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Japan Cup: Almond Eye Bows Out With Victory In Battle Of Triple Crown Winners

Almond Eye reprised her triumph in the Japan Cup from a 2018 Horse of the Year campaign by defeating the undefeated duo of Triple Crown winner Contrail and filly Triple Crown winner Daring Tact in Sunday's 40^th edition of the Grade 1 international classic at a mostly empty Tokyo Race Course in Tokyo, Japan.

Ridden by Christophe Lemaire, the 5-year-old mare by Lord Kanaloa (a grandson of the former Lane's End stallion Kingmambo) charged to the lead in the final furlong, overtaking front-runner Kiseki – who had opened up as much as a 20-length advantage – and easily holding off Contrail by 1 ¼ lengths. Daring Silk was a neck back in third in the field of 15 that included just one international competitor, Way to Paris, who finished 10^th after delaying the start by refusing to be loaded into the starting gate.

For Almond Eye, it was the perfect way to end a career that included a record eight Grade 1 victories in Japan (plus one in Dubai) and career earnings of 1,915,263,900 (approximately $18.4 million). She won 11 of 15 starts overall with two seconds and one third. Among her victories were the three filly Triple Crown races in 2018, making this the first race in Japan featuring three Triple Crown winners.

Almond Eye ran the 2,400 meters (1 ½ miles) on a firm but visibly chewed up turf course in 2:23.0, more than two seconds slower than the course record of 2:20.6 she established in 2018.

Bred in Japan by Katsumi Yoshida's Northern Racing, Almond Eye races for the Silk Racing Co. Ltd. racing club and is trained by Sakae Kunieda. She was produced from the stakes-winning Sunday Silence mare Fusaichi Pandora, whose grandam, Sex Appeal (by Buckpasser), produced two European champions, El Gran Senor and Try My Best. Sex Appeal was produced from Best in Show (by Traffic Judge), a broodmare of the year whose other foals included Kentucky Oaks winner Blush With Pride. The latter's foals included Better Than Honour, dam of two Belmont Stakes winners and a broodmare of the year herself.

Yoshida indicated Almond Eye will be bred in 2021, possibly to Epiphaneia, the 2014 Japan Cup winner standing at the Yoshida family's Shadai Stallion Station. Epiphaneia is a son of Symboli Kris S, a grandson of Roberto. He was produced from Cesario, a daughter of the Sunday Silence stallion Special Week who came to the U.S. to win the Grade 1 American Oaks Invitational at Hollywood Park in 2005.

“Since this was her final start, it was very special for me and I'm thrilled we were able to win,” said Lemaire. “After winning the Victoria Mile in the spring, we had three weeks to get her prepared for the Yasuda Kinen in which she was second. She had an extra week this time and was tuned up beautifully. She was relaxed in the gate, broke smoothly and was able to sit in a good position. The turf condition near the rails was much better than last week so I don't think the inner draw was a problem. The pace was just right for her and she responded well in the stretch. The others closing in on us didn't worry me at all. Almond Eye is a perfect mare and doesn't have any weak points. Her career as a race horse ended today but I look forward to riding her children.”

Trainer Kunieda added: “She looked good since arriving at the racecourse—she has definitely matured mentally. We were worried about the rough going near the rails, but Christophe did a good job in finding a good path. The pace was ideal for Almond Eye and her response was totally different from that in the Tenno Sho (Autumn). Since expectations of an eighth G1 title were enormous in her last Tenno Sho start, we did feel pressure but today, all we wanted was for her to come back safe and sound. The victory is such a bonus, we couldn't be happier. She has given us so much excitement and joy and it has been fulfilling to be a part of her career. It would be great if I could be involved in training her colt or filly someday.”

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Japan Racing Association limited attendance to just over 4,500 in the cavernous racecourse that typically attracts over 100,000 fans for major Grade 1 races like the Japan Cup. Wagering on the Japan Cup was approximately $262 million, with $357 million bet on the day's program.

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Almond Eye First Japanese Horse To Capture Eight Grade 1 Titles

Overwhelming favorite Almond Eye showcased another compelling performance and claimed a back-to-back Tenno Sho (Autumn) title on Sunday, the first since Symboli Kris S in 2002 and 2003. While she is now the sixth horse to mark seven JRA-G1 wins, the 5-year-old Lord Kanaloa mare has gone down in history to become the first JRA horse ever to capture eight G1 titles over turf including the 2019 Dubai Turf.

This is the sixth triumph by a filly/mare this year in G1 races opened to both male and female runners, renewing the record of five set in 2008. Following the Victoria Mile victory with Almond Eye, trainer Sakae Kunieda now boasts a total of 18 JRA-G1 wins while jockey Christophe Lemaire has now 32 JRA-G1 wins in his pocket, his latest registered last month in the Sprinters Stakes with Gran Alegria. This is Christophe's third consecutive Tenno Sho (Autumn) victory following the 2018 version with Rey de Oro and 2019 with Almond Eye, and fifth consecutive Tenno Sho victory, a new JRA record, which includes the 2019 and 2020 Spring version with Fierement.

