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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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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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Almond Eye To Take On All Comers In Sunday’s Tenno Sho

This year, as if to make up for the havoc wreaked by COVID-19, racing in Japan has been nothing short of spectacular. The year has given rise to two Triple Crown champions, both unbeaten – Daring Tact for the fillies treble two weeks ago and Contrail last week, when he topped the Grade 1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) field. This week, without a breather, comes the Grade 1 Tenno Sho (Autumn).

Sunday, Nov. 1 marks the 162nd running of the “Emperor's Cup,” which is held twice a year, at Kyoto in the spring and at Tokyo in the fall. For Sunday's race, run over 2,000 meters of turf, 12 horses have been nominated including seven-time Grade 1 winner Almond Eye.

A total of seven Grade 1 winners will be participating, including double Tenno Sho (Spring) winner Fierement and Chrono Genesis, who crushed the competition in the Grade 1 Takarazuka Kinen at the end of June. Ages range from 4 to 6, with three females and one gelding competing against the boys for a share of the JPY325 million purse (approximately US$3.1 million).

Only two graded races are run over the Tokyo 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles) and the course is considered to be one of the most difficult. The race starts in the pocket just past the grandstand, and there are only 130 meters until the first turn.

Here's a look at the field's standouts:

Almond Eye – A rundown of the feats of this 5-year-old daughter of Lord Kanaloa makes for quite a roll call. In 2018, Almond Eye captured the filly triple crown and then, the same year, triumphed in the Japan Cup in association with LONGINES, before flying off to Dubai to ace the Grade 1 Dubai Turf. Last year, she took first in this race, finishing three lengths ahead of runner-up Danon Premium. This year began with a trip to Dubai, but Almond Eye was forced to return unraced when the Meydan meet was canceled. Her first start of 2020 was the Victoria Mile on May 17, which she won with a blistering final three-furlong time of 32.9 seconds, then returned to Tokyo June 7 for the Yasuda Kinen. A bit late at the break, she traveled further back than usual and finished a not-so-close second. The going, slightly heavy, “was not to her liking,” says trainer Sakae Kunieda. The trainer says Almond Eye has since then had the same schedule she had last year. The summer was spent refreshing at Northern Farm Tenei in Fukushima and the mare returned to the training center on Oct. 2. “Last week she looked a bit heavy but her breathing wasn't bad. Her movement was the usual,” said Kunieda. “With this field, I expect the pace to be slow, so I'm hoping she'll leave the gate relatively well and have a smooth trip.” Almond Eye has made top three in all her seven starts at Tokyo and won five times, four of those in Grade 1s. Christophe Lemaire, who has ridden all but one of the mare's 13 career outings, is pegged for the ride Sunday.

“This week, she trained as she did the week before, from about three lengths behind two other horses on the woodchip flat course and I asked Christophe Lemaire to check her responses in the finish,” said trainer Sakae Kunieda. “She looked very good. The difference in her weight didn't show in the numbers but I think she's looking sharper than she did before last week's workout. The woodchip course can be rough on her legs, so I had her train on the dirt course on Oct. 25. After the Yasuda Kinen, she went to the farm just like last year. I haven't seen any change in her due to age. I do feel that she is more laidback about things now and that is reflected in her condition a bit as well. Lemaire said her responses were good, her breathing too. In the Yasuda Kinen, the competition was strong and though she lost, I think she really gave it her best. She's had a lot of time off but she has before and has always done well. She has come along fine so far and I would like to see her win her eighth Grade 1. My hopes are that the weather will be fine and that the race will go smoothly.”

Chrono Genesis – If anyone has a fair chance of beating Almond Eye to the finish line, it can be the 4-year-old filly Chrono Genesis. A year after Almond Eye swept the filly triple crown, Chrono Genesis posted 3-3-1, capping the trio with a win of the 2,000 meters Shuka Sho, her first Grade 1 victory. Less than a month later, she went up against older females in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2,200 meters, G1) and came in fifth only 0.3 seconds off the winner. She started 2020 off romping to a win of the Kyoto Kinen (2,200 meters, G2), lost by a neck next out in the Grade 1 Osaka Hai, and came back to claim the Takarazuka Kinen by six lengths. She returns after four months off but is three for three in her previous starts after layoffs and her record at Tokyo is also favorable with two wins out of three starts. Sunday, Almond Eye and Chrono Genesis are set to meet for the first time. The Bago-sired filly is highly consistent and she's also well suited to the distance, with her last three wins over the past year all at 2,000-2,200 meters. Though Chrono Genesis has won over fast ground, she will prefer a bit of spring to the ground.

Danon Kingly – The 4-year-old Deep Impact colt Danon Kingly suffered his first finish out of the top three last out with a seventh-place performance in the Yasuda Kinen June 7. Second by a head in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas), second by a neck in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), Danon Kingly has narrowly missed being crowned winner in his previous five Grade 1 bids. In the Osaka Hai this year he was but one-tenth of a second behind the winner and his Yasuda Kinen time was 0.8 seconds slower than the first-place Gran Alegria. The uncharacteristic loss is being attributed to the going and Danon Kingly's first time over anything but a fast track. Trainer Kiyoshi Hagiwara says the nearly five months from the colt's last start shouldn't pose a problem. “He usually needs quite some time to recover from a race and, believing he can do well returning without a prep, I decided to go directly to the Tenno Sho (Autumn). I do have some concerns regarding the distance but think he can do well if he runs his own race.” Danon Kingly's five wins so far have all come at the mile or 1,800 meters.

