By Kelsey Riley
One of the deepest fields in recent memory of the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) had assembled at Nakayama on Sunday, with 11 group winners making up the 18-horse field, and it was longshot Al Ain who emerged victorious, shaving 0.1 of a second off the race record set last year by Dee Majesty (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). Racing three wide around the first bend, Al Ain kept a prominent position about three lengths off the lead down the backstretch. Shaken up at the top of the lane, the bay split runners at the 200 metre mark and got up in plenty of time to nail Persian Knight at the finish.
“I can't believe we won,” said jockey Kohei Matsuyama. “I was runner-up in two Group 1 races last year so it feels just great to be a winner. He ran a strong race last time so I was quite confident today. He wasn't responding well in the last two corners but stretched really well in the straight. He's easy to ride so I think he'll have no problem with the extra distance in the Derby.”
The winner of both starts over this mile distance at two, Al Ain lost his unbeaten tag first-up this year when sixth in the G3 Shinzan Kinen on Jan. 8, but bounced back to add the G3 Mainichi Hai last out on Mar. 25.
Pedigree Notes…
Al Ain is the third foal out of Dubai Majesty, who won the 2010 GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint prior to being named the Eclipse champion female sprinter of that term. Initially a $7,000 RNA yearling, Dubai Majesty was bought by Katsumi Yoshida of Northern Farm for $1.1-million at Fasig November in 2010.
Dubai Majesty is by far the most accomplished horse from the first four generations of her family, and she is a half-sister to the multiple Ohio stakes winner Majestic Dinner (Formal Dinner).
Dubai Majesty has a 2-year-old full-brother to Al Ain to come, and did not produce a foal last year after aborting.
Sunday, Nakayama, Japan
SATSUKI SHO (JAPANESE 2000 GUINEAS)-G1, ¥229,690,000, Nakayama, 4-16, 3yo, c&f, 2000mT, 1:57.80, fm.
1–&AL AIN (JPN), 126, c, 3, by Deep Impact (Jpn)
1st Dam: Dubai Majesty (Ch. Female Sprinter & GISW-US, $1,509,243), by Essence of Dubai
2nd Dam: Great Majesty, by Great Above
3rd Dam: Mistic Majesty, by His Majesty
O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm; T-Yasutoshi Ikee; J-Kohei
Matsuyama; ¥127,083,000. Lifetime Record: 5-4-0-0. Werk
Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Persian Knight (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Harbinger (GB)–Orient Charm
(Jpn), by Sunday Silence. O-G1 Racing; B-Oiwake Farm;
¥47,738,000.
3–Danburite (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Rulership (Jpn)–Tanzanite (Jpn), by
Sunday Silence. O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm;
¥28,869,000.
Margins: NK, 3/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 21.40, 7.10, 55.10.
Also Ran: Clincher (Jpn), Rey de Oro (Jpn), Suave Richard (Jpn), Fan Dii Na (Jpn), Win Bright (Jpn), Cadenas (Jpn), Platina Voice (Jpn), Satono Ares (Jpn), Outliers (Jpn), Trust (Jpn), Komano Impulse (Jpn), King's Rush (Jpn), My Style (Jpn), Adam Barows (Jpn), America's Cup (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart and video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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