Lord Kanaloa (Jpn) | Horse Racing Free Tips

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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Lord Kanaloa Leads 30-Strong Shadai Roster

Lord Kanaloa (GB) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) leads the Shadai Stallion Station roster for 2021. The sire of recent dual G1 Japan Cup heroine and Horse of the Year Almond Eye (Jpn), he will command ¥15,000,000 (US$143,654/£107,013/€119,227) tops among the 30-member roster next year. Shadai welcomes three new recruits for the upcoming breeding season-GI Arkansas Derby hero Nadal (Blame) (¥4,000,000), G1 Irish 2000 Guineas victor Siskin (First Defence) (¥3,500,000) and G1 Champions Cup winner Le Vent Se Leve (Jpn) (Symboli Kris S) (¥1,500,000).

A trio of stallions stand at ¥10,000,000 and are already fully booked for 2021-dual Japanese Classic scorer Duramente (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}); Epiphaneia (Jpn) (Symboli Kris S), the sire of this year’s Japanese Fillies’ Triple Crown victress Daring Tact (Jpn); and young sire Kizuna (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). Maurice (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}), the “Beast from the East”, will stand for ¥8,000,000. The 2019 Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar (Giant’s Causeway), who retired to Shadai for 2020, will command ¥6,000,000, as will fellow second-year sire and MG1SW Rey de Oro (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}). A price of ¥4,000,000 has been set for Harbinger (GB) (Dansili {GB}), the sire of globetrotting MG1SW Deirdre (Jpn), as well as for Rulership (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}), sire of 15 black-type winners. Dual G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe hero Orfevre (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn})’s fee is ¥2,500,000, while New Year’s Day (Street Cry {Ire}), whose best progeny is notorious MGISW Maximum Security, is at ¥2,500,000. Two sons of the breeding-shaping Sunday Silence remain on the roster and the venerable pair of Daiwa Major (Jpn) and Heart’s Cry (Jpn) are both listed as private.

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Almond Eye Claims Second Japan Cup in Triple Crown Trifecta

The 2020 G1 Japan Cup delivered on its billing as primarily a three-way battle between 2018 Fillies’ Triple Crown Winner Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) and this year’s undefeated pair of Triple Crown hero Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and 2020 Fillies’ Triple Crown victress Daring Tact (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}). The 2400-metre contest went to Silk Racing’s 2018 Horse of the Year duly saluting as the 6-5 favourite over second choice Contrail at 9-5. Daring Tact narrowly secured third place as the 5-2 third pick.

When the gates opened, Almond Eye was away in good order from stall two and pilot Christophe Lemaire positioned the star mare near the rails in a stalking fourth as 2017 G1 Japanese St Leger hero Kiseki (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) took up his preferred position on the engine. Daring Tact settled a few lengths off Almond Eye in seventh, while Contrail was farther back in ninth. Kiseki quickly opened up a 20-length advantage on the rest of the field, covering the first 1000 metres in a swift :57.90 and getting the mile in 1:33.10.

It appeared for a handful of strides that Kiseki had perhaps poached too great of an advantage a quarter mile from home, but that was an illusion, as the sharp fractions began to viably wear on the frontrunner almost immediately thereafter. Almond Eye was letting down with authority and she set her sights on 2019 G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase victor Glory Vase (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who was gaining on Kiseki with every stride. Out in the middle of the course, Contrail was making his patented run, as was Daring Tact a few paths toward the inside, with last year’s runner-up Curren Bouquetd’or (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) also in the mix.

Almond Eye gained the lead at the 150-metre mark, and asserted from there to withstand the withering late burst from Contrail by 1 1/4 lengths in her career finale. Only a neck separated the 2020 Triple Crown winners, with Daring Tact a nose to the good of fourth-place Curren Bouquetd’or. She in turn was only a neck in front of Glory Vase. The brave pacesetter Kiseki faded to eighth. European raider Way To Paris (GB) (Champs Elysees {Jpn}), a winner of the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and reluctant to load on Sunday, was outrun for the majority of the contest, but passed some tiring rivals to finish 10th.

“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.”

Added trainer Sakae Kunieda on Almond Eye who was winning her eighth JRA Group 1 and ninth overall, “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 Group 1 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.”

