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Efforia Earns Landmark Win in Tenno Sho Autumn

In what would become the battle of the favorites, Efforia (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) proved best on the day, winning Sunday's G1 Tenno Sho Autumn at Tokyo. With the victory in the 2000-meter test, the colt became the first 3-year-old to win the race since Symboli Kris S won the event in 2002. Sent off as the third betting choice, Efforia settled in a comfortable sixth early as longshot Kaiser Minoru (Jpn) led the way while second choice Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and an overly-eager Tosu Surya (Jpn) (Lohengrin) were in close pursuit. Still coasting in behind horses as Gran Alegria collared the stubborn Kaiser Minoru and gradually inched ahead in early stretch, the third choice closed with purpose down the center of the course, and despite favored Contrail (Jpn)'s (Deep Impact {Jpn}) best effort to the extreme outside late, it was the sophomore who held a length advantage over 2020 Triple Crown hero Contrail with champion last season's champion sprinter/miler Gran Alegria a neck back in third.

“We were able to race in an ideal position and I didn't insist on the inner course as I knew that he can handle it even if we had to turn a little wider. While the COVID-19 crisis is still lingering, the number of spectators is gradually increasing and I am grateful that we were able to win the race in front of many fans,” commented Takeshi Yokoyama.

Winner of this season's G3 Kyodo News Hai over 1,800 meters in February, the bay returned to annex his fourth consecutive score in the 2,000-meter G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2,000 Guineas) in April. In his most recent start, he faced loss for the first time, finishing second in the G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) in May.

“I cried with joy for the first time in my life, as I was very disappointed following the result of the Derby [last time], admitted Yokoyama. “He's a talented and smart horse, so I decided to believe in his ability and ride him without thinking too much.”

Out of the Heart's Cry (Jpn) mare Katies Heart (Jpn), the colt is trained by Yuichi Shikato, who was capturing his third JRA Group 1 title of the season. With the victory in Sunday's Tenno Sho (Autumn), Takeshi Yokoyama became the third generation horseman to win the race, his grandfather and former jockey Tomio, who won the title in 1969 and his father and active jockey Norihiro, who accomplished the feat in 2009.

Sunday, Tokyo, Japan
TENNO SHO AUTUMN-G1, ¥290,800,000, Tokyo, 10-31, 3yo/up, 2000mT, 1:57.90, 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
O-Carrot Farm; B-Northern Farm; T-Yuichi Shikato; J-Takeshi
Yokoyama; ¥153,360,000. Lifetime Record: 6-5-1-0. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*
2–Contrail (Jpn), 128, c, 4, Deep Impact(Jpn)–Rhodochrosite, by
Unbridled's Song. O-Shinji Maeda; B-North Hills; ¥60,960,000.
3–Gran Alegria (Jpn), 123, m, 5, by Deep Impact (Jpn)–Tapitsfly,
by Tapit. O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm; ¥38,480,000.
Margins: 1, NK, 1 3/4; Odds: 2.40, 1.50, 1.80.
Also Ran: Sanrei Pocket (Jpn), Hishi Iguazu (Jpn), Potager (Jpn), Persian Knight (Jpn), Last Draft (Jpn), You Can Smile (Jpn), Muito Obrigado (Jpn), World Premiere (Jpn), Curren Bouquetd'or (Jpn), Mozu Bello (Jpn), Kaiser Minoru (Jpn), Tosen Surya (Jpn), Cadenas (Jpn).
Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Click for the JRA chart and video.

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Aristoteles Looks to Rebound in Tenno Sho Spring

The G1 Tenno Sho (Spring), first run at Hanshin in 1938, was subsequently moved to Kyoto, but returns to Hanshin for the 2021 renewal as Kyoto undergoes extensive renovation this spring. Among this season's likely favorites, Aristoteles (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) finished runner up behind 2020 Japanese Triple Crown hero Contrail (Jpn) in last fall's G1 Kikura Sho (Japanese St. Leger) before taking the 2,200-meter G2 American Jockey Club Cup at Nakayama Jan. 24. Heavily favored in his latest start in the G2 Hanshin Daishoten over 3,000 meters Mar. 21, the 4-year-old finished a distant seventh behind winner Deep Bond (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}).

“One of the keys will be getting him to run with a good rhythm, so these past two weeks the jockey has been working the horse uphill in training, as well as on the woodchip course, and getting good contact and understanding with him,” said trainer Hidetaka Otonashi of Aristoteles. “His last piece of work was a lot quicker. I think if the ground is good on the day of the race, the 3,200 meters won't be a problem, and as I've said, getting into the flow of things will be important, but I'd like him to bounce back to form this time.”

In regards to tactics in this weekend's contest, jockey Christophe Lemaire added, “He's become more mature, especially mentally. He's in top condition right now. The start will be important, and also not losing anything in the run. His footwork is good and, hopefully, he can show this inside the last 500 meters.”

