Lord Kanaloa (JPN) remains on track to end the 11-year domination of Deep Impact (JPN) after sweeping all three stakes races in Japan on Sunday, highlighted by Brede Weg (JPN) in the Group 1 The Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2200m) at Kyoto.
Ridden by Christophe Lemaire for Keisuke Miyata, the 3-year-old Sunday Racing colourbearer defeated the 4-year-old Just Away mare Rouge Evil by three-quarters of a length with the 3-year-old Heart's Cry filly Harper (JPN) a neck back in third.
The 5-year-old mare Geraldina (Maurice x Gentildonna) was doing her best work late to clock in fifth.
Brede Weg started the popular elect after a hard-charging second to Masked Diva (Rulership) in the Group II Rose Stakes at Hanshin on September 17.
Masked Diva franked the form when rocketing home for second to the champion Liberty Island in the Group 1 Shuka Sho at Kyoto.
“I was a bit worried about the soft ground, but it was no problem for her," Christophe Lemaire said.
"We couldn’t break well but were able to travel in a good position behind Harper. She was calm, responded well throughout the race and pulled away strongly with her explosive kick."
Bred by Northern Farm, Brede Weg is the best of three winners from four to race for the Deep Impact mare Inner Urge, a sister to the Champion 3YO Filly in Japan in 2015, Mikki Queen, whose five wins included the Group 1 Yushun Himba and Group 1 Shuka Sho.
Inner Urge is a daughter of the Group II Prix Dollar winner Musical Way (Gold Away) and was third in the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup.
Lord Kanaloa's second stakes-winner on the day came when Hironobu Tanabe guided the Masakazu Ikegami-trained Ho O Emmy's to a nose victory in the Group III Fukushima Kinen.
It was the first stakes win for the 6-year-old mare after she placed in two Group IIIs and a Listed race at her previous three starts.
The late blooming daughter of Lord Kanaloa is the best of eight winners from ten to race for the stakes-winning Agnes Tachyon mare Emmy's Smile.
Over at Tokyo, another 6-year-old, this time an entire with the confusing name of Grande Mare, had an easier time of it in the Listed Oro Cup (1400m).
Ridden by Akihide Tsumura for Kenichi Fujioka, Grande Mare defeated the Deep Impact entire Gray in Green by one and a quarter lengths, with the Lord Kanaloa 6-year-old Meisho Titan a half-length back in third.
Grande Mare was the third first-time stakes-winner on the day for Lord Kanaloa, taking his total to 49.
Second to Deep Impact for the last three seasons, the champion sprinting son of King Kamehameha has opened up a handy break over his nearest pursuer, Duramente, then comes Kizuna and Deep Impact.
Unlike many jurisdictions, Japan does not wind down in the year's final two months, so there is still plenty to play for.
Brede Weg is the ninth winner at the elite level for Lord Kanaloa and his second this season behind the Takamatsunomiya Kinen winner First Force.
Standing at Shadai Stallion Station for ¥12,000,000 (A$125,000), Lord Kanaloa covered a mind-boggling 307 mares in 2018 but a comparatively modest 136 mares in 2022.
His Group 1 Blue Diamond winning son Tagaloa has 15 yearlings from his first crop catalogued for the Magic Millions at the Gold Coast in January.
Nine come from Tagaloa’s home base, Yulong Stud, which also stands Lord Kanaloa’s three-time Group II winner and Group 1-placed son Diatonic (JPN).
