In a rousing stretch battle between Japanese Triple Crown winners, reigning
Filly Triple heroine Gentildonna outdueled last year’s Triple Crown star Orfevre
by a nose in Sunday’s Grade 1 Japan Cup at Tokyo. Aside from emulating her sire,
2006 Japan Cup legend Deep Impact, Gentildonna became the first sophomore filly
ever to win her nation’s signature international contest. But her place in the
record book was only confirmed after she survived an inquiry, for she bumped
Orfevre in their wrestling match.
Either way it went, the Japan Cup result was a triumph for Sunday Racing Co.,
which owns both Gentildonna and Orfevre, and also swept the trifecta with
another colorbearer, Rulership, in third.
“Although the Japan Cup was a big challenge for a three-year-old filly,”
winning trainer Sei Ishizaka said, “I was confident that she was up to the
competition and she proved that today. She had maintained her form to her best
and I knew, being a fighter when contested in a duel, that she would pull
through and claim her victory.”
Gentildonna thus broke a barrier that even All Along and Fabulous La Fouine,
the runners-up in 1982 and 1996, respectively, could not breach. The only other
sophomore filly to place second in the Japan Cup was Magic Night in 1991.
At the same time, Gentildonna continued the recent trend of female winners,
with older distaffers taking three of the last four titles. Vodka started the
series in 2009, and Buena Vista crossed the wire first in both 2010 and 2011.
But for Buena Vista’s disqualification for interference in 2010, females would
have won four straight Japan Cups.
As expected, Japanese Horse of the Year Orfevre was favored to rebound from
his heartbreaking loss in the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Gentildonna,
last seen completing her Filly Triple Crown sweep in the Grade 1 Shuka Sho on
October 14, rated as the third choice. Splitting them in the wagering was
Rulership, winner of Hong Kong’s Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup
earlier this season.
With regular rider Yasunari Iwata aboard, Gentildonna mitigated the possible
ground loss from post 15 and secured a forward tracking position just off early
leader Beat Black. Tosen Jordan, who missed narrowly in last year’s Japan Cup,
was also stalking closely in Beat Black’s slipstream. Solemia, the upset winner
of the Arc, and three-year-old colt Fenomeno were likewise in striking range. In
contrast, Orfevre was unhurried in the latter portion of the 17-horse field.
Beat Black, who famously shocked the Grade 1 Tenno Sho Spring over two miles
back in April, tried to make the best use of his bottomless stamina. Opening up
a huge lead on the field rounding the final turn, Beat Black still held a
daylight advantage in the stretch as he sought to spring another upset.
By this time, Orfevre had rocketed toward the front of the main body of the
field, and now moved in tandem with Gentildonna. The two Triple Crown winners
took off after Beat Black, and together they inhaled the one-paced stayer.
Locked as a team inside the final furlong, Gentildonna and Orfevre didn’t
give an inch as they scrimmaged. Every time Orfevre tried to force his head in
front, Gentildonna kept finding more to rebuff his challenge. Although she
benefited from a nine-pound weight concession from the older male Orfevre,
Gentildonna displayed great resolve and physical courage to prevail.
Gentildonna negotiated 1 1/2 miles on the firm turf in 2:23.1, but it took a
lot longer for the stewards to declare her the official winner. Despite allowing
the result to stand, the stewards handed Iwata a two-day suspension which he
will serve Saturday and next Sunday.
“Although the draw was way out,” Iwata said, “I was able to position nicely
and we had a perfect trip up to the fourth corner, from when, I am afraid the
blame is on me for causing some trouble to the other horse (Orfevre) at the
stretch.
“But the filly is nonetheless a great filly for outdueling a monster like
Orfevre and becoming the first three-year-old filly to claim the Japan Cup
title.
“I was conscious of facing a very tough field compared to her past races, but
decided to just concentrate on bringing out her best performance in the race,
which she did.”
Orfevre, who suffered his second straight loss
in a tight finish, had 2 1/2 lengths to spare over the late-running Rulership.
Dark Shadow finished fourth, preventing Sunday Racing’s Fenomeno from giving his
owner the superfecta. Next came Tosen Jordan; Beat Black; Red Cadeaux, who fared
best of the Europeans in eighth; Eishin Flash; Jaguar Mail; Jakkalberry; Mount
Athos; Solemia; Oken Bruce Lee; Meisho Kampaku; Rose Kingdom; and Sri Putra.
Solemia wasn’t able to duplicate her Arc
performance in dramatically different conditions, and will now begin her new
career as a broodmare.
“She broke well and sat in a good position,” jockey Olivier Peslier said.
“The pace wasn’t a problem, but when the other horses caught up with her at the
last corner, she lost momentum. The track may have been a bit too firm for her
also.”
“It was a very good race,” trainer Carlos Laffon-Parias said. “I think she
did very well in regard to that she is coming off a hard race in the Arc, and
her first overseas travel. It might have been different if she had had
experience racing abroad and had more time to adapt to the fast track here. She
will retire now.”
Gentildonna extended her winning streak to five, improving her overall mark
to 9-7-1-0, ¥689,538,000. Runner-up in her career
debut about this time last year, she sailed to a 3 1/2-length maiden win next
time out in December. Gentildonna opened her sophomore campaign with a victory
in the Grade 3 Shinzan Kinen on January 8, but subsequently spiked a fever that
left her some way below her best for the Grade 3 Tulip Sho on March 3, where she
wound up fourth. She hasn’t tasted defeat since.
After a half-length verdict in the Grade 1 Oka
Sho (Japanese One Thousand Guineas) on April 8, Gentildonna conquered the Grade
1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) by five lengths in stakes-record time over this
course and distance on May 20. She cut back in trip when returning from her
summer break in the Grade 2 Rose Stakes over 1 1/8 miles on September 16,
showing more tactical speed than usual to stalk and pounce. Gentildonna reverted
to her typical one-run style for the final leg of the Filly Triple Crown, the
Shuka Sho, and just got up to win in a nail-biter.
Bred by Northern Racing in Japan, Gentildonna is
a full sister to multiple Grade 3 queen Donau Blue, who was most recently third
versus males in last Sunday’s Grade 1 Mile Championship. They are out of the
Bertolini mare Donna Blini, winner of the Group 1 Cheveley Park and Group 2
Cherry Hinton in 2005.
Gentildonna’s connections are looking forward to presenting her on the world
stage.
“Even though she did have the weight advantage carrying 53 kilos,” Ishizaka
said, “she still has room for improvement, and I am confident that she will have
a bright future ahead. After her battle against tough competition in the Japan
Cup, she will be turned out until her four-year-old season in which, depending
on her condition, I will go on with my plan for overseas challenges, which had
been my consideration ever since Gentildonna won the third leg of the fillies’
triple crown, perhaps in Dubai, France or the U.S.
“I am thinking long term, however, not necessary next year but even the year
after that,” her trainer revealed.
“I would certainly love to accompany her in her overseas endeavor for the
coming four-year-old season,” Iwata said, “and I am confident that she has the
potential to win against the best, but she is a very delicate filly and her
chance to mature both physically and mentally comes first. I am just looking
forward to feel her progress and grow up in her future races.”
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