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Meisho Mambo surprises Japanese Oaks Yoshio Matsumoto's homebred Meisho Mambo, only 10th in the Oka Sho (Japanese One Thousand Guineas), jumped up to surprise Sunday's Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) at Tokyo. Under Koshiro Take, the daughter of Suzuka Mambo rallied in midstretch to give veteran trainer Akihiro Iida the first Grade 1 win of his 25-year career. The gray Kurofune Surprise scampered to the early lead, stalked by Sakura Plaisir and Tosen Soleil. Further back, roughly in midpack, came Ever Blossom, Meisho Mambo and Oka Sho heroine Ayusan. Favorite Denim and Ruby lagged in last early after a slow start. Kurofune Surprise opened up by as many as seven or eight lengths on the backstretch, but by the time she turned for home, her margin had evaporated. Although the front runner tried to dig in at the top of the stretch, she was spent from her early exertions and could not resist the onslaught of closers. Meisho Mambo, who had swung out for clear running room, found the best turn of foot to storm to the front. Ever Blossom followed in hot pursuit, and Denim and Ruby likewise finished strongly from her poor position, but the winner had gone beyond recall. Meisho Mambo crossed the wire 1 1/4 lengths to the good of Ever Blossom in a final time of 2:25.2 for about 1 1/2 miles on the firm turf. Denim and Ruby came home another two lengths adrift in third. Ayusan wound up fourth, followed by Floor Craft, Ti Amo, Sweet Salsa, Lilas Corsage, Robe Tissage, Brilliant Ask, Kurofune Surprise, Celebrity Model, Sakura Plaisir, Tosen Soleil, Brunette, Red Oval and Crown Rose. Meisho Mambo now sports a line of 7-4-1-0, ¥203,923,000. The bay filly won at first asking at Kyoto last November, but found the plunge into Grade 1 company too tough when 10th in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies. Runner-up to Red Oval back at Kyoto on January 14, Meisho Mambo scored a confidence-boosting allowance win at the same venue on February 16. She made it two straight by capturing the March 10 Hochi Hai Fillies' Revue at Hanshin, but never landed a blow in the Oka Sho. The Japanese-bred thrived on the step up in trip here to become the first top-level winner sired by Suzuka Mambo. She was produced by the Grass Wonder mare Meisho Momoka and comes from the family of multiple Japanese stakes heroine and Grade 3-placed Meine Ratsel. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
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