The 2005 versions of both the Japan Cup and Japan Cup Dirt will be counted among the most impressive races ever in the histories of Japan’s biggest international racing events. The 2005 Japan Cup, which marked its 25th anniversary, was won by the UK’s Alkaased (6h, by Kingmambo, USA) with Japan’s Heart’s Cry (5h, by Sunday Silence, JPN) finishing second by only a four-cm margin. The Japan Cup Dirt was just as exciting, with Kane Hekili (4c, by Fuji Kiseki, JPN), Seeking the Dia (5h, by Storm Cat, USA) and Star King Man (7h, by Kingmambo, USA) providing a breathtaking three-way blanket finish.
Strong Candidates for 2006 Japan Cup Title
This year’s international 2,400-meter-turf GI Japan Cup will bring in a number of new entries, following the retirement of seven of the 12 Japanese starters from last year: Zenno Rob Roy (6h, by Sunday Silence, JPN), Lincoln (6h, by Sunday Silence, JPN), Sunrise Pegasus (8h, by Sunday Silence, JPN), Heavenly Romance (6m, by Sunday Silence, JPN), Suzuka Mambo (5h, by Sunday Silence, JPN), Tap Dance City (9h, by Pleasant Tap, USA) and Admire Japan (4c, by Sunday Silence, JPN), who finished 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th, 9th, 10th and 11th, respectively. Admire Japan and Lincoln both retired in the past few months after injuries. Suzuka Mambo withdrew in April, and the rest had already announced their retirements at the end of the 2005 season.
Alkaased will not be back to defend his title, having retired. But Japanese racing fans look forward to watching many of the champion’s offspring compete someday, now that he has begun his new career as a stud in Japan.
Among last year’s entrants who continue to race is Heart’s Cry. Despite his outstanding caliber and pedigree, he just missed a major GI title for the third time when nosed out by Alkaased in the 2005 Japan Cup. But he quickly reversed his fortunes in his following GI start, the Arima Kinen (JPN-GI, 2,500m) in December last year. This, his first GI title, was one of the most memorable races in JRA history, because it was the first and only time any horse was able to hold off the legendary unbeaten Triple Crown winner and JRA 2005 Horse of the Year, Deep Impact (4c, by Sunday Silence, JPN). He then picked up more hardware for his trophy case at the Dubai Sheema Classic (G1, UAE, 2,400m) in Dubai last March.
After the excellent results in the Arima Kinen, when it was decided to switch Heart’s Cry tactics from closer to front-group traveler, he held pace in Dubai and then opened up a gap with a tremendous turn of speed down the homestretch to capture his second GI victory, and his first overseas. In his latest start, the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes (G1, UK, 2,400m) in July, he finished third and proved himself competitive against top international GI winners, last year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Hurricane Run (4c, by Montjeu, IRE), and a half length behind 2006 Dubai World Cup title holder Electrocutionist (5h, by Red Ransom, USA), who later died of an apparent heart attack in September. After spending the first half of the season competing overseas, Heart’s Cry’s connections plan to keep him in Japan to prepare for the Japan Cup.
Cosmo Bulk (5h, by Zagreb, JPN), after experiencing a generally disappointing season last year, returned to form in May this year by scoring his first international success, as well as first career G1 title, in the Singapore Airlines International Cup (G1, SIN, 2,000m). Although unsuccessful in nine GI attempts in Japan, he finished second to Zenno Rob Roy in the 2004 Japan Cup. Showing that he had fully recovered from overseas travel with a runner-up effort in Hokkaido in September, his connections have hopes for a GI title during the current fall campaign.
Other horses in training that ran in last year’s Japan Cup are My Sole Sound (7h, by Tamamo Cross, JPN; placed 15th) and Stormy Cafe (4c, by Admire Vega, JPN; placed 18th). Both horses, however, have not recorded any notable achievement since the beginning of this year. The final remaining entrant from last year, Big Gold (8h, by Brian’s Time, JPN; placed seventh), was transferred to NAR racing in Kanazawa in May after finishing near last in the Tenno Sho Spring (GI, 3,200m) in April.
Strong Candidates for 2006 Japan Cup Dirt Title
Unlike the Japan Cup, most of the 12 runners from the 2005 Japan Cup Dirt have continued to race this season. However, last year’s Japan Cup Dirt winner and 2005 Champion Dirt Horse, Kane Hekili (4c, by Fuji Kiseki, JPN) will not be back to repeat his title due to the sudden development of bowed tendon. His owner and trainer decide to have surgery, aiming to continue his racing career next year.
Kane Hekili was as good as he was in his stellar three-year-old season, when he won seven out of eight dirt race starts, including three GI victories. This year, he promptly added another GI title in his first race, the February Stakes (JPN-GI, dirt, 1,600m), covering the mile in 1:34.9. In the Dubai World Cup (G1, UAE, dirt, 2,000m), however, he was unable to achieve the same success against a top international field that included multiple G1 winner, Electrocutionist. He finished fifth, although officially fourth when runner-up Brass Hat (USA) failed a drug test and was disqualified.
Utopia (6h, by Forty Niner, JPN), who finished eighth in the 2005 Japan Cup Dirt, kicked off 2006 with a third in the February Stakes (JPN-GI, dirt, 1,600m) and then went to Dubai and scored a five-length victory in the Godolphin Mile (G2, UAE, 1,600m). Utopia’s performance drew interest from UAE-based Godolphin Stables, which subsequently purchased him for four million dollars.
Seeking the Dia (5h, by Storm Cat, USA), after his runner-up effort in the 2005 Japan Cup Dirt, was second to Adjudi Mitsuo in the Tokyo Daishoten (JPN-GI, dirt, 2,000m) last December. He followed this with seconds in both the Kawasaki Kinen (JPN-GI, dirt, 2,100m) and the February Stakes (JPN-GI, dirt, 1,600m), three lengths behind Kane Hekili. He has no less than seven runner-up finishes out of 12 career GI starts, including overseas, yet is still looking for his first GI victory. He is expected to resume competing in a GII race in late September, following windpipe surgery.
Adjudi Mitsuo (5h, by Adjudicating, JPN) is showing great improvement since finishing 10th in the 2005 Japan Cup Dirt. The five-year-old bay from NAR racing, has won five out of six starts, including four GI victories, since last December. But his connections are somewhat reluctant to start him in this year’s Japan Cup Dirt, convinced that his front-running style is at a disadvantage on Tokyo Racecourse’s long uphill homestretch.
Star King Man (7h, by Kingmambo, USA), Time Paradox (8h, by Brian’s Time, JPN) and Sunrise Bacchus (4c, by Hennessy, JPN), last year’s third-, fourth- and fifth-place finishers, respectively, are all below form this season. Conversely, Saqalat (6h, by Afleet, JPN), Personal Rush (5h, by Wild Rush, USA) and Hishi Atlas (6h, by Timber Country, JPN), who finished seventh, 14th and 15th, respectively, have been consistently solid. Most notably, Hishi Atlas has captured two GIII titles this year, both on dirt at 1,800m.
Shirokita God Run (7h, by Genuine, JPN), who came in sixth place last year, was retired in March, while Gene Crisis (5h, by Subordination, USA), who finished 12th, was transferred to NAR racing in Hokkaido.
*Note: All ages as of September 2006
© Japan Association for International Racing and Stud Book (JAIRS). All Rights Reserved.
