Japan: Take Brothers Team Up With Undefeated Water Navillera In Sunday’s Hanshin Juvenile Fillies

While 12 Japan-based horses battle it out in Hong Kong, Hanshin Racecourse hosts the top-level action at home and this time it's not serving as a temporary venue for a Kyoto regular. It's a Hanshin tradition – the Grade 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, and Sunday, Dec. 12 marks the 73rd running of the highlight for 2-year-old fillies, run over one mile on turf and carrying a winner's prize of JPY65 million (about US$570,000).

Twenty-three youngsters have been nominated for 18 berths and 11 of them are tied for earnings, which means a drawing will decide which seven secure the remaining gates.

The field will boast four graded-stakes winners with the unbeaten Water Navillera in the spotlight, having pocketed all three of her wins at different courses, including Hanshin. Circle of Life won the Artemis Stakes in October, and is fielded by Sakae Kunieda, who won this race with Apapane in 2009. And, Namura Lycoris, who clinched the Hakodate Nisai Stakes, returns after five months off. Racing under the same colors is Namura Clair, winner of the Kokura Nisai Stakes.

Water Navillera, the talented daughter of new stallion Silver State, by Deep Impact, won her first start wire to wire and hasn't stopped winning since. She's three for three, with wins over the Sapporo 1,500, the Nakayama 1,600, and the Hanshin 1,400. Her second win was claimed with the field's fastest time over the final three furlongs – 33.6 seconds. Her most recent first was in the Grade 3 Fantasy Stakes where she traveled in second position and held on solidly despite the early high pace.

It was the first graded-stakes win by progeny of Silver State, whose short but successful career (four wins from five starts) ended early due to tendonitis. Of his 53 sons and daughters currently running in JRA races, nine of them have already brought a total of 13 wins. Possessing keen racing sense, Water Navillera's main concern is her excitability. Trained at Ritto by former jockey Koshiro Take and pegged to be ridden by elder brother Yutaka, success on Sunday would bring Koshiro his first G1 victory since opening his stable in 2018. Yutaka has (from 21 bids) only one win of the race, back in 1994 with Yamanin Paradise when the race was known as the Hanshin Sansai Himba Stakes.

Races are run to the right at Hanshin and the 1,600 meters for the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies uses the outer B course (rail is moved in three meters on the straight, four meters on bends). Starting in the backstretch, it's nearly 450 meters to the first turn, then a slight upward slope at the end of the backstretch. With about 600 meters to go, the track dips two meters over the next 400 meters, then rises two meters again over 100 meters before leveling out with less than 100 meters to go.

The pace tends to be relaxed in the Hanshin outer 1,600 meters, and, in Grade 1 competitions especially, it can prove difficult for those making their crucial move turning onto the stretch to reach the top in time. The majority of recent winners have travelled close to the pace.

Generally speaking, unbeaten fillies and the race favorites have fared well in this race, having claimed six of the race's last 10 runnings. Over the same time period, the favorite has made the top three six times, with four wins. However, a surprise upset cannot be ruled out. Double-digit picks finished in the top 3 twice over the last decade. And, in 2012, the top three in finishing order were the fifth, 15th and 10th pick at the window.

Vodka, who clocked 1 minute 33.1 seconds in 2006, still holds the race record.

The main event is the No. 11 race on Hanshin's Sunday card of 12. Post time is 3:40 p.m. All fillies race under 54 kg.

Here's a look at the other expected popular picks:

Sternatia: A Lord Kanaloa filly, Sternatia's dam L'Archetto, by Falbrav, should add some distance to her repertoire. And from her 1-2 in her two starts thus far, both over the mile, it looks like it has. In her debut amid mixed company at Niigata, she won by three lengths and displayed fine speed in the final stage (32.7 seconds over the final 600 meters). Last out, Sternatia raced handily and patiently to finish only half a length behind the colt Command Line in the Oct. 9 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup. Sternatia is full brother to Stelvio, runnerup in the Asahi Futurity Stakes in 2017 and winner of the 2018 Mile Championship at only 3 years of age. Yuichi Fukunaga was up for Sternatia's two starts to date, but with Fukunaga in Hong Kong for the International Races, Christophe Lemaire, out in front of the jockey standings with an incredible 60-race lead, should lend confidence in the filly's first start to the right.

