Songline (Jpn) | Horse Racing Free Tips

Equinox Repeats As Japanese Horse Of The Year; Palace Malice’s Jantar Mantar Named Top Juvenile Colt

Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}), the Longines World's Best Racehorse for 2023, has been named the Japanese Horse of the Year for the second consecutive year, the Japanese Racing Association (JRA) Award Winner Selection Committee announced on Tuesday.

The Silk Racing Company-owned 4-year-old received 293 votes out of a total 295 votes cast by reporters. A flawless four-for-four last term, Equinox equaled his sire's achievement of two Horse of the Year titles in 2016/2017. Beginning his campaign at Meydan in March, the Tetsuya Kimura trainee won the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic, and returned to his native land with a thrilling score in the G1 Takarazuka Kinen in late June. Benched until the autumn, Equinox won both the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) in October and the G1 Japan Cup a month later and retired in style.

Another dual award winner is the 2023 Japanese Champion Miler Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), who claimed the Champion Older Female title and the Champion Miler award. A representative of Sunday Racing Company and trainer Toru Hayashi, the 5-year-old won both the G1 Vitoria Mile and the G1 Yasuda Kinen last spring.

Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), who was also in the running for Horse of the Year, won the Japanese Fillies' Triple Crown and was second in Equinox's Japan Cup. Already the champion juvenile filly in 2023, the Sunday Racing Company silksbearer was awarded the champion 3-year-old filly title. Her male counterpart, Tastiera (Jpn) (Satono Crown {Jpn}), won both the G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) and the G2 Deep Impact Kinen, and was runner up in the other two legs of the Japanese Triple Crown for Carrot Farm Company.

G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S. and G2 Daily Hai Nisai S. winner Jantar Mantar (Jpn) (Palace Malice) was named the top juvenile colt, and the award is timely, as it was announced last year that his sire would stand at Darley Japan. The Shadai Race Horse Company colourbearer won all three of his starts in 2023.

Sunday Racing's Ascoli Piceno (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) was best of the juvenile fillies with victories in the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies and G3 Niigata Nisai S. in a similarly undefeated campaign.

Tops for the sprinters was G1 Sprinters S. heroine Mama Cocha (Jpn) (Kurofune) for Kaneko Makoto Holdings, while the dependable Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid) led in the dirt horse category for Godolphin after wins in the G1 February S. and G1 Champions Cup.

The complete list of award winners is as follows:

Horse of the Year/Champion Older Male: Equinox

Champion 2-Year-Old Colt: Jantar Mantar

Champion 2-Year-Old Filly: Ascoli Piceno

Champion 3-Year-Old Colt: Tastiera

Champion 3-Year-Old Filly: Liberty Island

Champion Sprinter: Mama Cocha

Champion Miler/Champion Older Female: Songline

Champion Dirt Horse: Lemon Pop

Champion Steeplechaser: Meiner Grand (Jpn) (Gold Ship {Jpn})

Special Award: Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn})

The post Equinox Repeats As Japanese Horse Of The Year; Palace Malice’s Jantar Mantar Named Top Juvenile Colt appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Songline Sings Winning Tune in Victoria Mile

Last year after earning a spot in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile via her win in June's G1 Yasuda Kinen over this course–a Breeders' Cup Challenge qualifying event–Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna) was headed to America before a throat issue found after a fifth-place finish in September's G2 Centaur S. sent her to the sidelines for five months. Back in action on the G1 Saudi Cup undercard in February, she was a distant 10th in the G3 1351 Turf Sprint at King Abdulaziz Racetrack, a race she won in 2022, and sent back to Japan to regroup. The time away certainly helped as the now 5-year-old mare earned a second career Group 1 victory here.

Despite the rainy day Sunday, the Tokyo turf remained good to firm, which suited the winner, who was fifth in this race a year ago. After the clean break from post position six, 7-1 fourth chance Songline was content to settle mid-pack and nearest the rail in the early going, a dozen lengths off the pace set by Lotus Land (Point of Entry) all the way up the backstretch and around the bend. As the pacesetter led the field into the stretch, Songline still had a half-dozen lengths to make up, and with a gaping hole available along the rail, slipped through with 400 metres to run, which left only Lotus Land and defending champion and 4-1 chance Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune)to get by. In deep stretch, the winner continued her rally, digging in to get by a determined Sodashi to her outside within the final few jumps and post the head victory, the top two successfully holding off the late challenge from 5-2 favorite Stars on Earth (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) at the wire.

“Though we had to race further back and inward than planned, we were able to race in good position while eyeing the race favorites,” jockey Keita Tosaki said. “The track was a little heavy due to the rain but she responded strongly in the straight. It was a close race, but I was pretty sure we crossed the wire in front. I knew that Songline has a strong ability so I'm really happy we were able to win the race.”

With the win, Songline reserved her spot in the gate for this year's GI Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita Nov. 4. Additionally, the top three finishers here earned automatic berths in the G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp at ParisLongchamp as well as the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville, both set to be contested in late summer.

