Tag: Durezza

Superb Lemaire Steer Lands Durezza In Kikuka Sho Winner’s Enclosure

Sent off the fourth betting favourite at a little more than 6-1, the progressive Durezza (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) was given a cerebral ride by Christophe Lemaire in Sunday's G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) at Kyoto and raced away in the final 200 metres to defeat the winners of the first two legs of the Triple Crown–G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) hero Tastiera (Jpn) (Satono Crown {Jpn}) and market leader Sol Oriens (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}), victorious in the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) in the spring.

Only once beaten and winner of four starts on the trot in the lower grades, Durezza was away fairly from barrier 17 and was clicked up by Lemaire to take up the running after 400 metres, sliding over to the inside running rail as the Kikuka Sho field raced past the stands first time round. Positions were largely unchanged rounding the second of the three bends, but the complexion of the race changed somewhat when 300-1 chance Pax Ottomanica (Jpn) (Victoire Pisa {Jpn}) overtook Durezza with 1400 metres to travel, but Lemaire remained unfazed and unhurried, allowing his mount to lob along, and when Libyan Knight (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) went for a similarly early run, Durezza was relegated to third spot. Traveling strongly on the back of Libyan Knight nearing the straight, Durezza was produced by Lemaire off heels, took over 300 metres out and kicked on smartly for the victory. Tastiera, having his first run since the Derby, emerged from the pack to finish a non-threatening second for a Carrot Farm 1-2, while Sol Oriens was wide throughout and made belated progress to be third.

“He made a flying start and was keen to go, so I decided to let him take the lead,” said Lemaire, winning his 46th Group 1 on the JRA a week ahead of the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn), where he rides defending champion Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}). “He responded well between the third and last corner which made me confident that he was going to close strongly. When he accelerated in the stretch, I knew we were going to win. To see him beat such a strong field today over the 3000-metre distance means we can look forward to him doing well among Group 1 company over 2000 and 2400 meters also.”

 

 

Pedigree Notes:

For the gone-too-soon Duramente–also the sire of Filly Triple Crown heroine Liberty Island (Jpn)–Durezza is a 17th stakes winner, 12th group winner and a sixth Group 1 winner from four crops of racing age. His sons and daughters have accounted for no fewer than seven Triple Crown races, including 2021 Kikuka Sho victor Titleholder (Jpn).

Like Liberty Island, Durezza was produced by an Australian-bred mare. Bred by Raffles Dancers (NZ) Pty Ltd, More Than Sacred was campaigned in New Zealand, where she won the G1 New Zealand Oaks over 2400 metres and was a fast-finishing third to Who Shot Thebarman (NZ) (Yamanin Vital {NZ}) in the G1 Auckland Cup going 3200 metres. More Than Sacred, acquired privately and relocated to Japan in 2015, produced six foals in the country, including the as-yet unraced 2-year-old filly Divinest (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) and a yearling filly by King Kamehameha (Jpn)'s Tokyo Yushun-winning son Rey de Oro (Jpn).

More Than Sacred, a full-sister to Raffles Dancers's multiple Malaysian stakes winner Sacred Empire (NZ) and from the family of GI Breeders' Cup Turf hero Northern Spur (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), cost ¥9.35 million (about $63,141) and was one of 13 mares purchased by Yuesheng Zhang's Yulong Investments out of the Northern Farm Mixed Sale in October 2022. Exported to Ireland, the mare produced a colt by Bricks and Mortar (Giant's Causeway) this past May 8 and was most recently bred to Frankel (GB) on Southern Hemisphere time.

 

