Tag: Horse Racing

Ushba Tesoro Completes Japanese Desert Double in Dubai World Cup

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES — The pyrotechnics display following the conclusion of Saturday's Dubai World Cup program nearly matched those on the racetrack about 30 minutes earlier when Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) raced past a weakening Algiers (Ire) (Shamardal) in the final furlong to give Japan a first victory in a dirt renewal of the G1 Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline.

Not only was it the third victory on the night for the nation who took home five trophies 12 months ago, but it also gave Japan a sweep of the world's two richest races, following on Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn})'s stunning all-the-way success in the G1 Saudi Cup in Riyadh four weeks ago. Emblem Road (Quality Road)), upset winner of the Saudi Cup in 2022 and sixth this time around, flashed home for third ahead of the winner's compatriots T O Keynes (Jpn) (Sinister Minister) and Crown Pride (Jpn) (Reach the Crown {Jpn}), last year's G2 UAE Derby winner, in fourth and fifth, respectively. Defending champion Country Grammer (Tonalist) never landed a serious blow from his high draw and finished midfield.

“Everything went as planned,” said winning trainer Noboru Takagi. “Actually, when he first got here he was actually quite nervous and a bit toey ,but that was expected and as the days went by, he gradually got used to his environment and ran a great race. This is by far the greatest honour of my career.”

In No R-'Ush'

Whereas Panthalassa did not fare well at Wednesday's barrier draw, Ushba Tesoro landed a far softer barrier in gate eight, but he was clearly last to leave the stalls and Yuga Kawada–who has developed a reputation as a big-race rider with international wins over the last couple of seasons at meetings like the Breeders' Cup and the Longines Hong Kong International Races–was content to trail as they raced under the wire with a circuit to travel.

With Panthalassa expected to burn whatever fuel was necessary to come across the field and be a forward factor, the World Cup pace was a nickel on the dollar to be well above par, and so it proved. Under a hustling ride from Yutaka Yoshida, the Saudi Cup winner was indeed up to force the early issue, but the rail-drawn Remorse (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) was ridden in a surprisingly positive manner by Tadhg O'Shea and consigned his Japanese rival to a two-wide run rounding the first turn. The imposing Bendoog (Gun Runner) took back a bit and raced in the company of G1 Al Maktoum Challenge R3 winner Salute the Soldier (Ger) (Sepoy {Aus}), while Algiers allowed the speed to clear and was able to slot neatly into about the three path after departing stall 13.

Drone camera footage captured 14 of the 15 runners as they turned down the back straight, and it wasn't until the six-furlong pole that the shadow of Ushba Tesoro began to creep into view, still unhurried, as Remorse continued to materially impact the race shape underneath Panthalassa, who began to toss out distress signals with just under 800 metres to race. Bendoog, very much a questionable stayer at the mile and a quarter, was the first to come after his stablemate Remorse, but Algiers had traveled sweetly through the race under letter-perfect handling from James Doyle and came to win the race three deep three furlongs from home as a cheer went up from those longing for a home-based World Cup winner.

Algiers took command a quarter mile from home and appeared well on his way to a famous victory, but Kawada had steered Ushba Tesoro out and around a scuffling Saudi Cup third Cafe Pharoah (American Pharoah) and into the clear at the 500 metres and was steaming home down the centre. After looking an inevitable winner not 15 seconds earlier, Algiers was soon running on empty, and Ushba Tesoro carried his momentum all the way to the wire for a win that was reasonably easy in the end.

“It was his first time running overseas and there were queries on whether he'd travel as well as the fact it was his first time on the surface,” said Kawada, lovingly referred to at home as the 'King'. “He was training quite well over here this week and I knew the horse was in good condition, so it was just a matter of the horse keeping his head in the race and he did that very well today.

“There were eight Japanese horses in the field and aside from myself the only other Japanese jockey on a Japanese horse was Yutaka Yoshida on Panthalassa. I was on the horse for the first time today, but it was a tremendous honour to ride him and there was a lot of pressure as the leading Japanese jockey heading into the race.