Circle of Life: Winner of the Grade 3 Artemis Stakes at Tokyo, Circle of Life went head-to-head in the stretch with Belle Cresta (eventual runnerup) and Shigeru Iwaizake (third place), but her time of 33.5 seconds over the final three furlongs topped the field and saw her home the winner. The Epiphaneia-sired Circle of Life has matured considerably in her three starts that have brought her a 3-1-1 over the mile and 1,800 meters. It'll be her first time at Hanshin, but her win at Nakayama bodes well, and though she does have to travel from her Miho base, she weathered the trip to Niigata for her debut well.

Trainer Sakae Kunieda said: “Her workout on Dec. 2 was a hard one and since then she's only been breezed. I'd like her to have a bit more distance but with the long stretch of the Hanshin outer course, there shouldn't be any problems.”

Namur: A Harbinger filly with two starts, two wins, both over the mile, Namur has an exceptional late kick. She hasn't yet raced to the right and she's only moving up from the one-win class, but she has race sense, evident from her debut, when, she shifted gears from second position and shot over the last two furlongs in 10.8-10.7 to win by two lengths. Last out Nov. 21, she raced from further back, won by a length and three-quarters and recorded the field best time of 33 seconds over the final 600 meters at Tokyo. There's little time between races but she's closer to her home base this time.

Belle Cresta: The Duramente-sired Belle Cresta is 2-1-2 and lost the Oct. 30 Artemis Stakes to Circle of Life by a mere neck. She'd balked loading and had been agitated in the gate, was a bit keen in the beginning but settled well traveling in third position amid a relaxed pace. She led down the long Tokyo stretch but was overtaken just before the finish line.

“She did well and I could feel that she has matured,” said jockey Kohei Matsuyama, who has ridden all her starts. “I'm looking forward to what's to come.”

It will be her first time to race to the right but she's looking good in work, with a personal best of 51.1 seconds up the hill course last week. Trainer Naosuke Sugai, who won here with Sodashi last year, has notched the race three times in total. He also trained 2017 Victoria Mile winner Admire Lead, a half-sister to Belle Cresta.

Namura Clair: This daughter of champion sprinter and miler Mikki Isle won the Grade 3 Kokura Nisai Stakes and ran second by 3/4 length to winner Water Navillera last out in the Nov. 6 Fantasy Stakes.

She'd been keen over the first half, and trainer Kodai Hasegawa said: “She can react rather strongly to horses coming up from behind, so I've had her wear a hood to calm her. She has let off steam, is looking good, and she improves with a race. I don't think the mile is out of reach. How well she can settle will be key.”

Her third in her debut start over the Niigata mile indicates she has a good chance. Her speed is up to snuff, with lap times of 11-some seconds up the hill in track work.

Namura Lycoris: The other filly running under the pink-and-sky-blue colors of the owner Mutsuhiro Namura, is Namura Lycoris, returning to the track for the first time since her win of the Hakodate Nisai Stakes in July. It will also be her first start over anything but six furlongs. A look at her pedigree, however, reveals the stayer blood of Manhattan Cafe. With her forward running style, Namura Lycoris should be able to go the distance and stave off a late challenge. Nineteen-year-old Fuma Izumiya, who debuted in March 2020 and already ranks No. 25 with 43 wins this year alone, is slated for the ride, the first Grade 1 of his career.

