Toru Kurita | Horse Racing Free Tips

Japanese Champ Titleholder Rolls In 5-Year-Old Bow

Imperious during the early part of his 2022 season, Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) stormed home to take the G2 Nikkei Sho by eight lengths at Nakayama on Saturday. The Hiroshi Yamada-owned and Toru Kurita-trained entire was the 7-5 favourite.

In charge practically from the bell, the Okada Stud-bred had things mostly his own way throughout the 2500-metre contest. Lightly pressed by Diastima (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) on the backstretch, he continued to click off reasonable fractions while unruffled and soon increased his lead approaching the final turn. Engaging the afterburners, Titleholder opened up on the field in fine style and was an easy-as-you-please victor. Boccherini (Jpn) King Kamehameha {Jpn}) bested Diastima for second by three-parts of a length, with that foe another three-quarters of a length in front of Lilac (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) in fourth.

A winner at first asking as a juvenile and second in the 2020 G3 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai S., the flashy bay would take the G2 Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho Deep Impact Kinen at three, and also run second in the G1 Japanese 2000 Guineas before taking the G1 Japanese St. Leger several starts later. As a 4-year-old, he won the G2 Nikkei Sho, G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) and G1 Takarazuka Kinen in succession, those efforts earning him 2022 Champion Older Horse honours in Japan. Tried in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, he was unplaced racing on soft ground for the first time, and was well behind subsequent Japanese Horse of the Year Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) in the G1 Arima Kinen back in Japan in December. The Nikkei Sho was his first run back.

Pedigree Notes

One of four Group 1 winners for his late sire, the 5-year-old is also part of a 10-strong batch of stakes winners. Other top-tier winners for Duramente included Stars On Earth (Jpn), Liberty Island (Jpn), and Dura Erede (Jpn). The last-named ran second in the G2 UAE Derby to countrymate Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) later in the day.

The third foal and second winner for his dam, a five-time winner, Titleholder is the last to race to date from Mowen (GB) (Motivator {GB}), who was covered by Benbatl (GB) last spring. Under the fourth dam is 1982 G1 1000 Guineas and G1 Sussex S. heroine On The House (Fr) (Be My Guest).

Saturday, Nakayama, Japan
NIKKEI SHO-G2, ¥128,920,000, Nakayama, 3-25, 4yo/up, 2500mT, 2:36.80, vsf.
1–TITLEHOLDER (JPN), 130, h, 5, Duramente (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Mowen (GB), by Motivator (GB)
                2nd Dam: Top Table (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB)
                3rd Dam: Lora's Guest (Ire), by Be My Guest
(¥20,000,000 Wlg '18 JRHAJUL). O-Hiroshi Yamada; B-Okada
Stud (Jpn); T-Toru Kurita; J-Kazuo Yokoyama; ¥67,854,000.
Lifetime Record: Ch. Older Horse-Jpn, MG1SW-Jpn, 15-7-2-0.
Werk Nick Rating:A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the
   free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Boccherini (Jpn), 128, h, 7, King Kamehameha (Jpn)–Popcorn
Jazz (Jpn), by Dance in the Dark (Jpn). O-Makoto Kaneko
Holdings; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥27,244,000.
3–Diastima (Jpn), 126, h, 6, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Sweet Reason,
by Street Sense. O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
¥17,122,000.
Margins: 8, 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 1.40, 16.10, 33.30.
Also Ran: Lilac (Jpn), Machaon d'Or (Jpn), Heat On Beat (Jpn), King Of Dragon (Jpn), Meiner Fanrong (Jpn), Ask Victor More (Jpn), Cantor (Jpn), Aristoteles (Jpn), Kotobuki Thetis (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart and video.

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Japanese Arc Raiders Please Connections In Final Works

Several of Japan's G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe challengers galloped on Wednesday morning, led by Classic winner and three-time Group 1 victor Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}). Successful in the G1 Japanese St Leger back in October of 2021, the 4-year-old is riding a three-race winning streak, having taken the G2 Nikkei Sho, G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) and G1 Takarazuka Kinen in March, May and June this term, respectively. Carrying the silks of Hiroshi Yamada, the son of five-time winner Mowen (GB) (Motivator {GB}) has not raced since.

“We gave him a grass gallop this morning,” said trainer Toru Kurita. “There were two horses in front of him and he was waiting behind and he adapted himself very well to the ground.

“They went approximately a mile and a quarter, went slowly at the beginning and then quickened in the final four furlongs. The horse came close to joining the other ones in front. It was a good workout.

“It is very difficult to put a number on it [how much he can improve], but I can feel that the horse is getting better–he is improving and coming right for the race.”

Another contender from the Land of the Rising Sun is this year's G1 Japanese Derby hero Do Deuce (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}). He has already tested the waters at group level in France and was fourth in the G2 Prix Niel on Sept. 11.

“In the beginning of the race three weeks ago he felt fine, but then I also felt that he was tired when we came to the final furlong,” said Japanese riding legend Yutaka Take.

