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Do Deuce wins this year’s Japan Cup at Tokyo.
Race favorite Do Deuce, coming off his G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) victory, claimed his fifth G1 victory in this year's Japan Cup, adding to his success in the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes (1,600m) in 2021, the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, 2,400m) in 2022 and the Arima Kinen (2,500m) in 2023. Following their latest Tenno Sho (Autumn) win with the horse, trainer Yasuo Tomomichi marked his 21st JRA-G1 win while jockey Yutaka Take claimed his 83rd. For Tomomichi, this is his second Japan Cup title after his win in 2017 with Cheval Grand while Take renewed the record of the most Japan Cup titles won by the same jockey to five, following his success with Special Week (1999), Deep Impact (2006), Rose Kingdom (2010) and Kitasan Black (2016).
The 14-horse field was off with no one bidding for the lead and Shin Emperor eventually in front set a slow pace. Do Deuce, breaking from stall no.3, was unhurried and travel in the rear. Durezza took over the lead with still not much pace along the back-stretch, while the son of Heart's Cry began to make headway from the outside rounding the third corner and still well behind and wide, unleashed an incredible drive with the fastest late speed to tag Durezza 300 meters out, rallied with the stubborn pacesetter but shook him off in the final strides while repelling a determined challenge from Shin Emperor to prevail by a neck.
"As was the case before his victory in the last Tenno Sho (Autumn), he was extremely calm, even more so that last time, throughout when he was in the saddling area, the paddock and then the post parade, so I was very optimistic today. The race itself unfolded with no one wanting to set a solid pace, as expected to a certain extent but resulting in a very slow pace, around 62 seconds in the first 1,000 meters. Take seemed to struggle to settle him down so I was a bit worried watching him go along the backstretch. In contrast to how the race went in the Tenno Sho, Do Deuce ended up having to lead much earlier at the stretch this time and having to fend off challenges from behind and sustain his lead to wire so I had to hold my breath until the very end. This horse gets better with every start—I had thought that his last start was very much his best performance but he even exceeded that in the Japan Cup—so if his condition allows for another start, I hope that he is able to show his very best in his final Arima Kinen," commented Yasuo Tomomichi.
"The positioning during the race went as planned. It was expected, but the pace was extremely slow and I had to struggle keeping him in hand. In the first half a mile, if the pace was to quicken more, then I was planning to stay back but it didn't, so I let him gradually make headway along the outside, not so much as to quicken and close the gap, but to release the reins a little bit. Making ground from the last corner, his speed was so great that he was already in front in an instant and after that a normal horse would be worn out and pinned down, but this horse is exceptional and while I wasn't sure that I'd won until the end, I kept believing he would stay and he did. His retirement from racing is already decided and I was told that the last three G1 starts (the Tenno Sho (Autumn), the Japan Cup and the Arima Kinen) would be his final starts. He certainly finished strongly in his first two this fall and, of course depending on his condition after this race, I look forward to riding him in the Arima Kinen. The Japan Cup this year was fortunate to have great runners from overseas to raise the quality of this race and I feel privileged to have won in such company and sincerely hope that the race will go on to be recognized as a leader within the world of racing," said Yutaka Take.
Sent off eight pick, Shin Emperor was fast out of the gate, took the early lead on the rails but settled back in third behind Durezza and Stars on Earth. While the eventual winner and Durezza were head-to-head in the stretch, the Siyouni colt dug in from the inside with the second fastest speed, catching Durezza at the wire for a tied-second.
Following a modest break, seventh choice Durezza accelerated from mid-pack to take over the lead before the uphill climb in the backstretch and was first into the straight. After being caught by the eventual winner, the Duramente colt fought back persistently but surrendered in the final strides while caught by the fast-closing Shin Emperor to share second place status.
Sixth favorite Goliath, breaking from the inner-most stall, saved ground along the rails while maintaining a forward position around fifth behind the slow pace. Crowded by rivals briefly entering the final turn, the Adlerflug gelding kept up with the increased pace in the last three furlongs to stay in contention and finish best among the foreign runners in sixth.
"He didn't break well from the gate and after following a very slow pace, he couldn't show his usual performance and late speed in the end," commented Francis-Henri Graffard.
"He was unable to get into a rhythm after following a race with no pace and used up in the critical stages. It didn't go smoothly for him at all," said Christophe Soumillon.
Fourth favorite Auguste Rodin was quick out of the gate and eased back in mid-field around seventh entering the backstretch while angling out slightly before the final corner. Eyeing the eventual winner passing him on the outside in early stretch, jockey Ryan Moore urged his mount to follow suit but the Deep Impact colt was unable to match the tremendous finishing speed of the winner and left behind to join the rally for fourth place, ultimately finishing eighth.
"The pace was a little bit slow and that probably didn't suit him really but he ran OK. Getting excited before would be what he is normally so he wasn't any different than usual. Ryan said to me that it was a bit of a mess—the race was very slow early and it just didn't suit him and it didn't work out for him," said trainer Aidan O'Brien.
12th pick Fantastic Moon was unhurried after the break and rated near the rear and not far from the eventual winner for most of the trip and, while attempting to follow Do Deuce along the outside route at the straight, was unable to quicken at the uphill stretch and had too much ground to make up once reaching the top of the hill, finishing 11th.
"The pace today was too slow for us—we wanted a much more, smoother flow in the race. Therefore, he was unable to use his good finishing speed at the stretch," commented Sarah Steinberg.
"The (solid) pace we had expected was never there—the pace at least in Japanese standards was extremely slow. So the horse never had the chance to make use of his late speed," commented Rene Piechulek.
Other Horses:
4th: (9) Cervinia—chased slow pace in mid-field, every chance as winner overtakes her before
last 400m but unable to match speed while good effort to out rally rivals for 4th
5th: (4) Justin Palace—along rails in mid-field, followed Cervinia to join rally for 4th, finished 5th
7th: (14) Stars on Earth—forwardly positioned moving to 2nd as Durezza took over lead entering
backstretch, 4th at furlong pole, rallied but overtaken in final strides
9th: (6) Danon Beluga—chased leaders to 2nd corner and eased further back along backstretch,
met traffic at early stretch, belated effort
10th: (5) Struve—raced behind in rear after slow start, showed effort last 200m but belatedly
12th: (2) Blow the Horn—hugged rails further back than mid-field, even paced
13th: (11) Karate—rated off rails in mid-pack, dropped back further before 3rd corner, never
nearer
14th: (12) Sol Oriens—quickened after break to secure forward position behind leader, still in
good position entering stretch but soon faded