By Alan Carasso
Awardee (Jungle Pocket {Jpn}), just caught at the wire by Sound True (Jpn) (French Deputy) in the G1 Champions Cup at Chukyo Racecourse Dec. 4, looks to turn the tables on that one and 12 other rivals in Thursday's G1 Tokyo Daishoten at Ohi Racecourse.
The 6-year-old half-brother to G2 UAE Derby winner and GI Belmont S. third place-getter Lani (Tapit), Awardee won his first six starts once switched from the turf to the main track, capped by a victory in the Nov. 3 JBC Classic over an extended 10 furlongs. Produced outside into the final furlong of the Champions Cup, Awardee took a late lead, but was outfinished by Sound True, who came from a near-impossible spot at the top of the lane to pull a 14-1 upset.
Sound True, who was third in the 2015 Champions Cup before winning this event, rounded out the triple underneath Awardee in the Nippon TV Hai Sept. 28 and again in the JBC Classic before reversing form narrowly last time at Chukyo.
Copano Rickey (Jpn) (Gold Allure {Jpn}) has a good record in the Daishoten, having finished runner-up in 2014 ahead of a decent fourth-place finish to Sound True last year. Fifth in the JBC Classic, he was most recently well down the field in the Champions Cup.
Mozu Raijin (Jpn) (Kurofune) makes his 12th start of the season in the Daishoten and exits a distant fourth to Awardee's half-sister Amour Briller (Smart Strike) in the Nagoya Grand Prix (2500m) Dec. 15.
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