Second in a newcomers’ race in August of 2017, she rattled off seven straight wins afterward, encompassing a maiden that October, before a score in the G3 Nikkan Sports Sho Shinzan Kinen to open her 3-year-old year. After winning the Japanese Fillies’ Triple Crown, Almond Eye saluted in her first Japan Cup in November of 2018 and was named the Japanese Horse of the Year and Champion 3-Year-Old Filly. She took her show on the road with a win in the G1 Dubai Turf in 2019, before a shock third in the G1 Yasuda Kinen in June of 2019. Back on top in the first of two G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) wins, the bay was unplaced in the G1 Arima Kinen at Nakayama last December. First in the May 17 G1 Victoria Mile, Almond Eye was second in the Yasuda Kinen locally in June.

A winner of the Tenno Sho (Autumn) last out, Almond Eye became the first JRA horse to capture eight Group 1 races over turf with that race. Adding in the spoils of her second Japan Cup victory, Almond Eye retires with a mark of 15-11-2-1 and ¥1,915,263,900 (US$18,393,937/£13,819,626/€15,374,801) in earnings, becoming the richest runner in JRA history. Breeding plans have not been decided.

Pedigree Notes

One of four Group 1 winners and 23 total black-type winners for her sire, Almond Eye is a member of her sire’s first crop. Fusaichi Pandora has produced 10 foals so far, with eight winners from eight runners. Besides Almond Eye, the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup bridemaid’s next most decorated offspring would be the Listed Anemone S. third Unakite (Jpn) (Johannesburg), while her latest is a juvenile by Rulership (Jpn).

Almond Eye’s second dam is an unraced Nureyev half-sister to champions and successful sires El Gran Senor (Northern Dancer) and Try My Best (Northern Dancer), as well as Irish highweight Solar (Halo). The quartet are out of blue hen Sex Appeal (Buckpasser), herself a half-sister to Malinowski (Sir Ivor), GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Blush With Pride (Blushing Groom {Fr}), and GSW Monroe (Sir Ivor).

Sunday, Tokyo, Japan
JAPAN CUP-G1, ¥574,620,000 (US$5,519,130/£4,146,327/€4,613,255), Tokyo, 11-29, 3yo/up, 2400mT, 2:23.00, fm.
1–ALMOND EYE (JPN), 121, m, 5, Lord Kanaloa (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Fusaichi Pandora (Jpn) MSW & G1SP-Jpn,
                                $3,264,457, by Sunday Silence
                2nd Dam: Lotta Lace, by Nureyev
                3rd Dam: Sex Appeal, by Buckpasser
O-Silk Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-Sakae Kunieda;
J-Christophe Lemaire. ¥303,234,000. Lifetime Record:
HotY-Jpn, Ch. 3yo Filly-Jpn, Filly Triple Crown-Jpn, Hwt. Older
Mare-UAE, MG1SW-Jpn, G1SW-UAE, 15-11-2-1,
¥1,915,263,900. *1/2 to Unakite (Jpn) (Johannesburg), SP-Jpn,
$290,564. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Contrail (Jpn), 121, c, 3, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Rhodochrosite,
by Unbridled’s Song. O-Shinji Maeda; B-North Hills (Jpn);
¥120,924,000.
3–Daring Tact (Jpn), 117, f, 3, Epiphaneia (Jpn)–Daring Bird
(Jpn), by King Kamehameha (Jpn). (¥12,000,000 Ylg ’18
JRHAJUL). O-Normandy Thoroughbred Racing; B-Hasegawa
Farm (Jpn); ¥75,462,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, NK, NO. Odds: 1.20, 1.80, 2.70.
Also Ran: Curren Bouquetd’or (Jpn), Glory Vase (Jpn), World Premiere (Jpn), Mikki Swallow (Jpn), Kiseki (Jpn), Makahiki (Jpn), Way to Paris (GB), Perform a Promise (Jpn), You Can Smile (Jpn), Crescendo Love (Jpn), Taurus Gemini (Jpn), Yoshio (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart & video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Lord Kanaloa’s Know It All Strikes At Leopardstown

Not having the rub of the green when runner-up in the G3 Leopardstown Fillies Trial S. over seven furlongs last time June 9, Qatar Racing’s Know It All (GB) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) took a sizeable step forward to dominate Wednesday’s G3 Derrinstown Stud Fillies S. over another furlong at that venue. Always travelling with ease in a pocket on the rail tracking the leading duo, the 3-1 second favourite struck the front approaching the furlong pole en route to a 2 1/4-length defeat of Celestial Object (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), with TDN Rising Star Ridenza (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) 1 1/4 lengths away in third.

