Kaneko Makoto Holding Co Ltd's Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune–Buchiko {Jpn}, by King Kamehameha {Jpn}), whose snow-white colouring combined with considerable racetrack ability made her a fan favourite in every corner of the globe, has been retired, according to multiple reports.
The homebred, whose year-younger full-sister Mama Cocha (Jpn) won Sunday's G1 Sprinters S. at Nakayama, was an immediate hit while carrying the Deep Impact (Jpn) colours. Undefeated in four tries at two, including a victory in the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies to secure her first championship, Sodashi made the one-mile G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) her fifth straight success before finishing eighth in the G1 Yushun Himba over a stamina-stretching 2400 metres. Sodashi defeated the globetrotting Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G2 Sapporo Kinen en route to being named the tops of her generation in 2021.
Third in the G1 February S. on the dirt in February 2022, Sodashi returned to the grass and easily handled her peers in the G1 Victoria Mile last May before closing out her 4-year-old season with a third against the boys in the G1 Mile Championship S. In two starts this term, Sodashi missed by a head in defence of her title in the Victoria Mile and was a latest seventh in the G1 Yasuda Kinen. On both occasions, she was defeated by Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), who is slated to travel to America for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile Nov. 4.
Sodashi retires with a record of 7-2-1 from 14 starts and earnings of $5,346,186.
Ridden with supreme confidence by Yuga Kawada, reigning champion Japanese 2-year-old filly Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) was given her cue with 400 metres to race and stormed home down the centre of the course to post a breathtaking victory in Sunday's G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) at Hanshin Racecourse. Kona Coast (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) was swamped late and completed a Sunday Racing 1-2, while Carrot Farm colourbearer Perifania (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) checked in a sound third.
Void of early speed, the odds-on favourite was content to drop out to race with just two rivals behind her as G2 Tulip Sho winner Mozu Meimei (Jpn) (Real Impact {Jpn}) showed the way at a good clip in advance of Kona Coast, who just failed to reel in Mozu Meimei in the Tulip Sho. Still third last, but quietly ridden by Kawada as the Oka Sho field raced midway on the turn, Liberty Island peeled off heels once heads were turned for home, with the better part of 10 lengths to find. Kona Coast took over from the weakening front-runner at the 200-metre mark and Perifania also laid down a challenge, but by this time, Liberty Island was in high gear and she whistled home to score a shade cosily in the finish. She covered her final three furlongs in a wicked :32.9.
“I feel relieved to have done my job of guiding her to the wire in time,” said Kawada. “We [landed] an inside draw and she wasn't keen to hurry out of the gate so the position was where it was going to be. But she was relaxed today, was in good rhythm in the race and clicked into gear nicely so this is where she ended up [winning], so I am glad. Now that we have accomplished our aim in the first of the Triple Crown, I hope that we can meet expectations in the following title.”
The late Duramente also accounted for last year's Oka Sho heroine Stars on Earth (Jpn), who doubled up in the G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) (2400m) before falling just short in the G1 Shuka Sho (2000m) when attempting to sweep the Classic series. This year's Oaks takes place at Tokyo Racecourse May 21.
A debut winner over a mile last July–in which she finished off in an other-worldly :31.4–Liberty Island struck trouble and was second to Ravel (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) in the G2 Artemis S. in October before stamping her authority on the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies over this course and distance Dec. 11.
Pedigree Notes:
A son of the late King Kamehameha (Jpn), Duramente was sadly lost to a bout of acute colitis in September 2021, but had already left his mark as the leading first-crop sire in Japan the previous season. From just three crops of racing age, Duramente is already responsible for Classic and three-time Group 1 winner Titleholder (Jpn) and last year's G1 Hopeful S. hero Dura Erede (Jpn), recent runner-up in the G2 UAE Derby and pointing towards the G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby). Duramente has now accounted for the winner of four Classic races.
Liberty Island's dam was purchased for just A$10,000 at the 2015 Inglis Sydney Classic Yearling Sale and went on to take three of her first four career starts, inclduding the G1 Inglis Sires' S. two weeks after finishing a half-length second to Capitalist (Aus) (Written Tycoon {Aus}) in the G1 Longines Golden Slipper S. She would add the G1 Spring Champion S. in October 2016 and retired with four wins from 10 runs and earnings in excess of US$1.6 million before being acquired privately and exported to Japan.
Yankee Rose's first foal, the current 4-year-old filly Romneya (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), was purchased by that sire's owner Kaneko Makoto for $1.9 million as a foal at the 2019 JRHA Select Sale and won her most recent start at Kokura back in February. The current 2-year-old out of the mare, a colt by Lord Kanaloa (Jpn), fetched $3.35 million at the same event in 2021. Yankee Rose produced a filly by Kizuna (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in 2022 and was among the first book of mares served by Triple Crown winner Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).
Sunday, Hanshin, Japan OKA SHO (JAPANESE 1000 GUINEAS)-G1, ¥304,020,000, Hanshin, 4-9, 3yo, f, 1600mT, 1:32.10, fm.
1–LIBERTY ISLAND (JPN), 121, f, 3, by Duramente (Jpn) 1st Dam: Yankee Rose (Aus) (Ch. 2yo & 3yo Filly & MG1SW-Aus, $1,627,487), by All American (Aus) 2nd Dam: Condesaar (Aus), by Xaar (GB) 3rd Dam: Condescendance, by El Gran Senor
O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm; T-Mitsumasa Nakauchida; J-Yuga Kawada; ¥166,614,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo Filly-Jpn, 4-3-1-0, ¥252,046,000. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com pedigree.