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Triple Crown Winner Contrail Bows Out With Japan Cup Triumph

Odds-on favorite Contrail romped to a two-length victory claiming this year's Japan Cup and fifth G1 triumph in his career-finale performance. After claiming the 2019 Hopeful Stakes as a 2-year-old, the Deep Impact colt went on to sweep the Triple Crown—the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, 2,000m), the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, 2,400m) and the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger, 3,000m). Trainer Yoshito Yahagi is now the proud owner of 14 JRA-G1 wins—his latest victory was with the colt in last season's Kikuka Sho—while jockey Yuichi Fukunaga, following his recent Sprinters Stakes victory with Pixie Knight in October, has collected a total of 32 JRA-G1 wins.

Breaking well from the second most inner stall, Contrail was settled under Fukunaga in mid-pack and two-wide, while Kiseki made rapid headway in the backstretch from the rear, taking over the front at the third corner, extending his lead by six to seven lengths. By the time the field hit the top of the straight, the brown colt had shifted to the outside with clear running room in front of him and displayed his trademark explosive kick, shaking off Shahryar after a brief rally at the furlong pole then turned up an extra gear to easily put away Authority 100 meters out for a convincing two-length win.

“All I have now is mixed feelings of relief and lonesomeness,” said trainer Yoshito Yahagi. “In the colt's latest start (Tenno Sho (Autumn)), he broke poorly so I told him, while he was walking in the paddock earlier, to stay calm at the start. It worried me a bit since the pace was slow and he wasn't in that good a position, but we had tuned him up to perfection and the colt gave us all he had in the straight. I have to admit I was under a lot of pressure during the two years he was at my stable, but I think it has helped me in becoming more mature, and I can't thank him enough. Wouldn't it be wonderful to win the Arc with an offspring of his someday?”

“The colt had issues before his debut, so there were always concerns about his form, but I am so proud of how he proved himself today—I'm overwhelmed,” commented jockey Yuichi Fukunaga after the race. “All I did today was believe in him. He broke well and everything went just perfectly. He has given me every jockey's dream and I am utterly grateful. The colt shone a bright light over a gloomy year due to the pandemic last season. I'm relieved that we can send him off to his next career with this victory.”

Posted third favorite, 4-year-old Authority sat in fourth behind Shadow Diva, turned wide into the lane while passing Wagnerian and ran strongly, inheriting the lead from the tiredpacesetter300 meters out, but was gunned down in the last half furlong by the eventual winner for second.

Second favored 3-year-old colt Shahryar ran in fifth down the backstretch, entered the straight right behind Authority and in front of Contrail, ran willingly up the hill but was checked when rallying with the closing winner and had nothing left to tag the runner-up, finishing 1-1/2-lengths behind Authority in third.

French raider Grand Glory was the top finisher among the three foreign contingents. Unhurried after the break, the Olympic Glory mare saved ground along the rails in mid-division in ninth or tenth position. Angling out off the rails coming into the final turn, Grand Glory exerted an impressive turn of speed going up the long uphill stretch and geared up further from the 200-meter marker to make ground and finish fifth, five-lengths from the winner.

“I am very satisfied with her performance and her result at fifth-place. She appeared to lose a bit of balance and lean to the inside but thankfully Cristian got her back on her feet by the stretch. She's mentally very strong and the experience to run in the Japan Cup was fantastic for us. It's a great race and we would love to come back with another horse,” commented trainer Gianluca Bietolini.

“We couldn't have asked for a better result—having finished fifth in this competition is almost like winning for us. She was in super form, almost as good as when I rode her in the Prix Jean Romanet—which we won. The pace was very fast for this mare, but she handled it remarkably,” commented Cristian Demuro.

Japan broke sharply from an outside stall but was eased back to mid-field, choosing to move to the inside to save ground behind Grand Glory. Angled out at early stretch for a clear run, the Galileo horse attempted to make his bid with the eventual winner in view but was unable to cause a serious threat but held on for eighth.

“The track may have been a bit too fast for this horse. He was able to secure a good spot but wasn't able to keep up with the pace,” commented Patrick Keating.

Broome was slow out of the gate and gradually worked his way up to mid-division along the backstretch outside Grand Glory, but struggled to find another gear with 400 meters to go and even paced to finish 11th.