“Thanks to the effort of the horse, he fought on very well and I'm very proud of myself as the leading Japanese jockey by winning the leading race in the world today.”

Takagi indicated that Ushba Tesoro could be considered for the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, but with a record of five-from-six on the dirt, it would be no surprise to see connections stay the current course.

Goodbye Turf, Hello Dirt

Ushba Tesoro made the first 22 starts of his career on the turf–no surprise there–but had only spotty success, with just three victories and five minor placings. He belied odds of 14-1 in winning a 2100-metre allowance in his dirt debut at Tokyo last April, and since returning from about five months on the shelf last September, had won his last four, including the G1 Tokyo Daishoten at Ohi Dec. 29 and a defeat of T O Keynes in the Listed Kawasaki Kinen over 10 1/2 testing furlongs Feb. 1. His success mirrors that of Jun Light Bolt (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}), who struggled on turf before winning last year's G1 Champions Cup. Jun Light Bolt was among Saturday's eight Japanese runners, but finished tailed off.

Not To Be For Country G

Frankie Dettori managed to salute aboard the remarkable three-peater Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G1 Dubai Turf, but there was no fairytale ending to his Meydan career, as defending World Cup champion Country Grammer was a listless seventh.

“He ran so big in Saudi Arabia and I was never going today,” the Italian said. “I pushed him but he felt lethargic. When they run so big, sometimes they take longer to recover than you think.”

Pedigree Notes:

On an afternoon where Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) stamped himself as one of the most worthy candidates for the race nearly every horse owner in Japan wants to win–the Arc–it seems only fitting that the winner of the world's second-richest horse race would be by the horse that broke the hearts of nearly every Japanese racing fan by snatching defeat from the jaws of victory on the Bois de Boulogne in 2012.

That Orfevre would go on to be a useful stallion is hardly surprising. What is more confounding is the fact that of his 25 black-type winners from six crops of racing age, nearly a third of them have earned their black-type victories on the dirt. Until Saturday, the 2021 GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff won by the Yoshito Yahagi-trained Marche Lorraine (Jpn) was the sire's most important dirt success, while Orfevre is also responsible for Group 3-winning sprinter Justin (Jpn), down the field in Saturday's G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, and the recently retired Group 3-winning and Group 1-placed racemare Gilded Mirror (Jpn). He is also the sire of four winners at the listed stakes level. Ushba Tesoro is one of three Orfevre stakes winners out of mares by the late King Kamehameha (Jpn).

Ushba Tesoro's second dam Sixieme Sens was ridden by Freddy Head to victory in the 1995 Listed Prix Bagatelle for trainer David Smaga and Mme Marc de Chambure and went on to continue her career in the US under the tutelage of the late Bobby Frankel for whom she won the GIII Athenia S. in New York and the GII Dahlia H. in 1996 and the GII San Gorgonio H. the following season. Dr Masatake Iida purchased Sixieme Sens for $750,000 when offered in foal to Gone West at the 1997 Keeneland November Sale and exported her to Japan. Her second foal for Iida's Chiyoda Farm Shizunai became the stakes-winning Bold Brian (Jpn) (Brian's Time), while Millefeui Attach, a three-time winner of better than $450,000, was Sixieme Sens's eighth produce and one of her nine winners from 12 to the races.

Ushba Tesoro races for the Ryotokuji Kenji Holdings Co., which has also campaigned the likes of US-bred listed winner Aurora Tesoro (Malibu Moon) and the multiple stakes winner and Group 1-placed Rieno Tesoro (Speightstown) to name but a few. Ushba Tesoro cost the operation ¥25 million ($219,250) as a foal when consigned by Chiyoda Farm to the 2017 JRHA Select Sales.

Millefeui Attach is also the dam of a 2-year-old colt by Asia Express (Henny Hughes) and a yearling filly from the first crop of 2019 G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen hero Mr Melody (Scat Daddy). The mare was most recently bred to Matera Sky (Speightstown), a Group 3-winning dirt sprinter at home and second in the 2019 G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen.

