Rey De Oro (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) rebounded from a first defeat last out in the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) to capture Sunday's G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), handing trainer Kazuzo Fujisawa a Classic double following the victory of Soul Stirring (Jpn) (Frankel {GB}) in last weekend's G1 Yushun Himba. Settling near the rear of the 18-horse field the first time past the Tokyo Racecourse stands, Rey De Oro made a bold move under jockey Christophe Lemaire down the backstretch, moving to the outside and circling runners to sit second by a half-length on the outside of the pacesetting My Style (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) for the run into the second bend. Lemaire and Rey De Oro stayed posted in the middle of the track as the field straightened while My Style dove down to the rail, and Rey De Oro needed nearly every stride of the stretch to run down his rival. He hit the lead inside the final 100 metres and had to hold off a late charge from Suave Richard (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) as odds-on favourite Admirable (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) nipped My Style for third, in the process recording the fastest final three furlongs of all runners.
Sunday, Tokyo, Japan
TOKYO YUSHUN (JAPANESE DERBY)-G1, ¥420,000,000, Tokyo, 5-28, 3yo, c&f, 2400mT, 2:26.90, fm.
1-&REY DE ORO (JPN), 126, c, 3 by King Kamehameha (Jpn)
1st Dam: La Dorada (Jpn), by Symboli Kris S
2nd Dam: Lady Blond, by Seeking the Gold
3rd Dam: Wind in Her Hair (Ire), by Alzao
O-Carrot Farm; B-Northern Farm; T-Kazuzo Fujisawa;
J-Christophe Lemaire; ¥228,000,000. Lifetime Record: 5-4-0-0.
*1/2 to Tizona (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}), SW-Jpn, $335,514.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick
Rating: C.
2–Suave Richard (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Heart's Cry (Jpn)–Pirramimma,
by Unbridled's Song. (¥155,000,000 wnlg '14 JRHAJUL)
O-NICKS Inc; B-Northern Farm; ¥89,000,000.
3–Admirable (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Scarlet (Jpn),
by Symboli Kris S. O-Hideko Kondo; B-Northern Farm;
¥54,000,000.
Margins: 3/4, 1 1/4, NK. Odds: 4.30, 4.90, 2.40.
Also Ran: My Style (Jpn), Al Ain (Jpn), Danburite (Jpn), Persian Knight (Jpn), Trust (Jpn), Best Approach (GB), Satono Arthur (Jpn), Cadenas (Jpn), Kyohei (Jpn), Clincher (Jpn), Daiwa Cagney (Jpn), Win Bright (Jpn), Meiner Sphene (Jpn), America's Cup (Jpn), Jo Strictly (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart and video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Rey De Oro went unbeaten in three outings at two, interestingly all over 2000 metres and all with Christophe Lemaire in the saddle. Starting out in a newcomers race over this course on Oct. 9, he was a 1 1/4-length victor. He went on to add an allowance race on Dec. 3 before saluting in the G2 Hopeful S. on Christmas Day. Making his first start of the year in the Satsuki Sho, Rey De Oro made up plenty of ground late but had to settle for fifth. Lemaire, now a winner of both the French and Japanese Derbies, said he made the mid-race decision to ride Rey De Oro closer to the pace this time when he sensed the slow pace.
“We had no specific tactic, but we were forced to travel toward the rear after a slow start and the pace was slow, so
I decided to move forward in the backstretch,” he explained. “He was very relaxed and was responding well in the homestretch so I knew we would win in the last 100 meters. I'm really happy to be able to win both the French and Japanese Derbies.”
Pedigree Notes…
In winning the Tokyo Yushun, Rey De Oro emulated the feat of his sire in 2004, when King Kamehameha defeated Heart's Cry in the Classic. Rey De Oro, a half-brother to the listed winner Tizona, has Classic influences on his dam's side as well, his second dam Lady Blond being a half-sister to Japanese Triple Crown winner, Horse of the Year and now perennial champion sire Deep Impact (Jpn). Deep Impact's full-brother Black Tide (Jpn) has added further substance to the family as of late as the sire of last year's Japanese Horse of the Year Kitasan Black (Jpn). The pedigree traces back to the champion 2-year-old filly and hugely influential broodmare Height Of Fashion (Fr) (Bustino {GB}), whose descendants include highweight Unfuwain (Northern Dancer), Derby winner Nashwan (Blushing Groom {Fr}), Breeders' Cup winner Lahudood (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}), 1000 Guineas winner Ghanaati (Giant's Causeway) and four-time Group 1 winner and sire Nayef (Gulch).
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