Almond Eye was placed in handy position, in fourth to fifth, after breaking from stall nine while Danon Premium led the field two to three lengths in front of Daiwa Cagney and Kiseki in that order. Chasing the three into the stretch, the star of the show had no trouble finding her stride, steadily accelerating to inherit the lead from Danon Premium just after the furlong pole and pulled away while holding off the strong enclosure of Fierement for a half-length victory.

“Today, the mare was relaxed before the start and we were able to break well. She showed a great turn of foot in the straight but ran out of steam a bit climbing the hill. The others were gaining on us but she didn't give up. I have to admit, to win the eighth G1 title was a big pressure, but she didn't let us down—her performance was awesome. Her future lay in the hands of the owner and trainer but I would very much like to ride her again,” commented a slightly teary Christophe Lemaire after the race.

Fifth pick Fierement traveled in around 10th behind Chrono Genesis and switched to the outside after struggling to find a clear path at the top of the stretch. Accelerating impressively with the fastest last-three-furlong speed and although unable to tag the winner, this year's victor of the spring version dug in well to cross the wire a neck in front of Chrono Genesis for second.

Second favorite Chrono Genesis sat in front of Fierement in the early stages, circled wide for the stretch run and with the second-fastest late drive, swooped pass the pacesetter less than 100 meters out but was caught by the runner-up at the wire.

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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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IFHA: COVID-19 Has Demanded Creativity, Yielded Innovation For Racing Broadcasters

The second of four digital panels of the 54th International Conference of Horseracing Authorities was released last week and focused on the evolution of racing media in the time of COVID-19

The conference, organized by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA), normally takes place in person in Paris the day after the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. This year's conference program focuses on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the international racing world. In this digital panel, broadcast media members were asked about the way their outlets have adapted to a socially distanced racetrack.

A few takeaways from the panel of media experts:

In Britain, viewership that would normally spike for main events and decrease for more pedestrian race days in between has remained more consistent throughout the past months, according to ITV's Francesca Cumani. It's hard to tell what this may mean, but Cumani hopes it's a sign fans are becoming more engaged with racing as they've had more time to devote to watching a horse prepare for a classic run.
In Japan, Japan Racing Association's Shigeru Suzuki said the country has seen a drastic increase in new account sign-ups for online wagering platforms. The number of registrants increased by 250,000 compared to pre-pandemic numbers, bringing the total to 4.7 million users. Suzuki also said the Green Channel, normally a pay-per-view way to watch the races at home, has been made available free of charge (though the online app is still paid). Total turnover in Japan year over year is similar to 2019 despite the lack of fan access during COVID-19.

Rob Hyland of NBC Sports said that although the disappearance of fans from the racetracks took away some of the magic from big races like the Kentucky Derby, the channel did its best to expand its use of technology to bring the fan experience to viewers at home. Capturing ambient sound became a bigger priority, now that conversations between riders and the sounds of horses galloping could be heard without background noise. More jockeys at this year's major races were wearing microphones and cameras. These extra points of access enabled remote analysis from anchors who were covering the race from out of state. The restrictions on media attendance also forced NBC to be more efficient — NBC's crew is normally over 300 for the Kentucky Derby, while this year it was less than 100.
In some ways, the silence at racetracks enhances the experience — Jason Richardson of Channel 7 and Racing.com recalled a moment when a jockey got a first Group 1 victory at Royal Randwick. Because there were no crowds shouting at the wire, Richardson was able to hear a group of jockeys behind the winner cheer for their colleague as the race finished.
In Australia, Channel 7 has brought the experience of celebrating owners to its viewers by asking ownership groups to film themselves watching the races or providing recordings of Zoom parties they use to virtually gather and watch races. Their energy doesn't translate exactly the same way, but still elevates the production, according to Richardson.
Cumani said that as racing has returned in Britain, broadcasters have had to be mindful of public perception when sending out images from the track. As happy as racing media were to be back, they had to be sensitive to the fact that daily life in the country remained disrupted.
“In England I think there's a big danger that racing is is seen as an elitist endeavor, and why should racing continue when other things can't?” she said.

Katherine Ford of Equidia and Sky Sports Racing echoed those sentiments from her viewpoint in France, agreeing that camera operators had to be careful not to inadvertently film someone who had pulled down their mask temporarily for a cigarette or a drink, lest viewers think racing personnel or racegoers were not masking properly. Hyland agreed, citing camera framing choices on Kentucky Oaks Day for some presenters whose backdrops were chosen so that the physical distancing between themselves and others would be clear to viewers.
Hyland recalled preparing for this year's Kentucky Derby weekend, when he tried to have more racing participants than usual wearing microphones for ambient sound. Trainer Bob Baffert, who Hyland characterizes as a bit superstitious, declined to wear one on Oaks Day since he felt confident about his chances with Gamine, worrying it would jinx him. He did agree to wear one for the Derby, where he felt less confident in his contenders. Of course, that meant NBC ended up with audio of his emotional reaction during Authentic's run.

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