Saturday, Meydan, Dubai
DUBAI WORLD CUP SPONSORED BY EMIRATES AIRLINE-G1, $12,000,000, Meydan, 3-25, NH 4yo/up & SH 3yo/up, 10f, 2:03.25, ft.
1–USHBA TESORO (JPN), 126, h, 6, by Orfevre (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Millefeui Attach (Jpn),
                                  by King Kamehameha (Jpn)
                2nd Dam: Sixieme Sens, by Septieme Ciel
                3rd Dam: Samalex (GB), by Ela-Mana-Mou (Ire)
(¥25,000,000 Wlg '17 JRHJUL). O-Ryotokuji Kenji Holdings Co
Ltd; B-Chiyoda Farm Shizunai (Jpn); T-Noboru Takagi; J-Yuga
Kawada. $6,960,000. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Jpn, 29-9-1-5,
$9,286,384. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for
   the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free
   Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Algiers (Ire), 126, g, 6, Shamardal–Antara (Ger), by Platini
(Ger). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Hamdan Sultan Ali
Alsabousi; B-Godolphin (Ire); T-Simon & Ed Crisford.
$2,400,000.
3–Emblem Road, 126, h, 5, Quality Road–Venturini, by
Bernardini. ($230,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP; $80,000 2yo '20
OBSJUN). O-HRH Prince Saud bin Salman; B-Brushy Hill, LLC
(Ky); T-Ahmad Abdulwahid. $1,200,000.
Margins: 2 3/4, SHD, 3/4.
Also Ran: T O Keynes (Jpn), Crown Pride (Jpn), Bendoog, Country Grammar, Salute The Soldier (Ger), Remorse (Ire), Panthalassa (Jpn), Geoglyph (Jpn), Cafe Pharoah, Vela Azul (Jpn), Super Corinto (Arg), Jun Light Bolt (Jpn). VIDEO.

 

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Sibelius Neutralizes Switzerland In Golden Shaheen Thriller

The connections of SIBELIUS (g, 5, Not This Time–Fiery Pulpit, by Pulpit) have enjoyed themselves as much or more than anyone in the build-up to  the Dubai World Cup program and as night began to fall over Meydan Saturday, the chestnut just kept coming up the fence beneath Ryan Moore and dropped his head on the wire just ahead of defending champion Switzerland (Speightstown) to take the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored by Nakheel. Drawn the fence and over a dirt surface that had been playing kind enough to front-runners, Sibelius broke well but was outfooted and raced in about fifth position while hugging the fence. Fourth as Hopkins (Quality Road), Sound Money (Flatter) and Gunite (Gun Runner) lined up at the head of the lane, Moore–who had early won the G2 Dubai Gold Cup going two miles on the grass–was relentless, pumping with his left arm while using a right-handed stick and he managed to shove Sibelius across the line first in the tightest of tight photos. Sales history: $100,000 Wlg '18 KEENOV; $62,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEEJAN; $75,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP. O-Jun H Park & Delia Nash; B-Taylor Brothers Properties LLC, Pollock Farms, Patrick H. Payne et al; T-Jeremiah O'Dwyer.

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Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby Concludes at Nakayama

Sent off the 3-2 favorite, Mitono O (Jpn) (Logotype {Jpn}) led every step of the way en route to a 2 1/2-length victory in Saturday's nine-furlong Fukuryu S. (allowance) at rain-soaked Nakayama Racecourse. The win was worth 40 points on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby and secures connections a berth in the Run for the Roses should they choose to accept.

Soon in front for jockey Takuya Kowata, the blaze-faced chestnut went along comfortably on the lead, cruising through an opening 800-meter split of :49 flat and six furlongs in 1:13.1. Always traveling like a winner, Mitono O cut the corner into the stretch, pinched an unassailable advantage and proved easily best as Mokku Mokku (Jpn) (Danon Legend {Jpn}) closed off well down the center while no threat to the winner. Hero Call (Jpn) (Hokko Tarumae {Jpn}) was third (see below, SC 7).

