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Lucky Lilac Becomes Fourth Mare To Win Back-To-Back Queen Elizabeth II Cup In Japan

Race favorite Lucky Lilac defended her title in Sunday's Queen Elizabeth II Cup in Japan to become the fourth mare to accomplish the feat following Mejiro Dober (1998-99), Admire Groove (2003-04) and Snow Fairy (2010-11) from Great Britain. She is the first horse to capture three G1 titles at Hanshin Racecourse, which include the 2017 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (1,600m) and this year's Osaka Hai (2,000m).

After her Osaka Hai victory in April, the 2017 Best Two-Year-Old Filly finished sixth in the Takarazuka Kinen (G1, 2,200m) in June and third in the following Sapporo Kinen (G2, 2,000m) in August before claiming her fourth G1 title in this race. This win marked trainer Mikio Matsunaga's sixth career JRA-G1 title (including steeplechases) following Lucky Lilac's Osaka Hai victory. Jockey Christophe Lemaire who partnered with the mare for the first time captured his 33rd JRA-G1 win following his Tenno Sho (Autumn) title with Almond Eye just two weeks ago and his second Queen Elizabeth II Cup title following his win in 2008 with Little Amapola.

Breaking smoothly from the outermost draw, Lucky Lilac settled in mid-division behind Loves Only You, around 12th from the front, edged forward toward the end of the backstretch and continued to advance turning the corners wide. The defending champion immediately made bid entering the corner, assumed command 300 meters out and held off the strong charges from behind in the last 100 meters to cross the wire a neck in front.

“The outermost draw was a concern but we were able to race smoothly and advance our position from the third corner. She was very composed and gave her usual turn of speed. We took the front early in the stretch but she held on well until the end. She's a strong horse. She has been racing at the top level since her two-year-old season and I had confidence in her,” commented Christophe Lemaire

Fifth choice Salacia traveled wide toward the rear, around 14th, while eyeing the race favorite on the outside. The Deep Impact mare took a wide route rounding the final corner and dislodged a powerful late charge that timed the fastest last three furlongs to nail Loves Only You before the wire but was a neck short to finish second.

Third favorite Loves Only You traveled around 11th, made headway after being overtaken by the eventual winner and angled wide for the stretch run. The four-year-old bay showed the second fastest late charge to close in on the winner but had too much to make up while surrendering the runner-up seat to Salacia before the wire for third.

Other Horses:
4th: (12) Win Marilyn—tracked leaders in 3rd, ran willingly along rails, weakened in final strides
5th: (8) Centelleo—settled 3rd from rear, angled out, showed belated charge
6th: (4) Soft Fruit—sat in 5th, ran gamely until 200m pole, failed to sustain bid
7th: (5) Ria Amelia—tracked distant leader in 2nd, chased winner but weakened in last 200m
8th: (1) Shadow Diva—traveled around 7th along rails, outrun between 3rd and final corner, passed tired rivals
9th: (2) Something Just—took economic trip in 4th, boxed in turning last corners, even paced
10th: (16) Miss New York—ran around 9th, showed brief effort until 200m pole
11th: (14) Satono Garnet—settled in 2nd from rear, circled wide, never fired
12th: (3) Lune Rouge—saved ground around 9th, lacked needed kick while met traffic at 200m pole
13th: (15) Uranus Charm—sat 3-wide around 14th, advanced and entered in 3rd to lane, ran out of steam
14th: (9) Win Mighty—raced around 7th, met traffic 300m out, showed little
15th: (7) Rosa Glauca—broke poorly, hugged rails around 12th, found little room rounding last corners
16th: (6) Normcore—set pace, 5-6 lengths in front of rest of field in backstretch, faded after 200m pole
17th: (17) Espoir—traveled around 5th early, improved position, outrun after final corner
18th: (10) Caro Bambina—disadvantage at break, trailed in rear, no factor

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Lucky Lilac Looks To Go Back-To-Back in QE II Cup

Sunday Racing’s Lucky Lilac (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) looks to become the first horse since the talented Snow Fairy (GB) (Intikhab) in 2010-2011 to register back-to-back victories in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2200m), to be staged this year and next at Hanshin Racecourse while Kyoto Racecourse undergoes major renovations.