2–Kona Coast (Jpn), 121, f, 3, Kitasan Black (Jpn)–Kona Brewers (Jpn), by King Kamehameha (Jpn). O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm; ¥63,604,000.
3–Perifania (Jpn), 121, f, 3, Maurice (Jpn)–Katies Heart (Jpn), by Heart's Cry (Jpn). O-Carrot Farm; B-Northern Farm; ¥38,802,000.
Margins: 3/4, NK, 1 3/4. Odds: 0.60, 17.40, 16.60.
Also Ran : Harper (Jpn), Doe Eyes (Jpn), Shinryokuka (Jpn), Sing That Song (Jpn), Light Quantum (Jpn), Bouton d'Or (Jpn), Emu (Jpn), Ravel (Jpn), Kita Wing (Jpn), Mozu Meimei (Jpn), Dura (Jpn), Conch Shell (Jpn), June Orange (Jpn), Moon Probe (Jpn), Tosen Laurier (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart.
Though she makes her first start since cementing champion 2-year-old filly honours in the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies over course and distance back in December, Sunday Racing's Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) will jump a warm favourite in the first Classic on the Japanese racing calendar, Sunday's G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas).
The daughter of two-time Australian champion and dual Group 1 winner Yankee Rose (Aus) (All American {Aus}) validated a quote of $2.10 (11-10) to open her account at first asking at Niigata July 30, then returned from a three-month freshening to finish second in the G2 Artemis S. (1600m) at Tokyo at the end of October, where she was held up at a critical stage and couldn't quite reel in the re-opposing Ravel (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}). There were no such hindrances in the Juvenile Fillies, as she was produced wide by Yuga Kawada and raced away to defeat Shinryokuka (Jpn) (Satono Diamond {Jpn}) by 2 1/2 convincing lengths, with Doe Eyes (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) a late-on-the-scene third after herself striking mild interference.
“I think her strong points are her acceleration and her ability to shift gears into top speed,” said trainer Mitsumasa Nakauchida. “She is still immature in some ways, so I am hoping she will mature more mentally. I would like to see her have a fast track on Sunday. I am really grateful to have a horse like this to run in the Oka Sho this year. I think she'll give us some good solid results.”
Star 3yo filly LIBERTY ISLAND (Duramente x Yankee Rose ) final fast ahead G1 1600m Oka Sho (1000 Guineas) on Sunday
She is hummmming
11.2 last 1F on the circle chip as she liked. She ran the fastest last 3F ever recorded on the JRA on debut (31.4)pic.twitter.com/o3QWkeaUYP
While Liberty Island would be providing her late sire with a second straight Guineas winner following on from Stars on Earth (Jpn) last year, Light Quantum (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) can become her legendary stallion's sixth Oka Sho heroine with his final runner in the race. The daughter of US Grade I winner Illuminant (Quality Road)–a $1.1-million purchase by Shadai at Fasig-Tipton November in 2017–is perfect in her two trips to the post to date, having built on a debut score at Toyko in November to add a fast-finishing success in the G2 Shinzan Kinen at Chukyo Jan. 8. She has the services of Yutaka Take again this weekend.
“She's been getting work over a long span of time and I feel that all has gone well,” said trainer Koshiro Take. “We'll have to be very careful in the gate and then be careful of the other horses. She has speed, so I think if she breaks well, she'll be able to get a pretty good forward position. I hope she'll get a fast track.”
Kona Coast (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) also carries the Sunday Racing colours and rates an outside chance. Victorious on Kokura debut over a bit further in August, she was runner-up in listed company at Chukyo in February and jumped out of the ground late to just fail behind front-running Mozu Meimei (Jpn) (Real Impact {Jpn}) in the G2 Tulip Sho over track and trip Mar. 4 while outfinishing Perifania (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}).
All-white cult horse Sodashi is set to try dirt for the first time on her next start in the Champions Cup under a change that could open more options for the Classic winner.
Having registered two G1 wins on turf, including the Oka Sho (Japanese 1,000 Guineas) in April, Japan's 'idol horse' will switch surface to contest the G1 Champions Cup at Chukyo on Dec. 5.
Trainer Naosuke Sugai is taking the route knowing she is bred from a family of dirt winners. Her sire Kurofune won the Japan Cup Dirt in 2001, and her mother Buchiko also scored all four wins in the dirt.
Sugai referred to her pedigree in announcing he would “try it once” and “keep an eye on it” with the race set be run over her ideal distance of 1,800m [9f], adding there would be more options for her if the switch proves successful.
Sodashi, also referred to as a 'unicorn', has become one of Japan's most popular horses, not just because of her rare color but on the track where she has established a record of six wins from eight starts.
She became the first officially white horse to win a G1 during an unbeaten two-year-old campaign and, in addition to winning the Oka Sho, defeated Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner Loves Only You in the G2 Sapporo Kinen in September.
She suffered her two defeats in the Japan Oaks and Shuka Sho last time out when she banged her mouth on the starting gate and subsequently had a tooth removed.
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) final fast ahead G1 1600m Oka Sho (1000 Guineas) on Sunday