Blue Is The Colour In Japan Cup, As Euros Strike Out

The reign of 2005 G1 Japan Cup hero Alkaased (Kingmambo) will have to stand as testament as the last foreign-bred winner to claim the 2400-metre contest for another year once again, as Vela Azul (Jpn) (Eishin Flash {Jpn}), under an icy Ryan Moore steering job, prevailed for Japan. A Carrot Farm silksbearer, the 5-year-old was three-quarters of a length to the good of 2021 G1 Japanese Derby and 2022 G1 Dubai Sheema Classic victor Shahryar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) on the line. Grand Glory (GB) (Olympic Glory {Ire}), who is bound for broodmare duty in the Land of the Rising Sun for Shadai's Teruya Yoshida, was best of the international raiders, running sixth.

Third choice at 7-2 in this Group 1 bow, Vela Azul raced in the back half of the field as Unicorn Lion (Ire) (No Nay Never) cut out steady fractions of :24 flat and :48.80. In close quarters entering the clubhouse turn, the Shiraoi Farm-bred was in a good rhythm, and held his position as he edged up to midpack. The pacesetter threw in the towel with a quarter mile remaining, as several foes loomed up with chances in the straight.

Stonewalled behind a wall of horses in upper stretch, gaps kept slamming in Moore's face, and it was not until the 200-metre mark, that a razor-thin hole appear. Just as Moore was sending Vela Azul through, that too, disappeared, and the Englishman redirected his charge back toward the inside. Miraculously a path opened 100 metres from home, and Vela Azul bulled his way through, hitting the front in the dying strides to clinch the victory. Favoured at 12-5, Shahryar, too, came from well off the pace, to master Weltreisende (Jpn) (Dream Journey {Jpn}) who had briefly anchored the vanguard and was a neck back in third. Tom Marquand was a half-length behind aboard Japanese Filly Triple Crown Winner Daring Tact (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) in fourth. 2022 G1 Grand Prix de Paris scorer Onesto (Ire) (Frankel {GB})'s momentum was halted 400 metres from the wire, and he also lacked racing room in deep stretch to take seventh.

“He broke OK,”said trainer Kunihiko Watanabe. “The pace was rather slow, but my horse has a good late charge and I trusted him to make a good run and. He was in good condition coming into this race but he exceeded our expectation. He is five years' old but he gets better and better and still has room for improvement. The reason for racing him on dirt early in his career was because he had leg issues [fractures] as a young colt and in order to race him with less risk he was raced on dirt. However, I did think he had an aptitude to race well on turf and it was only a matter of timing as to when to shift to turf racing.”

“I was very lucky to ride a talented horse,” said Moore, who was winning his second Japan Cup after piloting Gentildonna (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) to her second consecutive edition in 2013. “The pace was very steady for the Japan Cup. The horse never had much room, but when he did he quickened up very well so he was very impressive today. I had a good horse that got me out front and we had a nice spot–it wasn't too far off the pace and following a good horse, the horse in front was having to wait and I was having to wait [too], and when he found a bit of room he quickened up very well. I suppose for today being towards the inside wasn't a disadvantage.”

Making his first 16 starts on dirt, without a black-type race on his resume, although he did win once at three and once last term, Vela Azul became an entirely different creature switched to firm turf second up this year, running off with the Awaji Tokubetsu over 2600 metres in March. Third in both the Sunshine S. and Ryokufu S. at Nakayama in April and Tokyo in May, respectively, the 5-year-old sealed the first half of his season with an 1 3/4-length score in the June S. over course and distance on June 11. He returned on Oct. 10 to take the G2 Kyoto Daishoten from off the pace at Hanshin by 2 1/2 lengths in 2:24.30 against several of these as second favourite.

 

Pedigree Notes

Tops of a trio of stakes winners for his G1 Japanese Derby/G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn)-winning sire, Eishin Flash, Vela Azul is the son of King's Best's first scorer at Group 1 level. He becomes the fifth top-shelf victor for the French Deputy horse Kurofune as a broodmare sire.