“He missed his break and that cost him,” said Patrick Keating. “He missed his break. The pace was slow but he wasn't able to pick up speed in the end,” added Ryan Moore.

Other Horses:
4th: (12) Sanrei Pocket—sat in front of winner, angled out, showed effort although unable to threaten top finishers while besting the rest
6th: (14) Uberleben—raced near winner, struggled to find clear path at early stretch, showed 2nd fastest late speed, belatedly
7th: (11) Shadow Diva—chased leaders in third, remained in contention until 100m out, weakened
9th: (9) Aristoteles—disputed lead and made pace, opening gap to 4 to 5 lengths, gave way to Kiseki while keeping second position, unable to sustain bid and overtaken
10th: (5) Kiseki—held back after break, headway along backstretch, led rounding 3rd corner and pulled away to open gap to 6 lengths, soon used up and outrun by foes at furlong pole
12th: (16) You Can Smile—further back than mid-division early, weakened after uphill stretch
13th: (13) Mozu Bello—near rear, raced wide throughout and unable to make up ground
14h: (15) Makahiki—raced second from last, unable to reach contention
15h: (10) Lord My Way—broke a fraction slow and raced behind, unable to make ground from wide turn
16th: (1) Muito Obrigado—trailed in rear, never a factor
17th: (8) Windjammer—mid-division early, even paced and outrun in last furlong
18h: (17) Wagnerian—broke sharply and tracked leader in 2nd, tired and faded

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Contrail Goes Out On A High In Japan Cup

Generational leader and 2020 Japanese Triple Crown winner Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) was bet down to heavy favouritism for his swansong in Sunday's G1 Japan Cup despite having met with defeat in his last three outings, and he justified the betting public's faith with a straightforward score on his way to the stallion barn at Shadai Stallion Station.

After losing his unbeaten record in this race last year when he found only the champion filly Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) too tough, Contrail was third over yielding ground coming off a winter break in the G1 Osaka Hai on Apr. 4. Put away until Oct. 31, the dark bay resurfaced with a second-place finish in the G1 Tenno Sho Autumn over 2000 metres at Tokyo.

Breaking among the leaders from gate two, Contrail was allowed to drop back through the field on the inside as they passed the stands for the first time. A rank Aristoteles (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) took the field around the first bend, with Contrail eventually settling right around midpack with this year's G1 Prix Jean Romanet victress Grand Glory (GB) (Olympic Glory {Ire}), one of three international raiders, tracking him with Aidan O'Brien's Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) both keeping close tabs on her.

Midway down the backstretch the 2017 G1 Kikuka Sho winner Kiseki (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn})-who has not won a race since-made a bold bid to pass the majority of the field on the outside to take the lead on the run into the final bend. Contrail, meanwhile, maintained his placing under Yuichi Fukunaga while working his way to the outside for running room coming off the turn. Contrail had about six lengths to make up upon straightening but was soon rolling down the middle of the course as Authority (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) grabbed a short-lived lead from the tiring Kiseki approaching the 200. Authority's quest for a first Group 1 win was soon quelled by Contrail, who blew past under minimal urging with a furlong to run and drew clear to win by a widening two lengths. This year's G1 Tokyo Yushun scorer Shahryar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) got up for third, with Grand Glory staying on for fifth as she bowed out ahead of a sale date at Arqana December next weekend. Japan and Broome checked in eighth and 11th, respectively, under Yutaka Take and Ryan Moore. Japan was likewise running his last race before he heads to stud at Gestut Etzean in Germany.

Contrail's trainer Yoshito Yahagi said after seeing his stable star cross the wire for the final time, “All I have now is mixed feelings of relief and lonesomeness. In the colt's latest start [the Tenno Sho Autumn], he broke poorly so I told him while he was walking in the paddock earlier to stay calm at the start.

“It worried me a bit since the pace was slow and he wasn't in that good a position, but we had tuned him up to perfection and the colt gave us all he had in the straight. I have to admit I was under a lot of pressure during the two years he was at my stable, but I think it has helped me in becoming more mature, and I can't thank him enough. Wouldn't it be wonderful to win the Arc with an offspring of his someday?”

