Sakae Kunieda | Horse Racing Free Tips

Asian Notebook: Almond Eye Confirmed For Japan Cup

Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) is likely to have the final start of her illustrious career in the G1 Japan Cup (2400m) at Tokyo Racecourse, her trainer Sakae Kunieda announced through the Twitter account of the Silk Horse Club syndicate that campaigns her.

The 5-year-old daughter of Fusaichi Pandora (Jpn) (Sunday Silence) swept the Japanese Filly Triple Crown in 2018 and capped a Horse of the Year campaign with a smooth 1 3/4-length defeat of front-running Kiseki (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) in the Japan Cup. She added the G1 Dubai Turf and G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) last season and most recently became the first horse in the history of the Japanese turf to win eight Group 1 races when successfully defending her Tenno Sho title Nov. 1.

Also confirmed for the Japan Cup are the twin Triple Crown winners of 2020, the colt Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Daring Tact (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}), neither of whom has tasted defeat in their careers.

Almond Eye’s connections opted for the Japan Cup over a trip to Hong Kong for the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup Dec. 13, a race for which she was entered last term, but did not ultimately make the journey. Sha Tin is the destination for another Asian-based runner, as connections confirmed that three-time defending champion Hong Kong jockey Zac Purton has accepted the call aboard Inferno (Aus) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) for the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint. Trained by Cliff Brown for owner Glenn Whittenbury’s Barree Stable, the 4-year-old is eight-for-nine lifetime and exits a flashy success in the Oct. 25 Lion City Cup at Kranji Racecourse in Singapore.

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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 Seeks 8th Group 1 Win in Tenno Sho

Seven-time Group 1 winner Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) will attempt to add another top-level score to her already impressive record in Sunday’s 2,000-meter G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) at Tokyo. Winner of the filly Triple Crown in 2018 before scoring in the G1 Japan Cup, the 5-year-old mare added a pair of Group 1 wins in 2019 in the Dubai Turf and last fall’s Tenno Sho, beating Danon Premium (Jpn). A lack-luster ninth in the 2,500-meter G1 Arima Kinen in December, she made a belated start to the 2020 season following the cancellation of the Dubai World Cup Carnival in March, winning the May 17 G1 Victoria Mile over 1,600 meters. In her latest start, she finished second over slightly heavy going behind Gran Alegria (Jpn) in Tokyo’s G1 Yasuda Kinen June 7.

According to trainer Sakae Kunieda, Almond Eye has had the same schedule as she did last year, getting some down time over the summer at Northern Farm Tenei in Fukushima before returning to the training center 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 finished in the top three in all her seven starts at Tokyo and won five times, four of those in Group 1s. Christophe Lemaire, who has ridden all but one of the mare’s 13 career outings, is slated to ride Sunday.

Facing the mighty mare Sunday is 4-year-old filly Chrono Genesis (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}), victorious over the re-opposing Kiseki (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) in the G1 Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin June 28. Last season’s G1 Shuka Sho hero kicked off 2020 with a win over the yielding turf in the 2,200-meter G2 Kyoto Kinen in February before finishing second in the G1 Osaka Hai in April.

Also looking to add a second straight victory is Fierement (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who successfully defended his title in the G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) last May. The three-time Group 1 winner will receive the services of Yuichi Fukunaga in this return.

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