The sixth of seven foals of racing age and one of five winners for his dual-winning dam who did her best work when breaking her maiden in the mud going 1800 metres at Hanshin at three and over a fast dirt strip at Fukushima over 1800 metres later that year, Vela Azul is by some margin the best of the septet. Vela Blanca (Jpn) (Kurofune)'s latest progeny is a yearling filly by World Ace (Jpn), and, although she was covered by Bago (Fr) later that spring, she did not produce a foal this term.

Second dam Admire Sunday (Jpn) (Sunday Silence), runner-up at listed level, did an admirable job in the paddocks with five black-type horses to her credit led by G1 Shuka Sho heroine and Japanese Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Adventura (Jpn) (Jungle Pocket {Jpn}). Adventura's full-sister, Tall Poppy (Jpn) (Jungle Pocket {Jpn}), was also a Classic winner and a champion of her generation as a juvenile. Third dam Moon Indigo (El Gran Senor), herself a half-sister to Group 1 winner Moonlight Dance (Alysheba), is a product of French champion and Group 1 winner Madelia (Fr) (Caro {Ire}), who claimed both the 1977 French 1000 Guineas and the French Oaks alongside the Prix Saint-Alary.

 

Sunday, Tokyo, Japan
JAPAN CUP-G1, ¥765,580,000, Tokyo, 11-27, 3yo/up, 2400mT, 2:23.70, fm.
1–VELA AZUL (JPN), 126, h, 5, Eishin Flash (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Vela Blanca (Jpn), by Kurofune
                2nd Dam: Admire Sunday (Jpn), by Sunday Silence
                3rd Dam: Moon Indigo, by El Gran Senor
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Carrot Farm; B-Shiraoi Farm (Jpn);
T-Kunihiko Watanabe; J-Ryan Moore. ¥403,906,000. Lifetime
Record: 22-6-4-5. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click
   for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the
   free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Shahryar (Jpn), 126, c, 4, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Dubai Majesty,
by Essence of Dubai. O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
¥161,116,000.
3–Weltreisende (Jpn), 126, h, 5, Dream Journey (Jpn)–
Mandela (Ger), by Acatenango (Ger). O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥100,558,000.
Margins: 3/4, NK, HF. Odds: 3.50, 2.40, 8.50.
Also Ran: Daring Tact (Jpn), Danon Beluga (Jpn), Grand Glory (GB), Onesto (Ire), Karate (Jpn), Tunnes (Ger), Uberleben (Jpn), Heart's Histoire (Jpn), Shadow Diva (Jpn), Trust Kenshin (Jpn), T O Royal (Jpn), Simca Mille (Ire), Unicorn Lion (Ire), Boccherini (Jpn), Ridge Man (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart & video.

 

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Deep Impact Exacta in Hopeful as ‘Ability’ Prevails

Killer Ability (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) showed plenty of talent to take the G1 Hopeful S. at Nakayama on Tuesday. The 2000-metre affair featured 15 colts in the final Japan Racing Association Group 1 of 2021. It was an exacta for the deceased Shadai kingpin Deep Impact, as Justin Palace (Jpn) was 1 1/2 lengths behind.

Second choice at 2-1, the blinkered colt rated in an ideal position perched in third while saving ground against the rails as Grand Line (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) carved out even splits of :23.90, :48.10 and 1:12.10 while followed by Born This Way (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}). Grand Line's lead shrank and he came back to the field at the 600-metre mark, as Killer Ability appeared poised to capitalize on his dream trip. Born This Way took up the baton with a furlong to cover and Grand Line soon packed it in, but Killer Ability was already at the new leader's throatlatch and soon stormed clear to win going away. Justin Palace rallied for second, with Lagulf (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) third another 1 1/4 lengths behind.

Favoured 'TDN Rising Star' and last out Group 3 winner Command Line (Jpn) went off at 9-5, but was restless in the stalls, broke in the air at the bell and was soon relegated to 11th for much of the journey. He improved on the far turn, but a needed gap did not materialise in the straight and he lost his unbeaten record to be 12th.

