In becoming the 23rd colt to complete the Satsuki Sho (Japanese Two Thousand Guineas)
(Jpn-G1) and Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) (Jpn-G1) double on Sunday, Duramente
(King Kamehameha) also lowered the race record
set by his sire in 2004. He covered about 1 1/2 miles on the Tokyo turf in
2:23.20, shaving 0.1 off King Kamehameha’s mark.
A debut second over this course in October, Duramente broke
his
maiden the following month under Ryan Moore before being put away for a short
holiday.
Resuming with an allowance win over 1800 meters of this course February 1, Duramente
went
down by a half-length to Real Steel (Deep Impact) in the Tokinominoru
Kinen (Jpn-G3) over the same track-and-trip two weeks later, but turned the tables on
that rival to
win the Satsuki Sho — while racing somewhat erratically — at Nakayama April 19.
Duramente
displayed greenness in the lane once again Sunday, but
won decisively nonetheless. Getting over from the 14-hole to sit in the two path around the first bend,
Duramente and Mirco Demuro sat slightly better than
midpack down the backstretch. Swinging wide off the
turn, the dark bay stormed to the lead at the 200 meter-mark and, despite racing greenly in the lane, won under a
vigorous hand ride from Demuro, who was notching his
second Japanese Derby win having ridden Neo Universe to the Guineas/Derby double in
2003.
“I’m so full of joy and gratitude to have been able to
accomplish this with such a powerful and talented colt, and especially as an
official JRA
jockey,” said Demuro, who was overcome with emotion after the race. “There was a
lot of
pressure after having won the Satsuki Sho and being the race favorite.
Duramente
was
rather worked up and keen between the first two corners, but he was in a good
position
throughout the race and was under control after that. In the homestretch there
was some
knocking about, but after changing his lead, he was in gear and really strong to
the finish.”
Duramente was cut to 10-1 for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1) by William Hill
and
Paddy Power, making him the second choice behind two-time defending champion
Treve (Motivator), who is 7-2.
Duramente is out of Japan’s champion older mare Admire Groove (Sunday
Silence),
who has
produced five winners from five to race. Duramente’s first three dams were all
Japanese
champions: his second dam is Horse of the Year and Japanese Oaks winner Air
Groove, and
his third dam, champion two-year-old Dyna Carle, also won the Oaks.
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