FROM: Haruyuki Miyoshi General Manager, Media & Publicity Department, THE JAPAN RACING ASSOCIATION (JRA) DATE: November 1, 2015 SUBJECT: RESULT OF THE 152ND TENNO SHO (AUTUMN) (G1) “The Emperor’s Cup” was first held in 1905 to encourage the horse racing sport through annual events that gave the winner the highest honor of being awarded the Imperial prize. Then the Tenno Sho (Autumn) was established in 1937 together with its counterpart, Tenno Sho (Spring), under the name “Teishitsu Goshoten Kyoso” and held biannually in both the Eastern and Western part of Japan. The race was officially renamed the “Tenno Sho” in 1947. Both the spring and autumn races, which secured its status as the most prestigious events for older horses, were run over 3,200 meters in the early years. Later, the autumn version was shortened to 2,000 meters in 1984 so that the spring version could determine the best stayer, while the Tenno Sho (Autumn) would be the main target for middle-distance champions. This also gives the three-year-olds, who find the third leg of the Triple Crown, the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger, G1, 3,000m), to be beyond their suitability, an alternative G1 as the ultimate goal for their autumn campaign. The Tenno Sho (Autumn) entered a new chapter in its long history when opening its doors to foreign contenders as an international race in 2005. However, no foreign contenders have taken part yet. A number of runners in this year’s line-up had come off their Mainichi Okan (G2, 1,800m) starts; winner A Shin Hikari, his second graded title after landing the Espom Cup (G3, 1,800m) in June, runner-up and Sapporo Kinen (G2, 2,000m) victor Decipher, 2014 Satsuki Sho (Japanese Guineas, G1, 2,000m) winner Isla Bonita finished third, Hong Kong’s Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1, 2,000m) runner-up Staphanos was seventh, while Tenno Sho (Autumn) defending champion Spielberg was tenth. Lovely Day, who captured his first G1 win this June in the Takarazuka Kinen (G1, 2,200m), came off his Kyoto Daishoten (G2, 2,400m) sweeping win while Tenno Sho (Spring) third-place finisher Curren Mirotic and last season’s Derby winner One and Only was third and sixth in the same race, respectively. All Comers (G2, 2,200m) winner Shonan Pandora was also among the field aiming to become the first filly to claim the title since Buena Vista (JPN, by Special Week) in 2010. The race record 1:56.1 was set by Tosen Jordan (JPN, by Jungle Pocket) in 2011.
THE 152ND TENNO SHO (AUTUMN) (G1) 3-year-old & up, 2,000 meters (about 10 furlongs), turf, left-handed Sunday, November 1, 2015 Tokyo Racecourse 11th Race Post time: 15:40 Total prize money: ¥ 313,000,000 (about US$ 2,608,000
WINNING TIME: 1:58.4 GOING: Firm WEATHER: Fine TURNOVER FOR THE RACE ALONE: ¥ 19,802,602,900 TURNOVER FOR THE DAY: ¥ 28,677,284,000 ATTENDANCE: 92,564
PAY-OFF (for ¥100) WIN No.8 ¥340 BRACKET QUINELLA 4-7 ¥1,150 QUINELLA 8-14 ¥7,340 No.8 ¥160 8-14 ¥2,320 EXACTA 8-14 ¥10,390 PLACE No.14 ¥590 QUINELLA PLACE 8-16 ¥820 TRIO 8-14-16 ¥24,850 No.16 ¥300 14-16 ¥4,620 TRIFECTA 8-14-16 ¥109,310
1. Lovely Day (JPN), dark bay or brown, horse, 5-year-old King Kamehameha / Popcorn Jazz (Dance in the Dark) Owner: Kaneko Makoto Holdings Co., Ltd. Breeder: Kaneko Makoto Holdings Inc. Trainer: Yasutoshi Ikee Jockey: Suguru Hamanaka 25 Starts, 9 Wins Added money: ¥ 153,780,000 Career earnings: ¥ 647, 555,000 Principal Race Performances: ’15 Takarazuka Kinen (G1, 2,200m) 1st ’15 Kyoto Daishoten (G2, 2,400m) 1st ’15 Kyoto Kinen (G2, 2,200m) 1st ’15 Naruo Kinen (G3, 2,000m) 1st ’15 Nakayama Kimpai (G3, 2,000m) 1st
2. Staphanos (JPN), bay, colt, 4-year-old Deep Impact / Kokoshnik (Kurofune) Owner: U. Carrot Farm Breeder: Northern Racing Trainer: Hideaki Fujiwara Jockey: Keita Tosaki
3. Isla Bonita (JPN), dark bay or brown, colt, 4-year-old Fuji Kiseki / Isla Cozzene (Cozzene) Owner: Shadai Race Horse Co., Ltd. Breeder: Shadai Corporation Inc. Trainer: Hironori Kurita Jockey: Masayoshi Ebina
Lovely Day Strongly Dominates the Field for His Second G1 Title in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) Race favorite Lovely Day soared to capture his second G1 victory following his Takarazuka Kinen win in June, and extended his grade-race winning streak to four since his Naruo Kinen win. The King Kamehameha horse had come off a convincing Kyoto Daishoten win in his first start of his autumn campaign, and by claiming his sixth graded title of the season, he gives his trainer Yasutoshi Ikee his 14th JRA-G1 victory and seventh to jockey Suguru Hamanaka—sitting in for suspended regular rider Yuga Kawada. Ikee and Hamanaka had just celebrated a G1 Shuka Sho triumph with Mikki Queen two weeks before.
