The Arima Kinen (G1) often has served as a swan song for Japan’s best but the tables turned in the Dec. 22 renewal as Do Deuce missed his star turn and 3-year-olds, headed by the filly Regaleira, took three of the top six placings.
With Japan Cup (G1) winner and solid favorite Do Deuce scratched two days before the race, the outcome was left very much in doubt with nine Grade 1 champions in the starting gate, including the winners of two of this year’s Japanese Classics and the second- and third-place finishers from the Nov. 2 Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1T), Shahryar and Rousham Park .
Youth prevailed, although barely, as Regaleira, a 3-year-old filly by Suave Richard , battled to the wire with Shahryar before getting the nod by a nose. Both were bred by Northern Farm and carried the red, black, and yellow colors of Sunday Racing.
Reigning Japanese Derby (G1) winner Danon Decile, finished third after making most of the going. He was followed by Bellagio Opera , Justin Palace, and 3-year-old Urban Chic, winner of this year’s Japanese St. Leger (G1) and the post-time favorite.
Jockey Keita Tosaki positioned Regaleira just aft of the leading pack through the first mile or the 2,500-meter (about 12 1/2 furlongs) challenge, well covered up and running comfortably. As the field swung into the stretch run for the second time, a seam opened and Regaleira quickly moved through, with Shahryar to her outside.
The two matched strides to the finish with Regaleira timed in 2:31.8 on turf rated good to firm, well off the course and race record of 2:29.5, set in 2004 by Zenno Rob Roy .
“I knew a good break was crucial but although we might have been a tad late, we were able to sit in a good position and maintain a smooth run in good rhythm,” Tosaki said. “She responded well but the competition was so strong, I couldn’t tell at all crossing the wire who’d won.”
The outcome provided ultimate justification for trainer Tetsuya Kimura’s persistence in pitting Regaleira against male competition. She won the Hopeful Stakes (G1) against colts in her final start of 2023 but had been winless since, finishing sixth in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese Two Thousand Guineas-G1) and fifth in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby-G1).
She hadn’t fared much better in subsequent runs in the Rose Stakes (G2), finishing fifth against fellow 3-year-old fillies, and the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1), where she was fifth against against older females. But assistant trainer Yu Ota expressed confidence before the Arima Kinen start.
“She broke quite well in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup and she was looking good until the first turn,” Ota said. “But in the backstretch, when a lot of horses moved up on her outside, she started falling back and wasn’t able to recover from that. It was an unfortunate trip.
“She’ll have no problem handling 2,500 meters,” Ota predicted, “and last race we saw her break better. Keita Tosaki is good with fillies and mares, so I think he would handle her well.”
The youth movement in the order of finish overshadowed the absence of Do Deuce, who was set to be feted in a post-racing ceremony at Nakayama Racecourse. He was withdrawn two days before the race with lameness in his right foreleg.
The Arima Kinen previously was the final run before retirement of such as Orfevre , Gentildonna , Kitasan Black , and Lys Gracieux .
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