“Sitting in the saddle in his workouts two weeks in a row convinced me that he was going to run and run fast,” said jockey Takeshi Yokoyama. “We sat in a good position and when the colt was able to relax in the backstretch, I had all the confidence I needed that he was going to win. I'm sure he will go on to improve further and become stronger. Personally, my goal for this season was to capture a Group 1 title and land 100 seasonal

wins—winning five Group 1 titles is just unbelievable and I cannot thank all the connections and the horses enough for such a wonderful season.”

Fifth at first asking at Hanshin over 1800 metres on June 27, the Carrot Farm runner won a maiden at Kokura upped to this trip on Aug. 28 and was second in the Listed Hagi S. on Oct. 30.
Pedigree Notes
The Hopeful S. winner is Deep Impact's 181st black-type scorer, 145th group winner and 54th winner at the highest level. Killer Ability is the former Shadai resident's second winner of the race, and he is in good company, as his first was 2020 Japan Triple Crown hero Contrail (Jpn). Broodmare sire Congaree, who was a dual winner of the GI Cigar Mile H. in addition to Grade I wins in the Hollywood Gold Cup, Swaps S., and Carter H. and third in the 2001 Kentucky Derby, celebrated his first top-flight winner in this sphere on Tuesday and now has a baker's dozen of stakes winners to date. Now with four grade/group winners to his credit, they have struck in Ireland, Stateside and Peru besides Japan.

Already the dam of the SP Killer Presence (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), 2011 GI Starlet S. heroine Killer Graces produced a yearling colt by Just a Way (Jpn) in 2020 and a mating with Bricks and Mortar did not yield a foal this spring. Originally knocked down for $850,000 to Katsumi Yoshida at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton November Sale, the half-sister to MGSW Chocolate Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) was bred back to Duramente (Jpn). The fourth dam Middlefork Rapids (Wild Again) landed her biggest victory in the GIII Monrovia H., while her best offspring, the Grade III-winning Michigan Bluff (Skywalker) is the dam of Turkey's Champion Imported 2-Year-Old and 3-Year-old Colt Hakeem (Harlan's Holiday), who was also named the Champion Imported Stayer.

 

Tuesday, Nakayama, Japan
HOPEFUL S.-G1, ¥135,500,000, Nakayama, 12-28, 2yo, 2000mT, 2:00.60, fm.
1–KILLER ABILITY(JPN), 121, c, 2, by Deep Impact (Jpn)
          1st Dam: Killer Graces (GISW-US, $451,097), by Congaree
          2nd Dam: Heatherdoesntbluff, by Old Trieste
          3rd Dam: Michigan Bluff, by Skywalker
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. 1ST GROUP 1 WIN.
O-Carrot Farm; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-Takashi Saito;
J-Takeshi Yokoyama. ¥71,050,000. Lifetime Record: 4-2-1-0.
*1/2 to Killer Presence (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), SP-Jpn,
$197,667. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Justin Palace (Jpn), 121, c, 2, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Palace
Rumor, by Royal Anthem. 1ST BLACK TYPE. 1ST GROUP BLACK
   TYPE. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (¥190,000,000 Ylg '20
JRHAJUL). O-Masahiro Miki; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
¥28,300,000.
3–Lagulf (Jpn), 121, c, 2, Maurice (Jpn)–Abandonne (Jpn), by
Falbrav (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE. 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. 1ST
   GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (¥18,700,000 Ylg '20 JBBAAUG).
O-Takashi Muraki; B-Smile Farm (Jpn); ¥18,150,000.
Margins: 1HF, 1 1/4, 3/4. Odds: 2.10, 7.80, 28.80.
Also Ran: Fidele (Jpn), Born This Way (Jpn), Matenro Leo (Jpn), Achernar Star (Jpn), Shelby's Eye (Jpn), Grand Line (Jpn), Ask Wild More (Jpn), Onyankopon (Jpn), Command Line (Jpn), Satono Helios (Jpn), Crowned Magic (Jpn), Tyler Tesoro (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart & video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Deep Impact Filly Upsets Osaka Hai to Remain Unbeaten

Lei Papale (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), undefeated in five previous appearances, relished the soft going in the 2000-metre G1 Osaka Hai at Hanshin on Sunday, defeating several well-hyped Group 1 winners including 2020 Japanese Triple Crown winner Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). The Carrot Farm colourbearer is just the third horse in JRA history to claim a Group 1 title for older horses unbeaten after Fine Motion (Ire) (Danehill) in 2002 and Chrysoberyl (Jpn) (Gold Allure {Jpn}) in 2019.