The daughter of American Grade I winner Lilacs and Lace (Flower Alley) led home a female one-two in the G1 Osaka Hai (2000m) at this track in early April, besting the talented Chrono Genesis (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}), before finishing sixth to that rival in the G1 Takarazuka Kinen over course and distance June 28. Last year’s G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase runner-up has a single appearance since, a sound third to the re-opposing Normcore (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) in the G2 Sapporo Kinen Aug. 23 in the far northern part of Japan. She’ll have to work out a trip from gate 18 with Christophe Lemaire in the saddle.

“After the Takarazuka Kinen, she was in good shape so I decided to race her in the Sapporo Kinen and, despite the long haul to the venue and all, she really tried hard, as she does,” trainer Mikio Matsunaga commented. “She returned to Ritto about a month again and has gotten a lot of work. She looked good this week too.”

Mirco Demuro, who has been aboard Lucky Lilac for all four of her runs this season, has the call atop 2019 G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) victress Loves Only You (Jpn), one of seven daughters of the late Deep Impact (Jpn) in the field of 18. Third, beaten 1 1/2 lengths in this event last year, the bay filly has yet to break through in three starts this term and was fractionally disappointing when only fifth to Salacia (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G2 Fuchu Himba S. at Tokyo Oct. 17.

Centelleo (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) looms an interesting alternative to the three market leaders. Fourth and not beaten far in last year’s QE II, the 5-year-old missed narrowly in the G3 Mermaid S. in June and prepped for this with a runner-up effort to 2019 G1 Japan Cup second-place finisher Curren Bouquetd’or (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G2 All Comers S. over this trip at Nakayama Sept. 27.

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Japan: Trio Of Grade 1 Winners Line Up For Sunday’s Queen Elizabeth II Cup

This week's top racing action moves from Tokyo to western Japan and the Sunday, Nov. 15 Queen Elizabeth II Cup.

Unlike other years, the Yodo fall tradition will be held, not at Kyoto Racecourse, but at Hanshin, due to the massive renovation under way at the former. It's not the first time the all-female Grade 1 will be held at Hanshin. Hanshin hosted the 2,200-meter turf competition back in 1979, the year the current Kyoto grandstand was built.

This year marks the 45th running of the Queen Elizabeth II Cup. The race, which used to serve as the final leg of the filly triple crown, was opened to older females in 1996, and since then, first prize has gone to a 3-year-old only eight times. This year, 19 fillies and mares aged 3 to 5 have been nominated to fill the race's 18 berths.

There are three Grade 1 winners in the mix – last year's champion Lucky Lilac, 2019 Japanese Oaks winner Loves Only You and the 2019 Victoria Mile victor Normcore. Youth figures strongly in this year's field. Six youngsters are set to go up against the formidable older ladies, and though none of the 3-year-olds are Grade 1 winners, participating will be this year's Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) runner-up Win Marilyn and third-place finisher Win Mighty, as well as the third-place finisher in the Shuka Sho, Soft Fruit.

The difference in venues, however, will make study of past results largely moot. The courses are similarly shaped and at both the race starts far to the right of the grandstand. Races are also run to the right at both Kyoto and Hanshin (the inner and outer course, respectively), but there are marked differences in their respective 2,200-meter courses.

At Hanshin, the distance to the first turn is more than half a furlong longer than at Kyoto, allowing for more room to maneuver from the break. And, the track is downhill, resulting in faster first lap times. At Kyoto there is a significant backstretch upgrade, which causes speed to pick up as the track drops turning out of the backstretch and disadvantage horses on the outside around the turn and into the straight.

Additionally, at Hanshin, there is a slight hill just before the finish line that starts 200 meters out and rises two meters over about 150 meters.

