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Company seeks to go out on top in Mile Championship

Company will enter stud next year at age nine (Copyright Japan Racing Associtation [JRA]) Eight-year-old veteran COMPANY (Miracle Admire), who became the oldest horse ever to win a Japanese Grade 1 race when capturing the Tenno Sho (Autumn) (Jpn-G1) last time out, will attempt to conclude his career on a high note in Sunday's $2.2 million Mile Championship (Jpn-G1). The bay horse has tried the Kyoto feature twice before, finishing fifth in 2007 and fourth last year, but is in his all-time best form at present. A fixture on the Japanese scene for several years, Company originally appeared to have reached his plateau as a Grade 2 winner who was not quite up to handling Grade 1 competition. Over time, he gradually improved his results at the top level, until reaching the peak of his powers this season. Company kicked off his 2009 campaign with a successful title defense in the Nakayama Kinen (Jpn-G2), followed by a near-miss in the Yomiuri Milers Cup (Jpn-G2) and a pair of commendable fourths in both the Yasuda Kinen (Jpn-G1) and Takarazuka Kinen (Jpn-G1).

The Hidetaka Otonashi trainee turned the corner when returning from his summer break in the Mainichi Okan (Jpn-G2), rallying from midpack to defeat reigning Horse of the Year Vodka (Tanino Gimlet) by one length. In the process, Company gained revenge on Vodka for beating him previously in the Yasuda Kinen.

Conventional wisdom had it that the Mainichi Okan was merely a prep for the about 1 1/4-mile Tenno Sho (Autumn), where a sharper Vodka was expected to prevail. Instead, however, it was Company who confirmed the form by bursting to a 1 3/4-length decision over Screen Hero (Grass Wonder), with Vodka back in third.

Company is dropping back in trip to the metric mile for the first time since the Yasuda Kinen, but will not meet any of the top three from that race here. His current form makes him the one to beat with regular rider Norihiro Yokoyama.

Two international shippers will test the strength of the Japanese form. Both are fillies who arrive in the wake of career-best performances.

French-based SAHPRESA (Sahm), who had finished fourth to mile star Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa) in the Prix Rothschild (Fr-G1) this summer, comes off an upset score in the Sun Chariot S. (Eng-G1) at Newmarket. In that test, Sahpresa dismissed favored Ghanaati, heroine of the One Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) and Coronation S. (Eng-G1), by 1 1/2 lengths. Olivier Peslier, a two-time winner of the Mile Championship with Zenno El Cid (2001) and Hat Trick (Jpn) (2005), picks up the mount aboard the Rod Collet trainee at Kyoto.

Captain Thule (gray) has an historical trend in his favor (Copyright Japan Racing Associtation [JRA]) Trainer Mick Channon, who sent out Lahaleeb (Ire) (Redback) to shock the E.P. Taylor S. (Can-G1) at Woodbine last month, will be represented by a more logical contender in EVA'S REQUEST (Soviet Star). The four-year-old, who had been unplaced behind Goldikova twice this summer, is two-for-two since teaming up with new rider Alan Munro. Successful in the Istanbul Trophy (Tur-G2) on the turf two back at Veliefendi, she got up in time in a blanket finish in the recent Premio Lydia Tesio (Ity-G1) at the Capannelle. Like Company, Eva's Request is turning back in trip on the heels of that about 10-furlong event. Munro makes the trek to the Far East to renew their partnership. Of the remaining members of the 18-horse field, perhaps the most intriguing is CAPTAIN THULE (Agnes Tachyon), the winner of last year's Satsuki Sho (Japanese Two Thousand Guineas) (Jpn-G1), who has strong historical precedent on his side. Both Satsuki Sho winners who have attempted the Mile Championship have won: Genuine (1995 Satsuki Sho/1996 Mile Championship) and Daiwa Major (2004 Satsuki Sho), who lost by a nose in his first crack at the Mile Championship in 2005, but went on to win the next two runnings in 2006-07.

Captain Thule was sidelined by injury following his Satsuki Sho coup and did not reappear for nearly 16 months. The Hideyuki Mori pupil won his second start back, taking the Asahi Challenge Cup (Jpn-G3) at Hanshin, but flopped when 12th in the Tenno Sho (Autumn). Captain Thule could prosper back at the metric mile here, as could Grade 3 victor SMILE JACK (Tanino Gimlet).

Other contenders include Grade 1 veteran FINE GRAIN (Fuji Kiseki), who was third in last year's Mile Championship but has been well beaten in his three starts this season; New Zealand Trophy (Jpn-G2) victor SAN CARLO (Symboli Kris S), who figures to show much more in his second start off a layoff; ABSOLUTE (Tanino Gimlet) and MARUKA SHENCK (Sunday Silence), the respective top two who fought out a photo-finish in the Saudi Arabia Royal Cup Fuji S. (Jpn-G3) last out; Keio Hai Spring Cup (Jpn-G2) scorer SUZUKA CAUSEWAY (Giant's Causeway), who is steadily rounding into form at present; sophomore stakes winner FIFTH PETAL (King Kamehameha), a troubled eighth in the Mainichi Broadcast Swan S. (Jpn-G2) who lures Christophe Lemaire into the saddle; and the multiple Grade 3-placed HIKARU OZORA (Manhattan Cafe), who gets the services of Christophe Soumillon.

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