Sent off as the 5-2 second choice behind Cantiamo (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}), the Silk Racing colourbearer found an ideal tracking position while glued to the fence, as Elf Struck (Jpn) (California Chrome) showed the way under mild pressure. Content to rate in midfield, Mi Anhelo began to wind up with 600 metres remaining while still saving every inch of real estate on the fence. Cued in upper stretch, she swung off the inside and burst past Elf Struck to take over inside the furlong pole. Strong to the line, she had built up enough cushion to repel the late charge of Hohelied (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}), with Cantiamo a neck back in third with the first six home tightly bunched.

Mi Anhelo donned cap and gown over this course and distance when unveiled in September, and closed to take fifth as the favourite in a blanket finish in the Nanohana Sho on Jan. 13, her 3-year-old bow.

Pedigree Notes

The much-lamented Duramente, posthumous champion sire in his native land in 2023, has his final crop of 3-year-olds this year. Mi Anhelo is his first stakes winner from that group, while he has 18 stakes winners worldwide (14 group) so far lifetime. Six of his progeny have landed Group 1 races, and Japanese Triple Tiara heroine Liberty Island (Jpn) is a leading fancy for the upcoming G1 Dubai Sheema Classic later this month.

The winner is a half to Frankel (GB) 'TDN Rising Star' Mi Suerte (Jpn) who won the G3 Fantasy S. in Japan. Originally a $1.7-million Keeneland November weanling, Mi Sueno won both the GIII Sorrento S. and GI Debutante S. as a juvenile. Since being purchased for $1.9 million out of the Fasig-Tipton November Sale in 2013 by Katsumi Yoshida, Mi Sueno has produced eight foals in Japan, with six winners to show for it. Her latest runner-to-be is Shonan Xanadu (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), who just turned two, while she also has a Real Steel (Jpn) yearling colt and was covered by American Horse of the Year Bricks And Mortar last spring.

Second dam Madcap Escapade (Hennessy) claimed the GI Ashland S., four other graded races and ran third in the 2004 GI Kentucky Oaks. She, in turn, is a half-sister to GI Ballerina Breeders' Cup S. victress Dubai Escapade (Awesome Again).

Saturday, Nakayama, Japan
FLOWER CUP-G3, ¥72,610,000, Nakayama, 3-16, 3yo, f, 1800mT, 1:48.00, fm.
1–MI ANHELO (JPN), 121, f, 3, Duramente (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Mi Sueno (GISW-US, $288,400), by Pulpit
                2nd Dam: Madcap Escapade, by Hennessy
                3rd Dam: Sassy Pants, by Saratoga Six
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Silk Racing;
B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-Toru Hayashi; J-Akihide Tsumura;
¥38,427,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, ¥46,697,000. *1/2 to
Mi Suerte (Jpn) (Frankel {GB}), GSW-Jpn, $447,954. Click for
   the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Werk Nick
   Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Hohelied (Jpn), 121, f, 3, Rulership (Jpn)–Golden Harp (Jpn),
by Stay Gold (Jpn). 1ST BLACK TYPE. 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE.
O-Haruya Yoshida; B-Shiraoi Farm (Jpn); ¥15,162,000.
3–Cantiamo (Jpn), 121, f, 3, Epiphaneia (Jpn)–Libiamo (Jpn), by
Admire Vega (Jpn). 1ST BLACK TYPE. 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE.
O-Silk Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥9,381,000.
Margins: 3/4, NK, NK. Odds: 2.70, 23.80, 2.30.
Also Ran: Rabbiteye (Jpn), Elf Struck (Jpn), Canicule (Jpn), Teleos Sarah (Jpn), Marcottage (Jpn), For The Boys (Jpn), Stick By Me (Jpn), Teleos Lulu (Jpn), Hiraboku Minnie (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart & video.

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