2006 News
January 15, 2006
THE 53rd NIKKEI SHINSHUN HAI (JPN GII)
Sunday, January 15, 2006
RESULT OF THE 53rd NIKKEI SHINSHUN HAI (JPN GII)
Second favorite ADMIRE FUJI partnered with Yuichi Fukunaga won this year's Nikkei Shinshun Hai to claim his first group race victory.
The race started off with KYOWA SPLENDOR eventually taking the lead with TOKAI TRICK and MARBLE CHIEF following right behind. Race favorite INTI RAIMI ran just off the pace in 5th position while ADMIRE FUJI waited in the rear of the mid-pack around 8th position. Sixth-pick SWIFT CURRENT trailed second from the rear. As the field spread wide after the last corner, INTI RAIMI immediately made a spurt and took command at the 200-meter pole. However, ADMIRE FUJI responding well to Y. Fukunaga's urgings, displayed a great turn of speed in the last furlong, overcoming INTI RAIMI in the last four strides to win the race. SWIFT CURRENT, coming from way back, also exerted a magnificent kick in the homestretch and stalked ADMIRE FUJI to the goal in second, a neck before INTI RAIMI.