“She’s a really nice filly who was a bit unlucky the last day and had a tough draw today, but I thought Ben [Coen] gave her a great ride,” trainer Johnny Murtagh said. “It’s a tough place around here and sometimes you can be unlucky, but you have to ride the good ones like that. At the start of the year, I didn’t know whether she’d get a mile but now seven or a mile makes no difference. She didn’t have a hard race last time and I was delighted. Her work had been good since, she’s not short of speed and she’s a big, powerful filly who travels well. I think there’s more to come–I entered her in the [G1] Matron [S. at Leopardstown Sept. 12] and that could be the big one for her. I’ll speak to Sheikh Fahad, but she could end up there.”

Mick Halford said of the returning Ridenza, “They didn’t got fast enough for her, as she’s a big-striding filly but it was important to get her in and get her settled. She paid the price in the final furlong and could have been second, but at least we now have her back and we know where we are with her so we can go from there.”

Know It All, who had also won the Loder Irish EBF Fillies Race, finished seventh in the G2 Debutante S. and third in the G3 Weld Park S. all at The Curragh as a juvenile, becomes the first European black-type winner for her sire, who stands at the Shadai Stallion Station. She is a half-sister to the speedy G3 Flying Five and G3 Dubai Airport World Trophy winner Astrophysical Jet (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and to Coral Wave (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) who captured the G3 C L Weld Park S. that Know It All was third in and also the Listed Flame of Tara S.

Her unraced dam is a daughter of The Queen’s Highbrow (GB) (Shirley Heights {GB}), who was runner-up in the G2 Ribblesdale S. prior to producing the GII San Luis Rey H., GII Sunset H. and G2 Jockey Club S. winner Blueprint (Ire) (Generous {Ire}). She is also the second dam of the G1 Queen Elizabeth S. hero Kingdom of Fife (GB) (Kingmambo) and the G1 Coronation Cup and G1 Prix Royal-Oak winner Ask (GB) (Sadler’s Wells). The third dam is the G1 1000 Guineas and G1 Prix de Diane heroine Highclere (GB), responsible for the talented racemare and amazing producer Height of Fashion (Fr) (Bustino {GB}), which links the winner to the likes of Nashwan, Nayef and Deep Impact (Jpn). Common Knowledge is 20 now, but she has still produced a filly foal by Roaring Lion. Her 2-year-old colt Mindpower (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) was purchased by Roger Varian for 120,000gns at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1.

Wednesday, Leopardstown, Ireland
DERRINSTOWN STUD FILLIES S.-G3, €50,000, Leopardstown, 7-1, 3yo, f, 8fT, 1:42.41, gd.
1–KNOW IT ALL (GB), 128, f, 3, by Lord Kanaloa (Jpn)
1st Dam: Common Knowledge (GB), by Rainbow Quest
2nd Dam: Highbrow (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB)
3rd Dam: Highclere (GB), by Queen’s Hussar (GB)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Qatar Racing Limited; B-Qatar Bloodstock Ltd (GB); T-Johnny Murtagh; J-Ben Coen. €30,000. Lifetime Record: 6-2-1-1, $71,782. *1/2 to Astrophysical Jet (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), GSW-Ire, GSW-Eng, $174,376; 1/2 to Coral Wave (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}), GSW-Ire, $117,963. Werk Nick Rating: D+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Celestial Object (Ire), 128, f, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Sea Siren (Aus), by Fastnet Rock (Aus). O-Newtown Anner Stud Farm Ltd; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Jessie Harrington. €10,000.
3–Ridenza (Ire), 128, f, 3, Sea the Stars (Ire)–Raydara (Ire), by Rock of Gibraltar (Ire). O-H.H. Aga Khan; B-His Highness the Aga Khan’s Studs S.C. (IRE); T-Mick Halford. €5,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, 1 1/4, 1. Odds: 3.00, 10.00, 4.00.
Also Ran: Amma Grace (Ire), Faire Croire (Ire), Schroders Mistake (Ire), So Wonderful, Tango (Ire), Apricot Moon (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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