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2008 News

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The 28th Japan Cup - Handicapper's Report on the Japanese Contenders

The top six finishers in the Japan Cup last year were dominated by home-trained runners, while Papal Bull (GBR, by Montjeu) was the first of the foreign contenders to cross the wire in seventh place. This year Papal Bull has made his return to Japan to make his bid for the G1 title and his Japanese opponents this year will not include last year's winner, Admire Moon (JPN) as he has already retired to stud, but a strong line-up of runners that could be said to represent each of their generation including those that have won the Japanese Derby title each in their three-year-old season.

Vodka (JPN, f4, by Tanino Gimlet, rating: 120M/118I) became the first filly in 64 years to beat her male counterparts in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, 2,400m) last year and has continued to prove competitive this season, winning against a mixed field of G1 contenders in the Yasuda Kinen (G1, 1,600m) as well as the Tenno Sho Autumn (G1, 2,000m). She performs especially well over the track at Tokyo Racecourse and all her G1 victories this year are won at the racecourse. Though defeated to fourth in the Japan Cup last year, she has come back again with improved power and could be considered the biggest threat among the Japanese runners.		Vodka
Meisho Samson (JPN, h5, by Opera House, rating: 117L-E) won the Japanese Derby as a three-year-old and claimed both the Tenno Sho Spring (G1, 3,200m) and the Tenno Sho Autumn before being sent to post favorite for Japan Cup last year in which he finished third to Admire Moon-he finished 6th to Deep Impact (JPN) as a three-year-old in 2006. This season, he just missed the Tenno Sho Spring and the Takarazuka Kinen (G1, 2,200m) by a head margin, finishing second in both, so he has not yet claimed a G1 title this year. Though beaten to tenth by 6 lengths in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (FRA, G1, 2,400m) after meeting disadvantages in his positioning after the gate, his performance was not discouraging. Eager to claim the Japan Cup title this year, his connections have passed up the Tenno Sho Autumn to focus on conditioning him to his best for this race.		Meisho Samson
Deep Sky (JPN, c3, by Agnes Tachyon, rating: 120I) is this year's Japanese Derby winner. Although it took him six races to mark his first victory, he joined the ranks of a grade-race winner in his ninth start when winning the Mainichi Hai and proceeded to accomplish a four grade race winning streak, claiming the NHK Mile Cup, Tokyo Yushun and the Kobe Shimbun Hai. In his most recent start in the Tenno Sho Autumn, his first test against top class older runners, the Agnes Tachyon colt proved well up to competing among the higher ranks and his persistent rally with Vodka as both horses made their charge towards the leader at the stretch was especially impressive although the three-year-old colt finally gave way in the end to finish third. With still room for improvement, there is a good amount of reason to predict that he will reverse the order this time.		Deep Sky
Oken Bruce Lee (JPN, c3, by Jungle Pocket, rating: 115E) is also an up and coming three-year-old who has only just made his debut in spring this year with seven career starts. Coming off three consecutive wins since breaking his maiden in his third start, he finished third to Deep Sky in his first grade-race attempt, the Kobe Shimbun Hai (Kikuka Sho Trial) and was qualified to run in the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger, 3,000m). Sent to post favorite in the Kikuka Sho, Oken Bruce Lee exhibited a sweeping come-from-behind victory to claim the classic title. He has been raced over 2,000 meters and is best at 2,400 but has never faced older G1 company before.		Oken Bruce Lee
Last year's Arima Kinen (G1, 2,500m) winner, Matsurida Gogh (JPN, h5, by Sunday Silence, rating: 121L) has added two grade-race victories this season in the Nikkei Sho (G2, 2,500m) and the Sankei Sho All Comers (G2, 2,200m). However, his results at Tokyo Racecourse are a concern. He has a liking to Nakayama Racecourse where he has scored seven of his nine career wins, but is unplaced in both of his two starts at Tokyo. This race could be a chance to cast aside such doubts depending on his performance-his rating shows there is no doubt about his talent.		Matsurida Gogh

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