Fierement – The 5-year-old Fierement, sired by Deep Impact, is a two-time winner of the Tenno Sho (Spring), the longest JRA Grade 1 race on the flat. Nonetheless, Fierement was successful over 1,800 meters early in his career, when he notched 1-1-2 in his first three starts, including his debut at Tokyo, his only start at the venue. Fierement has, however, not raced in six months. He was slated to kick off his autumn campaign with the Sept. 27 Sankei Sho All Comers (2,200 meters, G2) at Nakayama, but the plans were scratched when he ran a fever. Trainer Takahisa Tezuka says, “He ran a fever the day before his final fast work, so not wanting him to overdo it, I gave him time off and changed my sights to here. I don't think bringing him up to peak again has had any ill effect and he's leaner now than he was before his last start.” Tezuka believes the wide-open Tokyo course will suit him, and that, unless the final-stage times are extraordinarily fast, Fierement will be able to do him proud. Yuichi Fukunaga is expected to be partnered with Fierement for the first time.

Kiseki – Not to be written off is Kiseki, who finished third here two years ago, then followed that up with a second to Almond Eye in the 2018 Japan Cup. After last year's second in the Takarazuka Kinen, Kiseki traveled to France and didn't race in Japan until the Arima Kinen (The Grand Prix), where he finished fifth. This year he has raced ranging from 2,200 to 3,200 meters and returned in the fall with the Kyoto Daishoten (2,400 meters, G2) on Oct. 11. Though often late at the break, Kiseki makes up the ground sharply. Yutaka Take, who has most wins of the combined Tenno Sho versions (eight in the spring, six in the fall), is expected to be partnered with Kiseki, whom he rode for his second and third starts this year.

Others to watch are Danon Premium, second to Almond Eye here last year, and Blast Onepiece, who won his first start this year, failed to fire in his next two, but may be ready to show something more characteristic this time out.

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Chrono Genesis Earns Spot In Breeders’ Cup Turf With Overpowering Takarazuka Kinen Victory

Sunday Racing Co.'s 4-year-old filly Chrono Genesis (JPN) pulled away in mid-stretch to win the US$3 million, 1 3/8-mile Takarazuka Kinen (G1) at Hanshin Racecourse near Osaka, Japan, on Sunday by a stakes-record six lengths. With her victory, Chrono Genesis, ridden by Yuichi Kitamura, earned an automatic berth and fees paid into the $6-million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) through the international Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge is an international series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., on Nov. 6-7.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for Chrono Genesis to start in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, which will be run at 1 1/2 miles over the Keeneland turf course. Breeders' Cup also will provide a travel allowance of US$40,000 for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships.

Chrono Genesis becomes the third horse to gain a free berth into the 2020 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, joining Gran Premio International Carlos Pellegrini (G1) winner Nao Da Mais (BRZ) and Prince of Wales's Stakes (G1) winner Lord North (IRE).

Chrono Genesis, a gray daughter of Bago (FR) out of the Kurofune mare Chronologist (JPN) claimed her second Group 1 title after taking last year's Shuka Sho, the last jewel of the fillies Triple Crown.

Trained by Takashi Saito, Chrono Genesis completed the 1 3/8 miles in 2:13.50 over a course listed as good, as the 4-1 second choice in the 18-horse field.

Chrono Genesis, one of the only two female contenders in the race, broke smoothly out of stall 16 and settled around ninth from frontrunner Tosen Surya (JPN). Continuing to take a wide route rounding the last two turns, she advanced strongly to enter the lane in second behind 5-year-old mare Lucky Lilac (JPN), also entered by Sunday Racing.

Once assuming command 300 meters out, Chrono Genesis unleashed a powerful kick despite the somewhat soft going due to rain, leaving the field behind.

“The filly broke smoothly and we were able to travel in good rhythm in good striking position,” said winning rider Kitamura. “I didn't really have to urge her to go but she just went spontaneously. She was responding really well so I knew that she will stretch well in the lane. She has become a powerful filly and was in very good condition. She was really strong,”

Tatsue Ishikawa's 6-year-old Kiseki (JPN) stalked Chrono Genesis from her position in the middle of the field, but could not match her rally and was the runner-up for the second consecutive year. He finished five lengths ahead of longshot Mozu Bello (JPN).

Carrot Farm's 5-2 favorite Saturnalia (JPN), the 2019 Japanese 3-year-old Male Champion, broke smoothly, hugged the rail in 10^thand angled out turning the last corner for the attack but was unable to exert his strong late kick due to the soft ground, finishing fourth. He was followed by longshot Meisho Tengen (JPN) in fifth. Lucky Lilac, the nearly 5-1 third choice, could not sustain a drive in the stretch and finished sixth.

Chrono Genesis improved her record to six wins in 11 starts. She won her seasonal debut against open company in the 1 3/8-mile Kyoto Kinen (G2) over a yielding course on Feb. 16 before finishing second to Lucky Lilac in the 1 1/4-mile Osaka Hai (G1) at Hanshin on April 5.

Chrono Genesis becomes the fourth Breeders' Cup Challenge Series winner in Japan this year. The 6-year-old Mozu Ascot was the first automatic qualifier, winning the February Stakes (G1) at Tokyo Racecourse on Feb. 23, and earned an automatic berth into the $7 million Breeders' Cup Classic. The 5-year-old mare Almond Eye (JPN) won the Victoria Mile (G1) on May 17 and secured a free starting position into the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1), and the 4-year-old filly Gran Alegria (JPN) took the Yasuda Kinen (G1) at Tokyo Racecourse on June 7 and a “Win and You're In” spot for the TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (G1).

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