Serifos landed his first win at the highest level Sunday in the $3,381,000Mile Championship (G1) at Hanshin Racecourse in Japan while becoming the first 3-year-old to capture the event since 2018.
Sired by Daiwa Major, who won the Mile Championship in 2006 and 2007, Serifos, a multiple graded winner, came in off victory in the Fuji Stakes (G2) October 22.
Breaking from stall number 10 in the 17-horse field, Serifos traveled fourth from the rear and three wide on the backstretch and was unhurried under Damian Lane in shifting out wide into the lane while still near the rear. Closing fastest of all, he stormed down the stretch to grab the lead 50 meters out and won by a 1 ¼ lengths as the sixth wagering choice.
Time was 1:32.5 on turf rated as firm.
“I'm very happy, the horse was super today. He's very consistent and I knew he would improve after watching his videos. I wanted to show how really competitive he is. The pace was good, and he was a bit keen early, but I was always confident,” Lane said after the race.
Eighth choice Danon the Kid settled around seventh early, slightly dropped position rounding the final corners, met traffic but squeezed through horses to grab the lead. Appearing en route to victory, he was overtaken by the winner in the final strides.
The flashy white filly Sodashi, the second choice with Hayato Yoshida aboard, sat in fourth to fifth in the early going and persistently showed effort to rally for the lead in the straight. She failed to keep up with the top two finisher's late speed, however, but held off the fast-closing rivals by a nose for third place.
Race favorite Schnell Meister camped in midpack, struggled briefly for room in early stretch, and found his best stride late. He dug in through the final sixteenth and finished fifth.
Serifos, who is trained by Mitsumasa Nakauchida for owner G1 Racing Co., is out of the Le Havre mare Sea Front. His breeder is Oiwake Farm.
The post ‘The Horse Was Super Today’: Late-Running Serifos Up In Time In Japan’s Mile Championship, White Filly Sodashi Third appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