A maiden winner at first asking going this distance at Chukyo in August, Mitono O was runner-up to future Listed Hyacinth S. hero and G2 UAE Derby entrant Perriere (Jpn) (Henny Hughes) in a seven-furlong allowance at Tokyo Nov. 12. He was a course-and-distance allowance winner when last seen Jan. 7.

A son of multiple Canadian Grade III winner Seductively (Thunder Gulch), who was purchased by Shadai Farm for $535,000 in foal to Bernardini at Keeneland November in 2008, Mitono O was an ¥18,700,000 graduate of the 2021 Hokkaido Selection Yearling Sale. His win Saturday took his earnings to north of ¥36 million.

Should the Derby invite not be accepted by the first-place finisher, the bid will be offered to the second-, third- and fourth-placegetters. Perriere currently sits on 30 points, while fellow UAE Derby entrant Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) has 20 points courtesy of his victory in the Listed Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun in December. The UAE Derby is a Derby qualifier separate and apart from the Japanese series and offers the winner 100 points.

 

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TDN Q & A: Godolphin Japan’s Harry Sweeney

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES — Answer: The G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen.

Question: What is the only race in the history of the Dubai World Cup that has never been won by the host?

That statement feels like an enormous anomaly, given all the success down the years at old Nad Al Sheba Racecourse and here at Meydan Racecourse, but true it is all the same. It is a record that Harry Sweeney, the president of the Japanese arm of Sheikh Mohammed's global operation, hopes will change this weekend when American-bred and -sourced Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid) takes on five U.S.-based sprinters and significant Japanese-bred challenge in the 1200-meter race.

Moments after the clean chestnut, bred in the names of former Darley executive Olly Tait and his wife, completed some light work under the early-morning lights at Meydan Wednesday, Sweeney graciously took a few minutes out of his busy schedule to talk about the acquisition of Lemon Pop, his rise to Group 1 winner and what the future may hold.

Alan Carasso: First of all, how has Lemon Pop come out of his victory in the G1 February S.?

Harry Sweeney: Yeah, he's come out well. It's a five-week gap, which we thought was reasonable, between the February S. and this race. He's a 5-year-old, but he's still very lightly raced. He's only raced 11 times. But I watched him warm up down there [in the 1600-meter chute] this morning. He's not at times the most fluent of movers, but he's moving well now. So I'm very pleased with that. The trainer seemed happy with him. He traveled reasonably well, a little bit off his food for the first few days, but he's back to grubbing. He's a big strong horse and he moved well this morning, so I'd say he's good.

AC: When did Lemon Pop arrive here into Dubai?

HS: He got in here last Tuesday, I believe. Tuesday of last week.

AC: Under the Paca Paca Farm banner, you guys selected him as a weanling at Keeneland ($70,000 in November 2018), and I know you guys tend to do that, pick them up as foals. What's the philosophy of buying them at that young age?

HS: Well, the reason is it's a model of logistics really, because, I mean, I'm buying these for Japan and of course if we buy in the yearling market, then it's pretty congested already with Godolphin people. We have the UK Godolphin team buying and also Shadwell buying when they were buying a lot of horses.

So we're the 'small boy' in the organization. So there was a lot of congestion in that area and it was just easier to buy them as foals, really, and to avoid that.

AC: And where do these types of purchases go after you buy them?

HS: He came to Japan, Lemon Pop was bought in November and he came straight to Japan, and so he spent his yearling year in Japan, on the farm.

AC: What was it about him that attracted you at Keeneland?

 

 

 

HS: Well, if I'm perfectly honest, I mean, I probably short-listed him on the basis that I thought he might run on turf. Lemon Drop Kid can get a few decent turf runners and the mare being by Giant's Causeway, I thought there's a chance this horse might run on turf. So I'd say that's the reason that I looked at him in the first place.

But when I did look at him, I mean, physically he's a very, very well-balanced, well-proportioned horse. I mean, I really, really like that about him. He was an average mover, but I thought he was just a very, very well-balanced horse. And that's the reason I bought him.

