Exclusive Topics for JAPAN CUP 2011 and JAPAN CUP DIRT 2011 - 1st Edition -
The 2010 Japan Cup (G1, turf, 2,400m), which celebrated its 30th anniversary since becoming Japan's first international invitational race, attracted eight foreign runners—the second most in a decade, trailing only 2003, when nine runners from the USA, Europe and Oceania took part.
Despite the large size of the foreign field, pundits favored the Japanese starters, among which were four gifted three-year-olds who had performed impressively in the season's classic G1s, as well as Buena Vista (JPN, by Special Week), who had proved dominant in her victory in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1, turf, 2,000m) just four weeks earlier, and Nakayama Festa (JPN, by Stay Gold), who had come off a close runner-up effort in his previous start in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1, turf, 2,400m).
The overseas entries, facing one of Japan's best-possible line-ups, ultimately gave way to the powerful home field, which did indeed dominate the top positions. Cirrus des Aigles (FR) bested the other overseas runners in ninth and Joshua Tree (IRE), despite being the top foreign pick at 41.2 (decimal odds), finished tenth.
Buena Vista, the clear favorite, proved to be nothing less than spectacular as she gained ground with ease along the stretch, seemingly scoring another glorious victory. But to the shock and disappointment of many, the stewards charged her for lugging in towards Rose Kingdom (JPN, by King Kamehameha) at the straight and reversed the two placing, giving Rose Kingdom his first G1 title of the season after two runner-up efforts in the classics, and dropping Buena Vista to second. Victoire Pisa (JPN, by Neo Universe), winner of the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, G1, turf, 2,000m), was a nose behind in third.
Thereafter, the 2010 Japan Cup runners produced a mixed combination of results. Victoire Pisa immediately came into the limelight by winning his following start against an all-star group of G1 winners in the Arima Kinen (G1, turf, 2,500m). With Italian jockey Mirco Demuro in the saddle, the three-year-old son of Neo Universe made headway early along the backstretch and managed to deter a relentless attack from Buena Vista for a nose victory. His campaign in the 2011 season also was successful, including a demonstration of his superior talent in the Nakayama Kinen (G2, turf, 1,800m) in February. He then headed overseas to the Dubai World Cup (G1, AW, 2,000m). The world's richest G1 broke off with another Japanese contingent, Transcend (JPN, by Wild Rush), making a good start to dictate the pace. Victoire Pisa was slow out of the gate but made ground along the backstretch of Meydan's all-weather track. Well within striking distance at the homestretch and ready to make his bid as the globe's top runners staged a fierce rally, Victoire Pisa pinned the tenacious Transcend for a 1/2-length victory and thereby listed his name as the first Japanese-trained runner to claim the Dubai World Cup title in its 16th running. The victory also marked Japan's first overseas win in nearly four years—since Shadow Gate (JPN, by White Muzzle) in the Singapore Airlines International Cup (G1, turf, 2,000m) in May 2007)—giving fans a brief moment of diversion following the devastating earthquake that had occurred some two weeks earlier on March 11.
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| Victoire Pisa (left) in Arima Kinen |
Victoire Pisa (left) and Transcend (right)
in Dubai World Cup |
Thereafter, however, Victoire Pisa's experienced a downturn in his condition, with an unsound right hind leg forcing his withdrawal from Hong Kong's Audemars Piguet QE II Cup (G1, turf, 2,000m). Upon shifting to France in August for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, he developed another sore leg, this time his left hind, and was promptly shipped back to Japan. He is currently concentrating on preparing for this year's Japan Cup.
Buena Vista, who saw a Japan Cup title slip by last year, has not lost badly yet has been distanced from the winner's circle for some time. First, she missed by a mere two centimeters in the Arima Kinen. Then, in a slow-paced Dubai World Cup over unfamiliar all-weather tracks, she was unable to make use of her usual late charge and finished eighth. Returning to Japan, she was runner-up both in the Victoria Mile (G1, turf, 1,600m) and the Takarazuka Kinen (G1, turf, 2,200m) to Apapane (JPN, by King Kamehameha) and Earnestly (JPN, by Grass Wonder), respectively. The winners were equally in best form, so both cases could be considered unlucky for the able mare. Buena Vista's racing agenda for the fall season is supposedly to be the same as last year, meaning she will be aiming for a sixth career G1 title in starts in the Tenno Sho (Autumn), Japan Cup and Arima Kinen.
Rose Kingdom, after being named the Japan Cup winner of 2010, came down with colic before the Arima Kinen, which forced him to end his season. He then finished third in his first two starts this season, the Nikkei Shinshun Hai (G2, turf, 2,400m) and the Nikkei Sho (G2, turf, 2,400m). He was unable to perform well and finished 11th in the Tenno Sho (Spring) (G1, turf, 3,200m), which proved too long to suit him. In the Takarazuka Kinen, Rose Kingdom was unable to bounce back and finished fourth by 0.3 second from the winner.
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| Rose Kingdom (left) in Japan Cup |
Buena Vista (left) in Victoria Mile |
Jaguar Mail (JPN, by Jungle Pocket), who was fourth in the 2010 Japan Cup, two weeks later concluded his season with a fourth in the Hong Kong Vase (G1, turf, 2,400m). He was then given a long rest before resuming training towards the fall season. Fifth-place finisher Pelusa (JPN, by Zenno Rob Roy) made a good effort in the Arima Kinen in December to finish fourth. During his spring campaign, he scored a second and an eighth in the Nikkei Sho and Tenno Sho (Spring), respectively, but passed up the Takarazuka Kinen to fully prepare for his return in the Tenno Sho (Autumn). 2010 derby winner Eishin Flash (JPN, by King's Best), who fell behind his fellow three-year-olds with an eighth in the Japan Cup and seventh in the Arima Kinen, bounced back to form for his four-year-old campaign. Despite not registering a win, he proved to be consistent by finishing third, second and third in the Sankei Osaka Hai (G2, turf, 2,000m), Tenno Sho (Spring) and Takarazuaka Kinen, respectively. He is due to return from his summer spell in the Tenno Sho (Autumn). Nakayama Festa who disappointed to 14th after being sent to post as the second pick last year, was discovered to have suffered an internal hemorrhage in the back of his left foreleg during the race, so he rested completely for the first half of this season. After recovering, he was flown to France for his second challenge in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. In his first start in nine and a half months, the Prix Foy (G2, turf, 2,400m), he finished a good fourth from being forwardly positioned. He now will proceed to the Arc as planned. His schedule thereafter is undetermined, but his connections do not seem to be rushing to fly home, so the Arima Kinen appears to be the most likely choice.
As for updates on last year's runners in the Japan Cup Dirt (G1, dirt, 1,800m), which did not include any foreign starter, winner Transcend continues to dominate. He kicked off this season in the February Stakes (G1, dirt, 1,600m) with a wire-to-wire victory, his second career G1 title, and then beat the odds on the international stage with a tenacious effort to finish second in the Dubai World Cup, an unprecedented achievement for any Japanese dirt horse. His planned comeback in fall will be the Mile Championship Nambu Hai (dirt, 1,600m), which temporarily has been shifted to Tokyo from Iwate Prefecture due to damage caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake. Transcend is expected to prepare for another Japan Cup Dirt title this year.
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| Transcend (left) in Japan Cup Dirt |
Transcend in February Stakes |
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