Also likely to gain plenty of support, Deep Bond recorded a pair of credible fourths behind winner Contrail in a pair of group starts last season, including the aforementioned Kikura Sho, but couldn't build on those when posting a forgettable 14th in the 2,000-meter Nakayama Kimpai Jan. 5. The 4-year-old's connections hope his eye-catching five-length win in the Daishoten can get the colt back in the winner's circle Sunday.

“He's always been a big striding horse, but in some of his previous races he's looked a bit slow,” said trainer Ryuji Okubo. “Now though, he's looking a lot faster and lighter, and even in the ground last time, he was impressive.”

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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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Posthumous Championship for Deep Impact

For the first year since 2008 there will be no Deep Impact (Jpn) foals born this season, but the late Shadai resident was still Japan’s champion sire in 2020, a title he has held without pause since 2012. That was the year his eldest runners were four; he had also been champion first-season sire in 2010.

He had already been responsible for former Horse of the Year Gentildonna (Jpn) but Deep Impact’s crowning glory among his many talented colts has come posthumously, with his son Contrail (Jpn) having become his sixth Derby winner–and third in a row–on the middle leg of taking the 2020 Triple Crown. Bred by Koji Maeda’s North Hills Farm, Contrail has been beaten just once in his eight starts when finishing second at the end of November in the Japan Cup to the country’s retiring champion Almond Eye (Jpn). There’s no shame in being defeated by the Horse of the Year and Contrail ended 2020 with a rating of 122, just two behind Almond Eye.

The 5-year-old Almond Eye has a huge following even beyond Japan and she is very much the star performer for her sire Lord Kanaloa (Jpn), who was the leading active sire of 2020. The 13-year-old sired Group 1 winners in three different countries in 2020, with Almond Eye being backed up by Tagaloa (Aus), winner of the G1 Blue Diamond S. in Australia, while Danon Smash (Jpn) took the G1 Hong Kong Sprint.

Like Deep Impact, Lord Kanaloa has been graced with huge books ever since his retirement to stud. From 2014, when he covered 254 mares, he climbed to a high of 307 in 2018.

While Deep Impact’s dominant father Sunday Silence still features as either sire or grandsire of six of the top 10 stallions in Japan in 2020, Kingmambo’s influence remains strong. That comes essentially through his late son King Kamehameha (Jpn), who was champion sire in the two years before Deep Impact’s long reign started and was fifth this time around, and through King Kamehameha’s sons Lord Kanaloa and Rulership (Jpn).

Sunday Silence’s 20-year-old son Heart’s Cry (Jpn) was runner-up in 2019 and slipped a place to third in 2020. His leading performer, Salios (Jpn), chased home Contrail to be second in both the Japanese Derby and 2000 Guineas and won the G2 Mainichi Okan.

The 2011 Triple Crown winner Orfevre (Jpn) was next in the table and among his group stakes winners in 2020 was the durable mare Lucky Lilac (Jpn), who has won at the highest level as a 2-year-old and at four and five. In 2020, she recorded her second win the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup as well as victory in the G1 Osaka Hai, beating subsequent G1 Arima Kinen winner Chrono Genesis (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}).

The aforementioned Rulership (Jpn) is another among the Japanese ranks to have previously been represented by a top-flight international performer with his son Mer De Glace (Jpn) having won the 2019 Caulfield Cup. The 14-year-old’s sixth place finish in the sires’ championship helped boost the sire-of-sires claim of King Kamehameha, who, like Deep Impact, died in the summer of 2019.

Of note among the younger sires bidding to establish themselves, last year’s freshman champion Kizuna (Jpn), a son of Deep Impact, was 12th overall. He improved on his previous season’s tally of 27 2-year-old winners to make it 31 this time around. His second crop of foals, though still large at 138, was down from 184 in his debut season. He is yet to sire a Group 1 winner but had two Group 2 and two Group 3 winners last year.

His contemporary in the stallion ranks, Epiphaneia (Jpn), by Symboli Kris S, may have notched 50 fewer winners than Kizuna but he has the distinction of having a first-crop winner of the Fillies’ Triple Crown, Daring Tact (Jpn), who was also third behind Almond Eye and Contrail in an epic running of the Japan Cup.

Japan’s first-season sires’ list was headed by King Kamehameha’s Japanese Derby and Guineas-winning son Duramente (Jpn), who covered almost 300 mares in each of his first two seasons at Shadai Stallion Station and recorded 35 winners from his first group of runners. Close behind him on 32 was the good-looking Maurice (Jpn), a son of Screen Hero (Jpn) who won six Group 1 races in Japan and Hong Kong and has also shuttled to Arrowfield Stud in Australia.

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