Embroidery looks stylish in BC WAYI Victoria Mile

As last year’s Japanese champion three-year-old filly, Silk Racing Co.’s Embroidery was clearly the one to beat in Sunday’s Victoria Mile (G1) at Tokyo. The dual classic winner readily lived up to her 9-10 favoritism in this “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1), in a sparkling time just off the stakes and course record.

Expertly ridden by Christophe Lemaire, who was racking up the 100th Grade/Group 1 victory of his global career, Embroidery was reserved in sixth early. The Kazutomo Mori trainee was following an older dual classic-winning champion, Cervinia, in the expectation that she would carry her into the race. So Cervinia did, until the decisive point in the stretch.

Up front, Erika Express motored through fractions of :23.4 and :45.9 on the firm course. The 15-1 shot continued her momentum well into the lane, even shrugging off a challenge from Nishino Ti Amo.

But Embroidery was traveling ominously well as she steered around the stalling Cervinia. Lemaire kept waiting for the right instant to deploy. Once given the signal, the daughter of Admire Mars struck top gear and drew away to a 1 1/4-length decision.

The final time for the metric mile, 1:30.9, was close to the record 1:30.5 clocked by Normcore in the 2019 edition. The only other Victoria Mile winner to break the 1:31 barrier was Almond Eye, who posted 1:30.6 in 2020.

Almond Eye was also ridden by Lemaire, who sports a record five Victoria Mile wins. His first came courtesy of Admire Lead (2017), followed by Gran Alegria (2021) and last year’s victress, Ascoli Piceno. 

“It was a perfect race,” Lemaire said of Embroidery’s performance. “We were able to break smoothly, which allowed us to race in a good position. She responded really well on the uphill stretch, and I was confident we could win again.”

Kamunyak, Embroidery’s familiar rival from the 2025 fillies’ classics, rallied for second. Reinforcing the merit of the form was the third-placer Queen’s Walk, who had missed by only a neck in last year’s Victoria Mile.

Erika Express, just mugged by Queen’s Walk on the line for third, held fourth from the fast-finishing Coconuts Brown. Next came Nishino Ti Amo, Lavanda, Jocelyn, Ma Puce, Kana Tape, Bond Girl, Paradis Reine, Ai Sansan, Kelly Fled Ask, Wide Latour, Cervinia, Ka Pilina, and Drop of Light.

Embroidery’s resume now reads 11-7-1-0, highlighted by victories in the Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) (G1) and Shuka Sho (G1). The missing jewel in her Triple Tiara bid was the middle one, the about 1 1/2-mile Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) (G1), where she found the distance a shade too far and wound up ninth behind Kamunyak. 

After ending the year on an anticlimactic note with an 11th in the Hong Kong Mile (G1) at Sha Tin, Embroidery regained the winning thread in the April 11 Hanshin Himba (G2). Kamunyak chased her home in their mutual reappearance, and she had to play second fiddle again here.

Although Embroidery’s connections are open to considering international opportunities, it remains to be seen if Keeneland might become a target. Lemaire views her as the type who can take her game abroad, especially since she’s maturing at this stage of life. 

“She’s a smart horse with a strong mentality, and she’s developing physically as well,” her rider said. “She’s truly a Group 1-caliber horse. I think she can compete both in Japan and overseas.”