Daryakana lassos 'Moon in Hong Kong Vase

Daryakana had come from dead last in all four of her prior starts, so it was

no surprise that Gerald Mosse dropped her back to anchor the 13-horse field in

the Vase. In a race without a great deal of early speed on tap, Packing Winner (Zabeel)

happily accepted the front-running role and carved out splits of :26.05, :50.07,

1:15.30 and 1:39.53. The leader was prompted throughout the opening stages by

Jackpot Delight (Danasinga). The American shipper Black Mamba (NZ) (Black Minnaloushe)

was forwardly placed for the first six furlongs, but gave way thereafter and

retreated.

Then Spanish Moon slipped through along the inside and seized command. In

most years, his move may have proven decisive, but not this time. For by now

Daryakana was unwinding on the outside, and despite being the least experienced

runner in the race, she simply had too much firepower for her opponents. The

chestnut's inexorable march carried her past the entire field and thrust her

just ahead of Spanish Moon on the line.

After finishing about

1 1/2 miles on the good turf in 2:27.51, Daryakana joined Vallee Enchantee

(2003) as the only sophomore fillies to have won the Vase. Mosse, who picked up

the winning ride after Christophe

Lemaire's Japan Cup (Jpn-G1) suspension, now boasts six winners at this meeting.

"I had a lot of horse under me and the pace was OK, so I was happy to sit at

the back," Mosse said. "I knew she had a great turn of foot, and I was always

happy in the straight that I would get there. I feel a bit sad for my friend (Lemaire),

but that happens in racing.

"I was able to gradually pick them up, and she flew in the final 100 meters

to lead on the line. She is a superb long-distance filly. She's not the biggest,

but she's all heart. She's

among the best I've ridden."

Jockey Thierry Thulliez bemoaned a bit of traffic trouble that may have cost

Kasbah Bliss.

"He was held up at the last bend behind (eventual 10th-placer) Youmzain (Sinndar),

which is a bit of shame because if he could have accelerated earlier, that would

made a difference," Thulliez said. "It's the best race of his career."

Doumen, best known in Hong Kong for the exploits of Jim

and Tonic (Fr) in the late 1990s, was delighted with his performance.

"He was brave," Doumen said.

Jaguar Mail, a near-miss third in the 2008 Vase, was narrowly denied a

repeat of that placing and finished a close fourth.

Cirrus des Aigles may well have turned in the best run in the

race to finish fifth, beaten a total of 1 1/4 lengths by Daryakana, after racing wide throughout.

Daryakana has now amassed about $1.2 million in earnings. Since breaking her

maiden at Clairefontaine in July, she sailed through an allowance at Deauville

in August, won her stakes debut in the Prix des Tourelles in September, and

easily garnered the Prix de Royallieu on Arc weekend.

The French-bred is out of the high-class mare Daryaba (Ire) (Night Shift),

heroine of the 1999 Prix de Diane (French Oaks) (Fr-G1) and Prix Vermeille

(Fr-G1). Daryaba's prior notable offspring are Group 2 victor Daramsar (Rainbow

Quest) and the stakes-placed Daryamar (Fr) (Machiavellian). She has since

produced an unnamed yearling filly by Kingmambo and a weanling filly by Mr.

Greeley.

Daryakana hails from the family of European champion Darjina (Zamindar), who

landed the 2007 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French One Thousand Guineas)

(Fr-G1), Prix d'Astarte (Fr-G1) and Prix du Moulin (Fr-G1), as well as Darsi

(Polish Precedent), winner of the 2006 Prix du Jockey-Club (French Derby)

(Fr-G1).

De Royer-Dupre revealed that Daryakana will stay in training next year.