Also, rather than a brilliant final burst of speed, the Hanshin 2,200 (its most notable race being the Grade 1 Takarazuka Kinen) tends more to favor horses who can run at a good steady speed over a long distance. But the homestretch is shorter than Kyoto's and adds to the fun.

Here's a look at some standouts:

Lucky Lilac – A big chestnut like her sire Orfevre, Lucky Lilac is expected to be the favorite Sunday. Highly consistent, the 5-year-old mare suffered her only finish out of Top 3 since spring 2019 in this year's Takarazuka Kinen. She had won the Grade 1 Osaka Hai over the Hanshin 2,000 meters before that and last out, in the Grade 2 Sapporo Kinen, she finished third after racing in second position and leaving herself open to studied attack. Lucky Lilac was runnerup in the last year's Hong Kong Vase and, amid all-female competition, will be a hard one to beat. The relatively long time between races, however, is a concern. “She went to the farm after her last race and was back at Ritto on Oct. 9,” says trainer and former jockey Mikio Matsunaga, “but she didn't quite meet expectations in her work Nov. 4, though still moved well. She has come along well though and this time, I think it'll be ideal if she can hold back and race from midfield like she did last year.”

Loves Only You – The 4-year-old Loves Only You, by Deep Impact, finished third here last year and had preceded that six months earlier with a win of the Japanese Oaks. This year, she was already in Dubai when racing was cancelled and started the year with the Grade 1 Victoria Mile and a seventh-place result. Though she won a 1-win class race over the distance, the mile has never been her best. The Victoria Mile was followed with a second in the Grade 3 Naruo Kinen at Hanshin, after which she returned a full 12 kg heavier nearly four months later to take on her first heavy track, resulting in a fifth-place finish in the Oct. 17 Grade 2 Fuchu Himba Stakes. Improvement is expected. Trainer Yoshito Yahagi is on a roll this year and looking to scoop his fifth Grade 1 win of 2020.

Normcore – The Harbinger-sired 5-year-old Normcore beat the boys and topped the field in the Sapporo Kinen last start and put 2 1/2 lengths between her and Lucky Lilac in doing so. Though most of her recent outings have been over the mile, including a 4th-place finish in this year's Yasuda Kinen only 0.1 seconds behind Almond Eye and her record win of the Victoria Mile in 2018, Normcore has scored two of her career six wins over 10 furlongs. She was fifth here in 2018. As a half-sister to Chrono Genesis (runnerup in this year's Osaka Hai and winner of the Takarazuka Kinen), Normcore should find the 2,200 meters within her grasp. Trainer Kiyoshi Hagiwara plans to ship his mare in from the east early. “I want to make the trip to Hanshin on Thursday or Friday. I really want her to land another Grade 1.” The 52-year-old Norihiro Yokoyama is expected to be in the saddle and is gunning for his first win of the race since 1990, a feat that would set a JRA record for a jockey's longest span between wins of the same Grade 1.

Salacia – Another 5-year-old and daughter of Deep Impact, Salacia won her first graded-stakes race with victory in the Grade 2 Fuchu Himba Stakes. Her third bid at the Grade 1 level, Salacia finished a close sixth here last year, only 0.4 seconds behind Lucky Lilac. Her four wins from 18 starts have come at 1,600-1,800 meters and she is 4-4-3-6-9 in contests 2,000 meters and up. However, the switch to Hanshin, with its shorter homestretch will be a plus for Salacia. On the other hand, a strike against her is that she has never win amid a big field. Excluding her debut win, her other three wins have come in fields numbering 10, 12 and 8. And, in her five starts with 17 or more in the lineup, she has never fared better than fourth place.

Win Marilyn – A 3-year-old by Screen Hero, Win Marilyn returned after a five-month layoff following her second in the Japanese Oaks to disappoint with a 15th place in the Shuka Sho on Oct. 18. Her three wins from four starts before the Oaks were all over 2,000 meters, and considering that it was her first time to ship west, that she was up 12 kg, and the fact that she'll carry 2 kg less than the mares and be well prepped to run, Win Marilyn is not one to overlook.

