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Gentildonna aims for unprecedented Japan Cup triple
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| Gentildonna is the one to beat as the two-time defending champion
(Japan Racing Association) |
Japanese superstar Gentildonna has already made history when winning the
Japan Cup for the past two years, and the five-year-old mare would only enhance
her legendary status with a third victory in her homeland's signature
international contest at Tokyo on Sunday. The only sophomore filly ever to win
the Japan Cup when outdueling Orfevre in 2012, Gentildonna became the first
repeat winner by holding off Denim and Ruby here a year ago. That has not
deterred a formidable group of challengers, however, led by Arc also-rans Harp
Star and Just a Way.Gentildonna is in the twilight of her glittering career, with plans calling
for the 2012 Fillies' Triple Crown winner to retire to the broodmare band in
2015. But trainer Sei Ishizaka believes she's better than she was last season,
and jockey Ryan Moore -- two-for-two aboard her -- reportedly agrees. Moore
first rode her in the 2013 Japan Cup, where she clearly benefited from his
expertise. She again responded brilliantly for Moore in the March 29 Dubai
Sheema Classic, muscling her way through a pocket to defeat the old warrior
Cirrus des Aigles handily.
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Although only ninth in the June 29 Takarazuka Kinen, Gentildonna can be
forgiven, for the Hanshin course was still feeling the effects of heavy rain
earlier in the week. She followed the same path as in 2013, taking a summer
break before resuming in the November 2 Tenno Sho (Autumn). Unlike last year,
when she was no match for the scintillating Just a Way, Gentildonna was a much
sharper second this time to the progressive Spielberg, portending a peak
performance on Sunday. The daughter of Deep Impact (one of five in the field by
the all-time great 2006 Japan Cup hero) projects a ground-saving trip from post
3.
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| Harp Star looks for compensation off a belated sixth in the Arc
(Japan Racing Association) |
Perhaps her most dangerous rival is another Deep Impact filly, the sophomore
Harp Star, who flew from a tactically hopeless position to finish sixth in the
October 5 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Up in time in the April 13 Oka Sho
(Japanese One Thousand Guineas) and a near-miss second in the May 25 Yushun
Himba (Japanese Oaks) over this course and about 1 1/2-mile trip, Harp Star
employed cleverer tactics to beat the high-class veteran Gold Ship in the August
24 Sapporo Kinen. Regular rider Yuga Kawada is expected to carve out a more
manageable trip than in the Arc, according to trainer Hiroyoshi Matsuda. Harp
Star is well drawn in post 6.Two other sophomores are taking their chance against elders, the colts One
and Only and Isla Bonita, who finished one-two in the June 1 Tokyo Yushun
(Japanese Derby) at this same track and trip. One and Only went on to land the
September 28 Kobe Shimbun Hai at Hanshin, also at about 1 1/2 miles, but flopped
as the favorite in the October 26 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger). The about 1
7/8 miles of the final classic might have been too far for the talented son of
Heart's Cry, and the cutback could help. Isla Bonita, on the other hand, is
likely at the upper end of his distance range here. The Satsuki Sho (Japanese
Two Thousand Guineas) victor had a class edge that carried him in the about 1
3/8-mile St. Lite Kinen September 21, but he was outkicked by Spielberg and
Gentildonna in the Tenno Sho (Autumn), and has to step up in trip again.
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Just a Way likewise has a distance question to answer, but he still owns
bragging rights as the world's top-rated horse, thanks to a course
record-obliterating romp in the March 29 Dubai Duty Free. The Naosuke Sugai
charge then had to call on all of his class to prevail in a soggy Yasuda Kinen
on June 8, and thereby extended his winning streak, dating back to last year's
Tenno Sho (Autumn) over Gentildonna, to four. Not seen again until four months
later in the Arc, Just a Way wasn't disgraced in eighth behind Treve. That
marked only his second career attempt at about 1 1/2 miles, and both have
resulted in unplaced efforts. If the five-year-old son of Heart's Cry can cope
with the distance, he rates a big threat from the rail with Yuichi Fukunaga.
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| Just a Way hopes to answer the distance question and boost his stature as the world's top-rated horse
(Neville Hopwood/Dubai Racing Club) |
Trainer Katsuhiko Sumii is double-handed with Epiphaneia and Denim and Ruby.
Epiphaneia, the 2013 Kikuka Sho winner and Japanese Derby runner-up, warmed up
with a useful sixth in the Tenno Sho (Autumn). The son of Japanese champions
Symboli Kris S and Cesario will benefit from the extra quarter-mile here. The
Deep Impact filly Denim and Ruby, last year's Japan Cup near-misser, is
reportedly getting back to her sparkling form of old in the nick of time.
Spielberg is in career-best form at present, as reflected in his victory over
the prepping Gentildonna in the Tenno Sho (Autumn). The Deep Impact half-brother
to Grade 1 stars Flower Alley and Tosen Ra is unproven at this trip, and must
show that he can duplicate such an effort on the big stage.
Adding still further depth to the home team are two-time Tenno Sho (Spring)
winner Fenomeno, who was fifth to Gentildonna in the 2012 Japan Cup, and dual
Japan Cup placegetter Tosen Jordan. The eight-year-old Tosen Jordan has come
close twice, to Buena Vista in 2011 and when third a year ago, and will be
competing in his fourth straight Japan Cup. Grade 2 veteran Hit the Target,
Kyoto Daishoten runner-up Tamamo Best Play, Epsom Cup scorer Decipher (the fifth
hopeful by Deep Impact), Uncoiled and Satono Shuren need to improve
significantly to spring the upset.
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International shippers have endured an eight-year drought in this race, and
Trading Leather, Ivanhowe and Up with the Birds have their work cut out for them
to end it.
The Jim Bolger-trained Trading Leather, winless since the 2013 Irish Derby,
has amassed a fine collection of placings in Group 1 events. Most recently third
to star three-year-olds The Grey Gatsby and Australia in the September 13 Irish
Champion, the Godolphin runner was not helped by drawing the far outside post
18. Ivanhowe has looked tremendous in Germany, capturing both the Grosser Preis
von Baden and Grosser Preis von Bayern this fall. Unfortunately, he has found
life tougher across the Rhine in France, in what could be a harbinger of his
experience here. Canadian Horse of the Year Up with the Birds hasn't yet
followed up on his smashing score in the Nijinsky over the summer.
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