By Alan Carasso
Sent off the fifth betting choice in a contentious renewal of the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun Wednesday evening at Kawasaki Racecourse, Nova Lenda (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) swatted away a final-furlong bid from favored fellow Carrot Farm colorbearer Gal Vihara (Jpn) (Gold Allure {Jpn}) and just managed to hold a late dive from second choice Derma Louvre (Jpn) (Pyro) to take the second leg of the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby.
Drawn out in gate 12, Nova Lenda was given a positive ride by Yuichi Kitamura and stalked the pace of longshot Ignacio d'Oro (Jpn) (Vittorio d'Oro {Jpn}) as Gal Vihara sat three wide down the backstretch. Nova Lenda took command entering the second turn while under a good hold, raced on his incorrect lead in the waning stages and was saved by the wire. Derma Louvre saved ground from midfield, spun out five wide for the drive and just missed, while Gal Vihara could not sustain his run and settled for third. Make Happy (Square Eddie), who earned 10 points for her victory in the Cattleya Sho Nov. 24, raced evenly throughout to be fourth.
Nova Lenda picked up 20 points in the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. The next race in the series is the Listed Hyacinth S. at Tokyo Feb. 17 followed by the Fukuyra S. at Nakayama Mar. 31. The Japanese horse that accumulates the most points will earn a berth in the Kentucky Derby.
Nova Lenda is the 30th black-type winner for his sire, who was also responsible for last weekend's G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S. hero Admire Mars (Jpn). Produced by a half-sister to French Group 3 winner Coco Passion (Fr) (Groom Dancer) and the latter's Japanese-bred stakes-winning full-sister Little Audrey (Jpn), Nova Lenda has a yearling half-brother by Orfevre (Jpn).
WATCH: Nova Lenda lasts in the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun
Wednesday's Results:
ZEN-NIPPON NISAI YUSHUN-Listed, ¥59,500,000, Kawasaki, 12-19, 2yo, 1600m, 1:42.8, hy.
1–NOVA LENDA (JPN), 121, c, 2, by Daiwa Major (Jpn)
1st Dam: Mon Petit Coeur (Jpn), by Kurofune
2nd Dam: Gaiete de Coeur (Ire), by Lomond
3rd Dam: Gay Apparel, by Up Spirits
*1ST STAKES WIN. O-U Carrot Farm; B-Northern Farm; T-Takashi Saito; J-Yuichi Kitamura; ¥35,000,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, ¥50,224,000. *Full to Blanche Coeur (Jpn), MSP-Jpn, $584,936.
2–Derma Louvre (Jpn), 121, c, 2, Pyro–Caribbean Romance (Jpn), by Commands (Aus). (¥12,960,000 Ylg '17 JRHAJUL). O-Hiroyuki Asanuma.
3–Gal Vihara (Jpn), 121, c, 2, Gold Allure (Jpn)–Polonnaruwa (Jpn), by Rahy. O-U Carrot Farm.
Margins: SHD, 1HF, 3. Odds: 5.30, 2.70, 2.10.
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