Sent off as the fourth choice at 11-1, the bay was a touch slowly away, but soon skipped up to the head of the field and shouldered pacesetting duties. Allowed to bowl along as the rain continued, the 4-year-old filly covered an opening quarter in :23.50 and her half-mile split of :47.70 saw her still on an uncontested lead. She traveled 1200 metres in 1:12.60 and was still moving smoothly after a mile in 1:36.90. Steered off the fence for the stretch drive, Lei Papale displayed another gear and quickly scampered away from her rivals, none of whom appeared more than workmanlike on the soft ground with the exception of the rallying Mozu Bello (Jpn) (Deep Brillante {Jpn}), who flashed home for second.

The 4-5 favourite, Contrail settled in midpack while tracking 9-5 second choice and 2020 Japanese Champion Sprinter/Miler Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) for much of the contest. He began to improve on the backstretch and drew close to Gran Alegria with less than a half-mile remaining, as that pair moved in tandem and appeared poised to pounce on the winner. However their bids flattened out a bit late on, with Contrail three-parts of a length behind Mozu Bella and a neck to the good of Gran Alegria.

“I had always believed in her outstanding talent since her debut but of course it was a tough ask this time against a top class [field] after registering out first group-race victory [in December],” said pilot Yuga Kawada, who was winning his 17th JRA Group 1. “She felt good during the post parade and she was able to jump into her rhythm throughout the race without being pressed. I was able to shift her out without interfering the horses coming from behind for her stretch run as there was still plenty room between her and the rest of the field at the top of the stretch. And to still have the strength to find another gear over the turf condition today—she is an exceptional filly to keep her speed right to the end. Now that she's a Group 1 winner, expectations will suddenly be quite high from now on, but I hope to be able bring out her best in each race.”

Lei Papale did not make her racecourse debut until January of her 3-year-old season, but she handled a one-mile newcomer race at Kyoto, before returning on June 6 and taking a Hanshin affaire over the same distance. Upped to 1800 metres at Niigata in July, the bay continued to find the winner's circle, and back at Kyoto, the good-ground Ohara S. went her way on Oct. 18. Tried for the first time at the group level and going 2000 metres, the filly duly saluted in the Dec. 5 G3 Challenge Cup at Hanshin, her final start as a sophomore. The Osaka Hai was the first time she was tested over a soft turf course.

 

Pedigree Notes

The late Deep Impact's stakes winners stand at 172, with 138 group winners and Lei Papale's Osaka Hai victory brings his total of Group 1 winners to 48. Lei Papale is the third Group 1 winner for her broodmare sire Kurofune (Jpn) and first by Deep Impact. Although, the Deep Impact/Kurofune cross has already resulted in the winner's full-sister MGSW Shining Lei (Jpn), Japanese Group 3 hero Staphanos (Jpn), who placed five times at the highest level and two other group winners.

Shells Lei ran second in a pair of listed stakes at three and retired as a three-time winner. Bred exclusively with Deep Impact for her first four foals, the quartet of winners yielded G2 Hopeful S. and G3 CBC Sho winner Shining Lei as the best of them until Lei Papale, foal number eight and part of an octet of winners from nine to run. She has had fillies by Duramente (Jpn) and Daiwa Major (Jpn) in 2019 and 2020, and was covered by Real Impact (Jpn) last spring.

Second dam Oyster Ticket (Jpn) (Winning Ticket {Jpn}) also threw the GSP Encore Plus (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), the MSP Black Shell (Jpn) (Kurofune {Jpn}) and the SP Double Timpani (Jpn) (Sunday Silence). Farther back in the pedigree is 1968 Japanese Champion 2-Year-Old Riki Eikan (Jpn), a colt by Never Beat (GB).