Others to watch are: The 3-year-old Soft Fruit was third in the Shuka Sho after pre-race tensions, a slow break, and having to cover extra ground going into the stretch. She finished only 0.3 seconds behind Daring Tact, who clinched the filly triple crown. A better trip could stand her well. Fourth here last year, Centelleo won her first graded-stakes race and her second race over the distance last out in the Grade 2 Sankei Sho All Comers at Nakayama 2,200-meter in a field that included Curren Bouquetd'or, runnerup in the 2019 Japan Cup. Win Mighty is 1-3-6-9 at 2,000 meters and up and was slow out of the gate the last two starts. Her win was over the Hanshin 2,000 meter on a slightly heavy track. If she can break sharply, she may be able to improve her score.

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Breeders’ Cup Turf Slot Up For Grabs In Japan’s Takarazuka Kinen

Led by multiple Group 1 stakes-winning mare Lucky Lilac (JPN) and last year's Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) (G1) winner Saturnalia (JPN), a field of 18 has been entered for Sunday's US$3-million, 1 3/8-mile Takarazuka Kinen (G1) at Hanshin Racecourse. The winner of Sunday's race will receive an automatic berth and fees paid into the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) through the international Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge is an international series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., on Nov. 6-7.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for the Takarazuka Kinen winner to start in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, which will be run at 1 1/2 miles over the Keeneland turf course. Breeders' Cup also will provide a travel allowance of US$40,000 for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships.

The Takarazuka Kinen, the fourth Breeders' Cup Challenge race to be held in Japan this year, will be run in a clockwise direction. The race will be televised live on TVG at 11:40 p.m. PT on Saturday.

Sunday Racing Co.'s 5-year-old Lucky Lilac, trained by Mikio Matsunaga and ridden by Mirco Demuro, has finished in the top three in her last five starts. She comes into the race off a hard-fought win over the 4-year-old filly Chrono Genesis (JPN), also owned by Sunday Racing, in the 1 1/4-mile Osaka Hai (G1) on April 5 at Hanshin. Blocked in deep stretch, Lucky Lilac finally found room moving off the rail in the last 50 yards to prevail by a neck.

The Osaka Hai was the third Group 1 win for the chestnut daughter of 2011 Japanese Triple Crown winner and 2012 Takarazuka Kinen winner Orfevre (JPN). Lucky Lilac's dam, Lilacs and Lace, won the 2011 Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1) at Keeneland, and her broodmare sire, Flower Alley, won the 2005 Travers Stakes (G1). Last November, Lucky Lilac won the Queen Elizabeth Cup (G1) at Kyoto, and as a 2-year-old in 2017, she won her initial Group 1 in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies.

Following her Queen Elizabeth Cup victory, Lucky Lilac was sent to Hong Kong for the 1 1/2-mile Longines Hong Kong Vase (G1) on Dec. 8 at Sha Tin, where she finished second to Glory Vase (JPN). In her first start this year on March 1, Lucky Lilac finished second by 1 ¾ lengths to Danon Kingly (JPN) in the 1 1/8-mile Nakayama Kinen (G2).

“After her last race, she went to Northern Farm Shigaraki, and although restrictions on movement meant I wasn't able to check on her, she has come back looking really well,” Matsunaga said to JRA.com. “Her movement is good, and she has filled out in a way that really makes her look bigger and stronger.”

Carrot Farm's 4-year-old Saturnalia, trained by Katsuhiko Sumii, was the 2019 Japanese Male 3-year-old Champion. He sports a consistent mark of six wins in nine starts, highlighted by last year's victory in the 1 1/4-mile Satsuki Sho at Nakayama. He was favored at 3-5 in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) (G1) in his next start, but wound up fourth. He returned to his winning ways in September over the firm ground at Hanshin, scoring a three-length win in the 1 1/2-mile Kobe Shimbun Hai (G2). Saturnalia took on the best older runners in his final two starts last year, finishing sixth behind Almond Eye (JPN) in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1) on Oct. 26, but improved next time out on Dec. 22 with a second-place finish behind Lys Gracieux (JPN) in the Arima Kinen (The Grand Prix) (G1).

