Almond Eye Beaten but Unbowed as a New Star Looms in Japan

Mark Smith - Sunday June 7

For the second year in a row it just was not meant to be for the superstar Almond Eye in the Group 1 Yasuda Kinen (1600m) at Tokyo racecourse on Sunday.

After a slow start, the daughter of Lord Kanaloa never really raised the hopes of her legion of supporters at any stage, battling on for second  some two and a half lengths behind last year’s Group 1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) heroine Gran Alegria.

Advertisement

Defending champion Indy Champ clocked in third a half-length behind Almond Eye.

A daughter of the all-conquering Deep Impact, Gran Alegria made her 2020 debut with a second behind Mozu Superflare (USA) in the Group 1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen over 1200 metres at Chukyo on March 29.

With a supremely confident Kenichi Ikezoe in the saddle, Gran Alegria came from midfield to be a menacing presence on the turn. With Ikezoe sitting motionless until the 300m, the only doubt was what would run second.

Trained by Kazuo Fujisawa for Sunday Racing, Gran Alegria earns a golden ticket to the Breeders Cup Mile if connections choose to go that way later in the year.

Gran Alegria is the first foal of the top-class Tapit mare Tapitsfly whose seven wins include two at the highest level, the Just A Game Stakes and the First Lady Stakes as well as the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.

Gran Alegria’s 3yo full-sister Blutgang won her only start in a newcomers race at Tokyo in June last year and has not been seen out since.

A $1,850,000 Fasig-Tipton purchase by Katsumi Yoshida in 2012, Tapitsfly has not had a foal after Blutgang.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Flemington Victory for Tarzino Mare
Quirky but talented mare Miss Tarzy has come from last win the Leilani Series Final (1400m) under a patient Jett Stanley ride.
New Juvenile Stakes-Winner Wootton Bassett
A two year-old Wootton Bassett  colt bred to stay, Daytona made it two wins as many starts when scoring a dominant win in the Listed Pat Smullen Stakes (1m) at Naas in Ireland overnight.
Dubawi Colt from $US8million Mare Wins G1 Coral Eclipse for Coolmore
Blueblood Dubawi colt Delacroix was a beaten favourite in the Group I Epsom Derby when unplaced behind his stablemate Lambourn, but he found his time to shine overnight when scoring a miraculous last to first win in the Group I Coral Eclipse Stakes (1m2f) at Sandown.
Pride’s Outsider Estadio Mestalla Wins Winter Stakes
The lone stakes race on Rosehill’s ten-race card on Saturday saw Joe Pride’s race outsider Estadio Mestalla (Galileo Gold) take out the $200,000 Listed ATC Winter Stakes (1400m) in a boilover.
Kiwi Bred Good Banter Finds Winning Form
Four-year-old mare Good Banter was back in the winner’s circle when narrowly prevailing in the Catanach's Jewellers Handicap (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday for trainers John O’Shea and Tom Charlton.
Sires With Winners - Saturday July 5
Here is the full list of 112 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Divine Prophet’s Fortunate Kiss Captures Elusive Black Type Win
With nine top five finishes in previous black type races, it was better late than never as 6yo Divine Prophet mare Fortunate Kiss charged along the inside to win the $300,000 Listed Glasshouse Handicap (1400m) at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday – her first black type victory.
Deep Impact's Gran Alegria Bows Out a Winner
Japan has showcased a veritable production line of champion mares around the world in recent years, and another great, Gran Alegria, bowed out of racing with an emotional win in the Group 1 The Mile Championship at Hanshin on Sunday.
Invincible 3YO Wins G3 Winx Guineas
The $300,000 Group III Winx Guineas (1600m) at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday featured a big field of 16 up and comers and following the late scratching of favourite Mister Bianco, Angela Jones took luck out of the equation on I Am Invincible gelding The Three Hundred.
Snitzel Filly Bridal Waltz Wins A.R. Creswick Stakes
While many felt the winner of Saturday’s Listed $175,000 VRC A.R. Creswick Stakes (1200m) had raced two weeks prior in the Shop Flemington Handicap (1100m) – and they would’ve been correct – but it was not the result many punters felt it would be!