Pedigree Notes:
Young stallion Kizuna has sired 12 group winners and two Group 1 winners–Songline and the 2021 G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup winner Akai Ito (Jpn). Songline is the first and most successful foal out of his dam, who won four races from 23 starts and is a half-sister to two-time Japanese group winner Jeune Ecole (Jpn) (Kurofune). Some other notable names appearing in Songline's female family include group winners Renforcer (Jpn) (Symboli Kris S), Northern River (Jpn) (Agnes Tachyon {Jpn}) and Deirdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}). Luminous Parade also produced a 2-year-old colt named Sonic Parade (Jpn) (Real Impact {Jpn}) and a yearling full brother to Songline.

Sunday, Tokyo, Japan
VICTORIA MILE-G1, ¥252,980,000, Tokyo, 5-14, 4yo/up, f&m, 1600mT, 1:32.20, gd/fm.
1–SONGLINE (Jpn), 123, m, 5, Kizuna (Jpn)
1st Dam: Luminous Parade (Jpn), by Symboli Kris S
2nd Dam: Luminous Point(Jpn), by Agnes Tachyon (Jpn)
3rd Dam: Soninke (GB), by Machiavellian
O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-Toru Hayashi;
J-Keita Tosaki; ¥133,486,000. Lifetime: MGSW, 14-6-2-1,
¥477,526,000. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free
Equineline.com pedigree.
2–Sodashi (Jpn), 123, m, 5, by Kurofune–Buchiko (Jpn), by King
Kamehameha (Jpn). O-Makoto Kaneko Holdings; B-Northern
Farm (Jpn); ¥52,996,000.
3–Stars on Earth (Jpn), 123, f, 4, Duramente (Jpn)–Southern
Stars (GB), by Smart Strike. O-Shadai Race Horse; B-Shadai
Farm (Jpn); ¥33,498,000.
Margins: HD, 3/4, 1; Odds: 6.60, 3.60, 1.50.
Also ran: Divina (Jpn), Sound Vivace (Jpn), Lotus Land, Namur (Jpn), Namura Clair (Jpn), Stellaria (Jpn), Rouge Stiria (Jpn), Andvaranaut (Jpn), Stunning Rose (Jpn), Sublime Anthem (Jpn), La La Christine (Jpn), Izu Jo no Kiseki (Jpn), Kurino Premium (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart and Video.

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Songline And Geoglyph Hold Strong Chances In Saudi Starts

Defending G3 1351 Turf Sprint heroine Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) is primed for a big effort in the 2023 edition, according to regular rider Christophe Lemaire.

“I rode her this morning and she looks in great condition,” he said on Wednesday. “I am very happy with her and so is her trainer. She will be the one to beat again this year, I think.”

Fifth in the G1 Victoria Mile after her Riyadh heroics in 2022, the Sunday Racing colourbearer claimed the G1 Yasuda Kinen by a neck over Schnell Meister (Ger) (Kingman {GB}) in June. She was last seen running fifth in the G2 Centaur S. at Chukyo over six furlongs on Sept. 11.

“Songline has shown some good form and some bad since winning here last year,” he added. Coming back from Saudi, she produced some very good results. In the autumn she had an issue and could not perform well. It looks like she is all fine from what I have seen and I hope she will race as well as last year.”

Lemaire's other mount on Saturday is Geoglyph (Jpn) (Drefong), who is set to contest the day's feature race, the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup.

“He has a lot of potential,” said Lemaire. “It is hard to predict how he will react on this new surface, but in terms of quality, he has a good chance.

“I have not ridden him on dirt yet and will not until Saturday. I give all my trust to the trainer and the staff. He is by Drefong, an American horse, so we expect him to run good and to adapt to the surface.

“It is always a big change for the horses. He is a Grade 1 winner in Japan and he beat Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}), which is the new superstar in Japan, so it shows how good Geoglyph is and if he likes the ground, the surface, I think he will cause a big surprise.”

A winner of the G3 Sapporo Nisai S. as a juvenile, the colt won the G1 Japanese 2000 Guineas at Nakayama last April, defeating the aforementioned Equinox. Unplaced behind Equinox two starts later in the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) in October, he was sixth in the G1 Hong Kong Cup over 2000 metres on Dec. 11.

He added, “He travelled to Hong Kong, so it is always a good experience for horses to travel. It will be his second travel in a couple of months, but he is an easy horse and can adapt.

“In Hong Kong he was a bit unlucky in the race and he did not show his best, but hopefully on Saturday he will show people what he is able to do.”

The jockey, who won four races on the card last year, was also very complementary of the dirt surface in Riyadh, and said, “I agree that this is the best dirt track in the world. There was a little change between the first edition of the Saudi Cup three years ago.

“It looks like the ground is now a little bit deeper than it was before, but the quality of the sand is still good. It is a little bit different. It looks a little bit tougher for the horses to finish quick. The Saudi Cup winner came from behind last year. I think it looks like more of a front-runners' track now.

“It is a little between the very quick American dirt and the deeper dirt track in Japan for example. We are somewhere in the middle. Both American horses and Japanese horses can adapt to this track.”

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