Saturnalia began 2020 in good form, winning the 1 1/4-mile Kinko Sho (G2) at Chukyo on March 15 as the odds-on favorite. Assistant trainer Takashi Kotaki said, “He was helped last time by the lack of noise due to no spectators, and everything went smoothly in the preliminaries. He adjusted well to the slow pace of the race, and ran as a comfortable winner. He's been at the farm since, but on his return to the stable, he's been his usual self as he prepares for this race.”

Chrono Genesis' second-place finish to Lucky Lilac in the Osaka Hai came after the 4-year-old filly by Bago (FR) won her seasonal debut against open company in the 1 3/8-mile Kyoto Kinen (G2) over a yielding course on Feb. 16.

“Last time she drew a wide gate, but quickly got into a position where she settled into stride well,” said trainer Takashi Saito regarding the Osaka Hai. “She finished second in the end, but showed her ability, which has definitely improved as she's gotten older.”

Chrono Genesis, ridden by Yuichi Kitamura, has won five of 10 starts, including the 1 ¼-mile Shuka Sho (G1) at Kyoto last October against fillies. In her first race against older fillies and mares, she finished fifth behind Lucky Lilac in the Queen Elizabeth to close out her 2019 season.

Silk Racing Co's 5-year-old Blast Onepiece (JPN), is another starter coming out of the Osaka Hai, in which he finished seventh. The performance continued a recent inconsistent pattern for the bay son of Harbinger (GB), who won the 2018 Group 1 Amira Kinen. Prior to the Osaka Hai, Blast Onepiece, trained by Masahiro Otake and ridden by Yuga Kawada, opened 2020 with a 1 1/4-length victory as the favorite in the 1 3/8-mile American Jockey Club Cup (G2) at Nakayama.

Going back to August, Blast Onepiece won the 1 1/4-mile Sapporo Kinen (G2), and preparations were made to start him next in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) at ParisLongchamp. He raced in mid-pack in the Arc, but could not sustain a drive in the final three furlongs, and wound up 11th of 12 runners.

Silk Racing also has entered the 5-year-old Glory Vase, a dark bay son of Deep Impact (JPN), who will be making his first start since his 3 ½-length triumph in the Hong Kong Vase over Lucky Lilac. Glory Vase, trained by Tomohito Ozeki and ridden by Damian Lane, has won four of 10 starts, which includes last year's 1 1/2-mile Nikkei Shinshun Hai (G2) at Kyoto. Sunday's race will be his first start at Hanshin.

Also of interest is Tatsue Ishikawa's 6-year-old Kiseki (JPN), who was second in last year's race as the 5-2 favorite, finishing three lengths behind Lys Gracieux. Trained by Katsuhiko Sumii, Kiseki, a dark bay son of Rulership (JPN) out of the Deep Impact mare Blitz Finale (JPN), was sent to France last fall, where he finished third in the Qatar Prix Foy (G2) at ParisLongchamp and was seventh in the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Kiseki comes into this year's race off a sixth-place finish in the about two-mile Tenno Sho (Spring) (G1) at Kyoto, leading the race into the stretch before giving way. Yutaka Take, who has won the race four times, including aboard Deep Impact in 2006, has the mount on Sunday.

In the three prior Breeders' Cup Challenge races in Japan earlier this year, the 6-year-old Mozu Ascot won the February Stakes (G1) on Feb. 23 and earned an automatic berth into the $7-million Breeders' Cup Classic; the 5-year-old mare Almond Eye (JPN) won the Victoria Mile (G1) on May 17 and secured a free starting position into the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) and the 4-year-old filly Gran Alegria (JPN) took the Yasuda Kinen (G1) at Tokyo Race Course on June 7 and a “Win and You're In” spot for the TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (G1).

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