Sunday, Kyoto, Japan
KIKUKA SHO (JAPANESE ST LEGER)-G1, ¥418,620,000, Kyoto, 10-22, 3yo, c/f, 3000mT, 3:03.10, gd/fm.
1–DUREZZA (JPN), 126, c, 3, by Duramente (Jpn)
1st Dam: More Than Sacred (Aus) (G1SW-NZ, $351,755), by More Than Ready
2nd Dam: Danalaga (Aus), by Danehill
3rd Dam: Tamarino (Ire), by Caerleon
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-Carrot Farm Co Ltd; B-Northern Farm; T-Tomohito Ozeki; J-Christophe Lemaire; ¥227,034,000. Lifetime Record: 6-5-0-1, ¥282,271,000. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.
2–Tastiera (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Satono Crown (Jpn)–Partitura (Jpn), by Manhattan Cafe (Jpn). O-Carrot Farm Co Ltd; B-Northern Farm; T-Noriyuki Hori; J-Joao Moreira; ¥87,724,000.
3–Sol Oriens (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Kitasan Black (Jpn)–Skia (Fr), by Motivator (GB). O-Shadai Race Horse; B-Shadai Farm;T-Takahisa Tezuka; J-Takeshi Yokoyama; ¥53,862,000.
Margins: 3HF, 1HF, 3/4. Odds: 6.30, 3.70, 1.70.
Also Ran: Libyan Glass (Jpn), Savona (Jpn), Hearts Concerto (Jpn), Meiner Laulea (Jpn), Night in London (Jpn), Phantom Thief (Jpn), Satono Glanz (Jpn), Shonan Bashitto (Jpn), Season Rich (Jpn), Win Odin (Jpn, Top Knife (Jpn), Nocking Point (Jpn), Danon Tornado (Jpn), Pax Ottomanica (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart.

 

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Sol Oriens, Tastiera Face Rubber Match In Kikuka Sho

While there is no Triple Crown at stake this season, Sunday's G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) over about a mile and seven furlongs (3000 metres) shapes an intriguing affair nonetheless, with the winners of the first two legs locking horns with–potentially–champion 3-year-old honours at stake.

Shadai Farm's Sol Oriens (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) was late to begin his career, but was a quick study, winning his first three trips to the post and overcoming some immature habits to best Tastiera (Jpn) (Satono Crown {Jpn}) by a clear margin in the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) back in April. Sent off at odds-on to keep the streak alive in the G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) six weeks later, the homebred conceded first run to Tastiera and got home nicely, but too late, as he finished a neck second. Sol Oriens has the benefit of a prep run, a torrid-trip second from a wide alley in the 2200-metre G2 Asahi Hai St. Lite Kinen Sept. 18. It will be up to Takeshi Yokoyama to work out a trip from barrier 14 on Sunday.

“It was a pity about the result last time, but there were no problems with him after it, and it was a good-enough result to look to this next race with him,” said Yokoyama. “He's currently not too tense, and he's worked well right up to the end of his training. I'd like some revenge for the Derby, so I'm hoping for a good result.”

 

 

 

Joao Moreira is in to ride Tastiera for Noriyuki Hori in his first start since the Derby, where he was piloted by Australia's Damian Lane. The Carrot Farm colourbearer defeated Top Knife (Jpn) (Declaration of War) by a length when prepping for the Guineas in March, but was soundly beaten by 1 1/4 lengths in the first leg of the Triple Crown. He was perhaps a fraction fortunate that Sol Oriens did not commence his stretch rally a bit sooner at Tokyo, as Lane breathed a sigh of relief, and he'll critically be spotting Sol Oriens race-readiness this weekend.

“He has a lot of stamina, and he doesn't show any sign of stopping when he's running, so I think he can take on his opponents this time without any worries,” the conditioner commented. “It was a very hot summer, and I think it's to his advantage that he's coming back for a race just now, even though that wasn't the original plan.”

There is plenty of depth in Sunday's race beneath the top two. Hearts Concerto (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) ran home to be a brave third at longshot odds in the Derby and he, too, has a tightener under his belt, having finished a close fifth behind Derby 11th Satono Glanz (Jpn) (Satono Diamond {Jpn}), Savona (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) and Phantom Thief (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB})–eighth in the Derby–in the G2 Kobe Shimbun Hai (2400m) Sept. 24. Top Knife has also since franked the Derby form with an outstanding runner-up effort to the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn)-bound budding superstar Prognosis (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G2 Sapporo Kinen Aug. 20. Nocking Point (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}), a sound fifth behind Tastiera at Tokyo, resumed with a victory in the G3 Niigata Kinen Sept. 3.

Durezza (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), whose sire provided 2021 Kikuka Sho hero Titleholder (Jpn), gets his most serious test to date, but has earned the right to be here with four wins on the trot in the lower grades.

“He's been moving well and not showing any tiredness,” said Christophe Lemaire, who sees fit to take the call. “It's a big challenge in a Group 1, but he has potential and I think he has a chance.”

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