Fukunaga added, “All I did today was believe in him. He broke well and everything went just perfectly. He has given me every jockey's dream and I am utterly grateful. The colt shone a bright light over a gloomy year due to the pandemic last season. I'm relieved that we can send him off to his next career with this victory.”

Contrail was bringing to a close a distinguished career that began with victories at two in the G1 Hopeful S. and G3 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai S. Named Japan's champion 2-year-old off an unbeaten three-start campaign, Contrail picked up where he left off at three, rolling through the Japanese Triple Crown and also taking the G2 Kobe Shimbun Hai to once again earn divisional honours.

Grand Glory's trainer Gianluca Bietolini said of his mare's fifth-place finish, “I am very satisfied with her performance and her result at fifth-place. She appeared to lose a bit of balance and lean to the inside but thankfully Cristian [Demuro] got her back on her feet by the stretch. She's mentally very strong and the experience to run in the Japan Cup was fantastic for us. It's a great race and we would love to come back with another horse.” Grand Glory's rider Cristian Demuro added, “We couldn't have asked for a better result–having finished fifth in this competition is almost like winning for us. She was in super form, almost as good as when I rode her in the Prix Jean Romanet, which we won. The pace was very fast for this mare, but she handled it remarkably.”

Aidan O'Brien was represented in Tokyo by Pat Keating, who said of Japan, “The track may have been a bit too fast for this horse. He was able to secure a good spot but wasn't able to keep up with the pace.” Of Broome, he added, “He missed his break and that cost him.”

Pedigree Notes

Shinji Maeda's Contrail is the third foal out of Rhodochrosite (Unbridled's Song), who was bought by Maeda's brother Koji of North Hills Farms for $385,000 at Keeneland September in 2011. The daughter of American champion 2-year-old filly Folklore (Tiznow) was placed four times at two, and has a 2-year-old full-brother to Contrail who has run twice this year.

Contrail's page has been further boosted this season by the exploits across the pond of GI Belmont S. and GI Travers S. winner Essential Quality (Tapit), who is out of Folklore's half-sister Delightful Quality. Essential Quality was America's champion 2-year-old of 2020 and goes to stud in 2021 as a four-time Grade I winners with the likelihood of picking up another divisional championship first.

Sunday, Tokyo, Japan
JAPAN CUP-G1, ¥575,460,000, Tokyo, 11-28, 3yo/up, 2400mT, 2:24.70, fm.
1–CONTRAIL (JPN), 126, c, 4, by Deep Impact (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Rhodochrosite, by Unbridled's Song
                2nd Dam: Folklore, by Tiznow
                3rd Dam: Contrive, by Storm Cat
O-Shinji Maeda; B-North Hills; T-Yoshito Yahagi; J-Yuichi
Fukunaga; ¥303,822,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo & 3yo Colt-
Jpn, 11-8-2-1. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for
   the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Authority (Jpn), 126, c, 4, Orfevre (Jpn)–Rosalind (Jpn), by
Symboli Kris S. O-Silk Racing; B-Northern Farm; ¥121,092,000.
3–Shahryar (Jpn), 121, c, 3, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Dubai Majesty,
by Essence of Dubai. O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm;
¥75,546,000.
Margins: 2, 1HF, 3/4. Odds: 0.60, 6.10, 2.70.
Also Ran: Sanrei Pocket (Jpn), Grand Glory (GB), Uberleben (Jpn), Shadow Diva (Jpn), Japan (GB), Aristoteles (Jpn), Kiseki (Jpn), Broome (Ire), You Can Smile (Jpn), Mozu Bello (Jpn), Makahiki (Jpn), Lord My Way (Jpn), Muito Obrigado (Jpn), Windjammer (Jpn), Wagnerian (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart and video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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‘Of A Different Class’: Gran Alegria Concludes Her Career With Mile Championship Title In Japan

Race favorite Gran Alegria successfully defended her G1 Mile Championship title on Sunday at Japan's Hanshin Racecourse to become the first back-to-back winner since Daiwa Major (2006-07) and sixth overall. The classy daughter of Deep Impact ended her stellar racing career which saw her win six G1 titles—she won the Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) as a 3-year-old; the Yasuda Kinen, the Sprinters Stakes and the Mile Championship when four; the Victoria Mile and the Mile Championship this year as a 5-year-old—while also becoming the sixth female runner to exceed a career earning of ¥1.0 billion (over US$8.7 million).