After sitting off the rather slow pace in third to fourth on the rails, Lovely Day gained on the leaders at the top of the lane stealing the lead easily before the furlong pole and pulled away, repelling a strong challenge from Staphanos, for a half-length victory.
“I’m relieved that in spite of the short notice, I was able to do my job well. The break was good and we were able to sit in an upward position. He was a bit keen to go at first but settled down. Since he responded so well at the top of the stretch, I had to wait for the run because I didn’t want him to take the lead too early. He gave a strong charge as soon as I asked him for it,” commented Suguru Hamanaka.
“We still have future races to think about so he wasn’t completely tuned up, but for a second autumn start, he was in good form. The horse has developed beautifully and has entered his prime. We have the Japan Cup in mind as his next start. We’ll carefully prepare him race by race,” said Yasutoshi Ikee.
Staphanos, who was lightly regarded as tenth pick, traveled wide in mid-pack while sixth favorite Isla Bonita sat a few lengths behind. As the field turned for home, Isla Bonita gained ground half-a-length in front of Staphanos and, while the two fiercely charged down the stretch picking off the tiring leaders, Staphanos found another gear 50 meters out and galloped strongly to excel, grasping the runner-up seat by a 3/4-length margin.
Other Horses: 4th: (15) Shonan Pandora—raced 4th from last, switched to outside for clear path at early stretch, quickened 5th: (2) Ambitious—traveled in mid-division, showed good effort after turning wide 6th: (5) Clarente—set pace, held on well until 100m out, outrun thereafter 7th: (10) Pelusa—sat toward rear, accelerated after 200m marker, was too late 8th: (1) Decipher—saved ground in mid-division, stayed on same pace at stretch 9th: (9) A Shin Hikari—chased leader in 2nd, ran gamely until furlong pole, weakened 10th: (17) Spielberg—sat 3rd from last, showed effort along rail until 200m out, unable to sustain bid 11th: (18) Admire Deus—trailed in rear, circled wide, showed belated charge 12th: (7) Last Impact—raced in mid-pack, found little room at early stretch, even paced thereafter 13th: (6) Curren Mirotic—stalked leaders in 3rd, weakened after 400m-marker 14th: (4) D’accord—hugged rail in mid-group, unable to reach contention 15th: (12) Derby Fizz—ran 2nd from rear, angled wide, lacked needed kick 16th: (11) One and Only—positioned wide around 6th, failed to respond at stretch 17th: (3) Satono Crown—raced near winner in 5th, dropped back and faded at straight 18th: (13) Vincennes—traveled wide in mid-division, no factor at stretch
Fractional Time (sec./furlong): 12.8 - 11.7 - 11.9 - 12.2 - 12.0 - 12.2 - 11.6 - 11.3 - 11.1 - 11.6 Last 4 furlongs: 45.6 Last 3 furlongs: 34.0
Positions at each corner: 2nd corner 5,9,6,8(1,3,11)(2,14)7,13(4,16)(10,15)(17,12)18 3rd corner 5,9,6(8,3,11,13)(1,2,14)(4,7,16)(10,15)(17,12)-18 4th corner (5,*9)6(8,3,11,13)(7,2)(1,16)(4,15,14)(17,10,12)-18 NOTE 1: Underlined bold number indicates the winning horse. NOTE 2: Horse numbers are indicated in the order of their positions at each corner, with the first position listed first. Two or more horses inside the same parentheses indicate that they were positioned side by side. Hyphens between the horse numbers indicate that there is distance between the former and the latter. The asterisk indicates a slight lead.