AC: Like you pointed out, he's only made the 11 starts but for eight wins and over $2.2 million in earnings. He's a 5-year-old now. Were there any serious issues, or just little niggling issues that kept him from stringing starts together?

HS: Yeah. Well, after he won–I think–his second start, I mean, he showed enormous talent initially. Even at the second start, we were already clear that this horse had the ability and we already had kind of marked him down as a Group 1 horse, maybe not a Group 1 winner, but a Group 1 horse. And we were considering and coming even to we kind of planning, really hoping, to come to the [G2] UAE Derby [in 2021]. But then fate intervened, hit a small issue. We took numerous X-rays and we had four different veterinary opinions, all different, the most expensive veterinary opinions in the world. He had what looked like a little bit of fracture line there. We were just a bit worried in the end and we opted to be conservative and so we gave him time off, which was probably the right decision. Because listen, we were aware of that ability and we didn't want to compromise that. We were happy to wait.

AC: Coming here, you had a choice between whether to stay at the mile [for the G2 Godolphin Mile] or cut back in trip for the Dubai Golden Shaheen. What ultimately led to the decision to keep him short?

HS: Firstly, the trainer always believes this horse is a sprinter. And even when we ran in the February S. over a mile, the trainer really wasn't that enthusiastic about him, to be honest. We had to kind of lean on him to even run in the February S., but I mean these decisions are made for us. There are only two Group1 races on dirt on the JRA [circuit]. So, where do you go if you have a horse of this caliber? You have little option, you must go there. And to be honest, we're thinking of his next career when he finishes as a stallion. I mean, he's already secured his place. It was important to win a Group 1 in Japan. And so that's why we went there. Okay. Now the reverse is true. That's why we're here as well. Where else would he go in Japan? The next Group 1 in the JRA on dirt is [the1800-meter G1 Champions Cup in December} and the trainer also wants to sprint. In fact, it was the trainer's preference initially to come here and avoid the February S., not even to run there.

So we'll see how he goes. It's a bit of an ask because he he's never run over six furlongs [Ed's Note: Lemon Pop broke his maiden at first asking going 1300 meters or 6 1/2 furlongs]. So that's a first for him. Equally, running on this type of dirt surface with the kickback, we're not sure about that. We have a young jockey aboard. The trainer is traveling his first horse abroad. We're all rookies here. It's a bit of an ask, but we feel there's little to be lost. To be honest, I vacillated between going for this or the Mile. We did it give it real consideration. I think when [champion and GI Breeders' Cup Sprint hero] Elite Power came out of the sprint and when we had a feeling that he wasn't going to come, that changed us. When he was in, we were going to go for the other race. So they were part of the reasons and the trainer's belief as well. He's a sprinter. Let's see how he goes.

AC: My next question sort of dovettails off of that. If he's not going to stretch out to nine furlongs, if he is not a horse for the Champion's Cup, what is there for him left at home? Any thoughts of sending him to the States?

HS: The February S. is a 'Win and You're In' race for the Breeders' Cup, the Classic, and I think we might be able to use it for a different race. I'd say we're not ruling out. These decisions might be much easier to make on Sunday, but we're not ruling it out. But he'll go back to Japan, we're going to give him a spell. He'll go to the farm straight away after the race one way or the other. There is a race called the JBC Sprint in Japan [Nov. 3], which is a local Japan Group 1 race. But even though it doesn't have international graded status, it's a big race in Japan and it's an extremely competitive race. And that's a six-furlong sprint. I wouldn't rule out a run in the Champions Cup either. We're ambitious in Japan. We have little to be restricted about it.

AC: And finally, How does it feel to have one of yours run here in front of the boss?

HS: Oh, that's very important. And listen, we hope he runs well and if he runs well, we'd be pleased. The boss is a true internationalist. And it's fashionable, so it would be nice to have. And this is the only race that Godolphin have never won, so it would be nice to tick that box.

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