Liberty Island Bids for Japan’s Filly Triple Crown

To take that step, Liberty Island will have to overcome a layoff and negotiate a tricky trip over 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles) on the inner Kyoto turf.

Liberty Island won at first asking in 2022, finished second in the Artemis Stakes (G3) in October, then wound up the season with a victory in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (G1) in December.

Used sparingly, her only two starts through the first nine months of 2023 were victories in the Oka Sho (Japanese One Thousand Guineas-G1) April 9 and Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks-G1) May 21.

The Yushun Himba was statement victory for the Northern Farm-bred filly. Her Oka Sho crown was scored by just 3/4 length over Kona Coast and that race also was her fourth straight at 1,600 meters (about 1 mile). She was asked to stretch out to 2,400 meters (about 1 1/2 miles) in the Yushun Himba and enjoyed every bit of the added distance.

After racing behind the leading pack, jockey Yuga Kawada got Liberty Island a clear path at the top of the stretch. He didn’t start to ask her until the 200-meter marker was in sight but, when he did give her the cue, she exploded away from the field to win by six lengths.

Liberty Island spent the summer at Northern Farm and returned to the Ritto training center in mid-September. While there has been some comment about her weight, Kawada said his recent work with her did not turn up any issues.

“Last week, I studied her well when I rode her fast work,” Kawada said after Liberty Island drew gate No. 6 for the Shuka Sho. “To be honest, I didn’t feel that much of a difference even with the difference in her weight. I’d heard so many reports about how big she’d gotten, so I’d been thinking she was going to be too big. But she wasn’t. In a good way, I found it hard to even feel the difference.”

And in her final work for the race, the jockey said, “I did feel improvement. She looked a bit more toned and leaner … I do think the Kyoto 2,000 meters is a special course. The shape of it is tricky and so is the distance but that kind of things are no excuse for her. I think she will overcome everything and win this race.”

Her main competition in the Shuka Sho may be Harper, who was fourth in the Oka Sho and simply outgunned in the final 200 meters of the Yushun Himba, and Oka Sho runner-up Kona Coast (JPN), a Kitasan Black  filly who did well to get home seventh in the Yushun Himba after being slammed sideways at the start by a rival, then trailing the field.

Christophe Lemaire, who is locked in a tight race with Kawada for the Japanese jockey premiership, rides Harper and acknowledged the tough task facing his filly.

“Liberty Island is her biggest rival,” Lemaire said. “Winning will be difficult but I think 2,000 meters is perfect for Harper. She gets into position easily and is an easy horse to ride. With a smooth trip, I think she’s capable of a fantastic performance.”

Kona Coast’s assistant trainer, Michiro Oshida, also nodded to the favorite as a worthy foe.

“There’s a two-crown filly in the lineup but I think she (Kona Coast) can do well if she can run her own race,” Oshida said.

The start will be interesting as Kawada finds both main rivals to his inside—Harper in the No. 2 gate and Kona Coast in the No. 4 slot.