 

Sunday, Hanshin, Japan
OSAKA HAI-G1, ¥260,520,000, Hanshin, 4-4, 4yo/up, 2000mT, 2:01.60, sf.
1–LEI PAPALE (JPN), 121, f, 4, Deep Impact (Jpn)
         1st Dam: Shells Lei (Jpn) (MSP-Jpn, $823,464), by Kurofune
         2nd Dam: Oyster Ticket (Jpn), by Winning Ticket (Jpn)
         3rd Dam: Namura Pieris (Jpn), by Tosho Boy (Jpn)
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Carrot Farm; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
T-Tomokazu Takano; J-Yuga Kawada. ¥137,814,000. Lifetime
Record: 6-6-0-0. *Full to Shining Lei (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}),
MGSW-Jpn, $1,168,154. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple
   Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Mozu Bello (Jpn), 126, h, 5, Deep Brillante (Jpn)–Harlan's
Ruby, by Harlan's Holiday. O-Capital System; B-Murata Farm
(Jpn); ¥54,804,000.
3–Contrail (Jpn), 126, c, 4, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Rhodochrosite,
by Unbridled's Song. O-Shinji Maeda; B-North Hills (Jpn);
¥34,402,000.
Margins: 4, 3/4, NK. Odds: 11.20, 67.80, 0.80.
Also Ran: Gran Alegria (Jpn), Salios (Jpn), Cadenas (Jpn), Ardentlt (Jpn), Bravas (Jpn), Admire Virgo (Jpn), Persian Knight (Jpn), Crescendo Love (Jpn), Makahiki (Jpn), Happy Grin (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart & video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Efforia Sublime in Tokyo

Tabbed the 5-1 fourth choice, Efforia (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) entered the Japanese Classic picture with a bang in the G3 Kyodo News Hai at Tokyo on Sunday.

Rank from the stalls, the bay was full of energy before relaxing into fourth as early pacesetter Deep Rich (Jpn) (Deep Brillante {Jpn}) was overcome by Heart of a City (Jpn) (Heart's Cry). Shifted out to the center of the course for the stretch drive, he was given a right-handed reminder and strode away to win by 2 1/2 good-looking lengths. Victipharus (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) closed to take second, a head in front of second favourite Shahryar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).

Efforia donned cap and gown at first asking in a 2000-metre newcomer event last August before claiming another 2000-metre race-this time at Tokyo on Nov. 8.

Pedigree Notes

Young stallion Epiphaneia, sire of last year's Japanese Fillies' Triple Crown heroine Daring Tact (Jpn), notched his third group winner and fourth black-type winner with Efforia (Jpn)'s win on Sunday.

The second foal and first winner for his three-time winning dam, Efforia has a juvenile half-brother by Harbinger (GB), and a yearling filly by Maurice (Jpn). Katies Heart was covered by Satono Crown (Jpn) in 2020.

Sunday, Tokyo, Japan
KYODO NEWS SERVICE HAI-G3, ¥72,610,000 (US$691,798/£499,732/€570,771), Tokyo, 2-14, 3yo, 1800mT, 1:47.60, fm.
1–EFFORIA (JPN), 123, c, 3, Epiphaneia (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Katies Heart (Jpn), by Heart's Cry (Jpn)
                2nd Dam: Katies First, by Kris (GB)
                3rd Dam: Katies (Ire), by Nonoalco
1STBLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Carrot Farm;
B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-Yuichi Shikato; J-Takeshi Yokoyama.
¥38,427,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+++.
   *Triple Plus*.
2–Victipharus (Jpn), 123, c, 3, Heart's Cry (Jpn)–Virginia (Jpn),
by Galileo (Ire). O-G1 Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
¥15,122,000.
3–Shahryar (Jpn), 123, c, 3, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Dubai Majesty,
by Essence of Dubai. O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
¥9,561,000.
Margins: 2HF, HD, NK. Odds: 5.80, 40.90, 3.90.
Also Ran: Kingston Boy (Jpn), Stella Veloce (Jpn), Kaiser Nova (Jpn), Platina Treasure (Jpn), Deep Rich (Jpn), Leftovers (Jpn), Heart of a City (Jpn), Dios Valiente (Jpn), Taiso (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart & video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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