“He hadn't run in quite some time but this morning [Wednesday], I didn't ride him when he worked but I saw him, and I saw that he moved really well and that he had improved since that last run in Longchamp.

“I've had the opportunity to ride very good horses in the race and Do Deuce is going to be one of them. He's only three and he is still improving.

“To win the Arc has always been a dream and it's always been an objective of mine. While I'm still riding it remains very high on my agenda in my career.”

Another Japanese Arc contender out for a spin on Wednesday was Stay Foolish (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}), who has already proved himself twice against overseas competition when taking the G3 Red Sea Turf H. on the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup undercard in February, and again in Dubai, when winning the G2 Dubai Gold Cup on Mar. 26. Returned to his native land, the 7-year-old was unplaced in Titleholder's Takarazuka Kinen in June but was a close second in the G2 Grand Prix de Deauville on Aug. 28.

“Stay Foolish has a different profile compared to the horses that have run the Classic races like Do Deuce, who has run in the Derby, and Titleholder, who has run in the Group 1s in Japan,” Christophe Lemaire explained.

“He's a horse who has improved a lot with age, especially over the longer trips. He's maybe not as strong as a Derby winner but he has got a lot of experience.

“It was a very good workout this morning on ground that I would call good to soft, I was very happy with the way he cantered and galloped.

“In fact, he actually gave me the feeling I had before the run in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It was important for me to connect with the horse and feel that's switched on to see how he moves and it was perfect.”

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Duramente Colt Upsets Japanese Guineas Prep

Hiroshi Yamada's Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) scored an upset at 16-1 in the G2 Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho Deep Impact Kinen at Nakayama on Sunday. The 2000-metre race is a pointer for the G1 Japanese 2000 Guineas in mid-April.

Away to an alert beginning, the dark bay strolled to the lead and kept a measured gallop throughout while under minimal pressure from his rivals. He slowed the pace after the first few furlongs and the first half of the race went in 1:02.6. Held together expertly at the fence by pilot Hiroshi Yokoyama turning into the stretch, the duo braced for the challenges that were sure to come.

However, second choice Schnell Meister (Ger) (Kingman (GB)}), who had dogged the pacesetter in second the whole way around, was not quite up to the task as the winner had too much gas left in the tank and finished 1 1/4 lengths back in second. He is the second progeny of Juddmonte's high-class miler and young sire to feature in the top two in a major Japanese Guineas prep, as the filly Elizabeth Tower (GB) (Kingman {GB}) had deadheated for the win in the G2 Tulip Sho on Saturday.

Rounding out the trifecta was heavy chalk Danon the Kid (Jpn) (Just A Way {Jpn}), who had stalked from fifth for much of the Nakayama contest and closed to be a neck back of Schnell Meister.

Off the mark locally over 1800 metres in October, the Okada Stud-bred was second in the G3 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai S. in November and fourth in the Dec. 26 G1 Hopeful S. In the latter two races, he finished behind Sunday's heavy favourite Danon the Kid.

Pedigree Notes

Titleholder is the second black-type winner and first group winner for young sire Duramente, who has his first 3-year-olds this year.

A five-time winner at 1200m, 1800m (twice), 2000m and 2600m, Mowen's best finish in stakes company was a fourth in the Listed Shion S. as a sophomore. Her first foal, the winning Melody Lane (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) was followed by a dead foal and Titleholder is her third offspring. She has no further produce, but was bred to Gold Ship for 2019, Victoire Pisa (Jpn) for last year and she was covered by Duramente last spring. Under the fourth dam is G1 1000 Guineas heroine On The House (Fr) (Be My Guest).

Sunday, Nakayama, Japan
HOCHI HAI YAYOI SHO DEEP IMPACT KINEN-G2, €104,540,000, Nakayama, 3-7, 3yo, 2000mT, 2:02.00, fm.
1–TITLEHOLDER (JPN), 123, c, 3, Duramente (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Mowen (GB), by Motivator (GB)
                2nd Dam: Top Table (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB)
3rd Dam: Lora's Guest (Ire), by Be My Guest
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. (¥20,000,000 Wlg '18
JRHAJUL). O-Hiroshi Yamada; B-Okada Stud (Jpn); T-Toru
Kurita; J-Takeshi Yokoyama. ¥54,728,000. Lifetime Record:
4-2-1-0. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk
   Nick Rating: B+.
2–Schnell Meister (Ger), 123, c, 3, Kingman (GB)– Serienholde
(Ger), by Soldier Hollow (GB). O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern
Farm (Jpn); ¥22,208,000.
3–Danon the Kid (Jpn), 123, c, 3, Just a Way (Jpn)–Epic Love
(Ire), by Dansili (GB). (¥100,000,000 Wlg '18 JRHAJUL).
O-Danox Inc.; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥14,104,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, NK, 1HF. Odds: 16.90, 3.90, 0.30.
Also Ran: So Valiant (Jpn), Ten Bagger (Jpn), Time to Heaven (Jpn), One Day More (Jpn), Golden Syrup (Ire), Ho O Sunday (Jpn), Taisei Dreamer (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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