with a total 214,742 votes, a number that rewrote the record held by Oguri Cap from 1989. Five more of the fans' top 10 picks will compete in the “dream race” running — No. 2 pick Lucky Lilac, No. 4 Fierement, No. 6 Kiseki, No. 9 World Premiere and No. 10 Blast Onepiece.

Here's a look at the expected top picks.

Chrono Genesis: Looking to become the second female in a row to scoop both the Takarazuka Kinen and the Arima Kinen in the same year is Chrono Genesis. If she can win, she'll do it a year younger than last year's champ Lys Gracieux. Though in the Top 3 for all the classics and winner of the 2019 G1 Shuka Sho, it was from this year that the Bago-sired Chrono Genesis stepped decidedly into the spotlight. From four starts, three of them top-level, she has managed a formidable 1-2-1-3, putting her right in step for the winner's circle this Sunday. Her win by 6 lengths in the Takarazuka Kinen saw her beat five Arima hopefuls. And she shone bright in her last start, the Nov. 1 2,000-meter G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn), when she met superstar Almond Eye for the first time and finished just over half a length behind her and a neck off Fierement in third place. Though it will be her first time running over 2,500 meters, if her stamina in the Takaruzuka Kinen is any indication, Chrono Genesis should do just fine.

Fierement: Last year, Fierement, a 5-year-old son of Deep Impact, returned to Japan from a 12th-place showing in the Prix de l'Arc Triomphe. He was hurried into the Arima Kinen and finished in fourth place a good 6 1/2 lengths of the winner in what was a commendable effort given the rush and travel miles logged. Since then, he has had only two starts. He captured the Tenno Sho (Spring) for the second year in a row and was second to Almond Eye in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) in November. Jockey Kenichi Ikezoe rode Fierement in the last year's Arima Kinen, but 2020's run is expected to go to jockey Christophe Lemaire who, in winning eight Grade 1 JRA competitions over the span of the year, stands to top not only his own record for annual Grade 1 wins but also his record for money earned.

World Premiere: Beating Fierement to the finish line in the Arima Kinen last year was World Premiere, another son of Deep Impact and now 4 years old. World Premiere followed winner Lys Gracieux and runnerup Saturnalia, and with both the latter absent, World Premiere could well be set for the Arima winner's circle and his second Grade 1 victory following the 2019 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger). Last out, he returned after 11 months off and scored a sixth-place finish in the Japan Cup only 0.8 seconds behind Almond Eye. Set for the ride is Yutaka Take who is gunning for his fourth win of the Arima Kinen since his debut in 1987 and his first since winning aboard Kitasan Black in 2017.

Curren Bouquetd'or: The same age as Chrono Genesis, the Deep Impact-sired Curren Bouquetd'or followed the former over the finish line in the Queen Cup, the Shuka Sho and the Kyoto Kinen, but beat her rival in the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks), the longest of the four races and an indication that distance suits her. Although she last visited the winner's circle in February 2019, Curren Bouquetd'or has missed the Top 3 only once in the seven starts since. That was last out in the Japan Cup, where she finished fourth, behind Almond Eye, 2020 Triple Crown winner Contrail and by a nose behind 2020 filly triple crown winner Daring Tact. She is 2-2-4 in her three starts of the year and will go to the gate relatively fresh. Jockey Kenichi Ikezoe, who has the most Arima Kinen wins (four wins) among jockeys currently riding, will be in the saddle.

Authority: A son of Triple Crown winner Orfevre, the 3-year-old colt Authority has won four of his six starts thus far. Sidelined with a fracture suffered while winning the Grade 2 TV Tokyo Hai Aoba Sho in May, he returned to win by a length and a half the 2,500-meter Grade 2 Copa Republica Argentina at Tokyo in early November. Further improvement is expected and his 1-5-3 record at Nakayama and wins at both 2,400 and 2,500 meters bode well for this race. As a 3-year-old, he will also have the advantage of being saddled with only 55 kg, which is also, however, the weight Chrono Genesis will carry.

Lucky Lilac: Another Orfevre progeny is Lucky Lilac, now 5 years old, winner of four Grade 1 races, including back-to-back runs in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, last year at Kyoto, this year at Hanshin. She has had a full year at home following her second place in the Hong Kong Vase last year. Three of her five starts in 2020 were at Grade 1 and saw her post 1-6-1. Those include a first in the Osaka Hai, a neck ahead of Chrono Genesis. Lucky Lilac is also getting a new partner, jockey Yuichi Fukunaga, who surprisingly has yet to win the Arima Kinen.

Others to keep an eye on are:

Mikki Swallow sat out the top-level competitions in 2019 but returned for two this year, a third in the Tenno Sho (Spring) and a seventh in the Japan Cup. Primed, happy over distance, and with three wins and two seconds from nine starts at Nakayama, he should not be underrated.

Kiseki was fifth here both last year and in 2018 and though he has remained winless this year, he has two seconds in Graded races, including the Takarazuka Kinen.

Loves Only You hasn't won since the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) six races back but she hasn't been far off the mark and has missed the Top 3 only twice. She has topped both Chrono Genesis and Curren Bouquetd'or in Grade 1 company. Only 0.1 seconds off the winner in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup last out, she's not one to ignore.

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