Rainbow Dahlia upsets Verxina in Kyoto's QEII

After finishing runner-up to Gentildonna in all three legs of Japan's Triple

Crown for fillies, Verxina appeared ready to escape her archrival's shadow at

last in Sunday's Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup. But even the

absence of Gentildonna, who is bound instead for the Grade 1 Japan Cup, couldn't

cure Verxina's seconditis. Sent off as the clear favorite at Kyoto, Verxina

again played second fiddle, this time to the longshot Rainbow Dahlia, on the

yielding going.

The five-year-old Rainbow Dahlia was earning her first career stakes credit.

Eighth behind Filly Triple Crown sweeper Apapane in the Grade 1 Shuka Sho in

2010, she was fifth in last year's QEII, beaten just 3 3/4 lengths by the

globetrotting Snow Fairy.

In her only subsequent Grade 1 attempt, Rainbow Dahlia was 12th of 18 in the

May 13 Victoria Mile. The daughter of Brian's Time was coming off a pair of

rallying fourths in the Grade 3 Hokkaido Shimbun Hai Queen Stakes July 29 and in

the Grade 2 Fuchu Himba October 13.

Trainer Yoshitaka Ninomiya, best known for Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe

runners-up El Condor Pasa (1999) and Nakayama Festa (2010), believed that

Rainbow Dahlia was sitting on a big effort. She proved him right.

Rainbow Dahlia was reserved near the back of the pack by Yoshitomi Shibata.

Legend Blue carved out the early pace, tracked by Meine Jeanne, All That Jazz

and Verxina. Erin Court made a bold early move to take command before the final

turn, but was soon overtaken in turn by All That Jazz entering the stretch.

Meanwhile, Rainbow Dahlia and Verxina were launching their bids in tandem on

the outside. The older mare was too strong for her sophomore rival, besting

favored Verxina by a neck. Verxina has now finished second in five consecutive

races, four of them to Gentildonna.

Third-placer Pixie Princess, ridden by Mirco Demuro, flew from near last and

missed catching Verxina by just a head. Meine Orchard reported home another 1

3/4 lengths astern in fourth, followed by All That Jazz, Merveille d'Or, Meine

Isabel, Acanthus, La Scintillante, Whale Capture, Fumino Imagine, Legend Blue,

Christmas Carol, Erin Court, Meine Jeanne and Smart Silhouette.

Rainbow Dahlia, who negotiated 1 3/8 miles on the rain-softened ground in

2:16.3, improved her record to 28-6-4-7,

¥232,073,000. Bred by Daiei Bokujo in Japan, the chestnut mare races for Yoshiko

Tanaka. She is out of the winning Northern Taste mare Arome, who comes from the

family of Belgian champion Ztunami, multiple Grade 3 scorer Withholding, Grade 3

winner Jet Propulsion and Grade 2 victress Shining Light.

Sunday's 37th running of the Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup was

designated in honor of the British sovereign's Diamond Jubilee. The top-level

prize for fillies and mares also kicks off the Japan Autumn International

series, which continues with next Sunday's Grade 1 Mile Championship, the Japan

Cup on November 25 and the Grade 1 Japan Cup Dirt on December 2.

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