Trainer Kazuo Fujisawa scored his 34th JRA-G1 victory—his first since the Victoria Mile with Gran Alegria—while the Mile Championship title was the sixth after with Shinko Lovely (1993), Taiki Shuttle (1997, 98), Zenno El Cid (2001) and Gran Alegria (2020), rewriting his own record for most Mile Championship titles won. Jockey Christophe Lemaire who also enjoyed consecutive Mile Championship victories along with Gran Alegria was last seen winning a G1 title in the Takarazuka Kinen with Chrono Genesis and has now reached a duo of milestones of 40 JRA-G1 victories and 1,500 JRA wins.

Gran Alegria was unhurried early and was rated a little further back than mid-division and just off the rails behind a slower than moderate pace led by Ho O Amazon. Making headway between horses from the 600-meter marker, the Deep Impact mare was angled out rounding the final turn for a clear path. While still having to make up ground along the widest lane, the multiple-G1 winner responded beautifully, edged closer with each stride and exploded into gear with a sharp turn of speed that timed 32.7 seconds in the last three furlongs to cross the wire by a 3/4-length margin.

“I am relieved and happy. The most important mission for me in her last run of her career was to bring out the best performance, her true form and she did just that. We were positioned a little further back but it didn't worry me much and she has this really good finishing speed at the stretch like she showed today. She's been a special horse since a 2-year-old, winning all those big races and today she showed us again that she's of a different class. I will miss her,” commented jockey Christophe Lemaire.

Schnell Meister was sharp out of the gate and eased back to mid-field while saving ground along the rails, was caught behind horses at early stretch and was angled out slightly before the Kingman colt picked up to join the eventual winner to rally for the lead passing the furlong pole, overtaking the tired early leaders on the inside and holding gamely for second while missing by less than a length.

Danon the Kid broke smoothly from gate 13 and moved up to along the outside to sit three-wide in mid-division. The Just a Way colt made his move as the eventual winner passed by on his outside and while Gran Alegria shifted further out rounding the final turn, Danon the Kid pushed his way between horses and turned in a sharp turn of speed that was still not good enough to deter Gran Alegria on his outside and Schnell Meister on the inside but enough to out-rally the rest for third place.

Other Horses:
4th: (7) Indy Champ—hugged rails around 5th, rallied for lead, held on well while overtaken by top finishers before wire
5th: (1) Ho O Amazon—set pace and led until 300m out, remained in contention, weakened in last 100m
6th: (4) Salios—settled around 3rd, took a command 300m out, weakened in last 100m
7th: (8) Darlington Hall—sat around 10th, responded well but lacked needed kick in last 200m
8th: (5) Sound Chiara—traveled around 5th, showed effort up to 200m marker
9th: (11) Catedral—was off a slow, ran around 14th, circled wide, lacked needed kick
10th: (6) Cadence Call—saved ground around 13th, angled out, showed belated charge
11th: (16) Rainbow Flag—trailed in rear, passed tired rivals at stretch
12th: (10) Lotus Land—settled 4-wide around seventh, checked 200m out, never threatened
13th: (9) Grenadier Guards—chased leaders around 3rd, ran gamely up to 200m marker, fell back
14th: (2) Kurino Gaudi—tracked leader in 2nd, faded after 200m pole
15th: (14) Ripresa—raced 3-wide around 10th, never fired at stretch
16th: (15) Sound Kanaloa—traveled 3-wide near rear, no factor

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