Godolphin’s Lemon Pop concluded his stellar career with a repeat victory in Sunday’s Champions Cup (G1) at Chukyo, just lasting by a nose from the rallying Wilson Tesoro.
Japan’s reigning champion dirt horse became only the second back-to-back winner of the race formerly known as the Japan Cup Dirt. The precedent was set by Transcend (2010-11) during its brief stint at Hanshin.
The 2024 renewal had a few elements in common with 2023. Trained by Hiroyasu Tanaka and ridden by Ryusei Sakai, Lemon Pop once again justified favoritism in front-running fashion. Indeed, even the trifecta was the same, as Wilson Tesoro and Dura Erede filled out the minor awards as the respective second and third.
Yet the sense of déjà vu was muted by the much narrower margin. Last December, Lemon Pop bounded to the lead from the outside post 15 and held sway by 1 1/4 lengths.
On Sunday, the defending champion broke from post 2 and had early company in the form of Mitono O, who was slightly ahead at the first call. Lemon Pop soon took charge on the clubhouse turn, edged away down the backstretch, and established a decisive break at the top of the stretch.
Peptide Nile advanced to chase in second, but he could get no nearer. Then he stalled inside the final furlong.
By that stage, Wilson Tesoro began to gain momentum, and the second choice rapidly posed a threat to Lemon Pop. Motoring his final 600 meters (about three furlongs) in a field-best :36.2, Wilson Tesoro flashed past the wire in tandem with the favorite.
Fans and connections alike had to sweat out the photo finish for a few minutes before Lemon Pop was announced as the official winner. The son of Lemon Drop Kid negotiated about 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.1, a half-second faster than last year’s time.
Wilson Tesoro, a belated second as a longshot in 2023, underscored just how much he’s improved in the interim by coming within a whisker of the top spot here. Dura Erede finished with interest another 1 1/2 lengths astern in third.
Hagino Alegrias closed in tight quarters to nip Peptide Nile for fourth. Sunrise Zipangu, Ater Astraea, Peisha Es, Gloria Mundi, Mitono O, Crown Pride, Seraphic Call, Mick Fire, T O Drefong, Gaia Force, and Suleyman rounded out the order of finish.
Lemon Pop, who returned $5 stateside, signs off with a record of 18-13-3-0. The chestnut initially attracted international attention when capturing the 2020 Cattleya S. on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby, only to be sidelined for more than a year. After placing twice on the comeback trail, he reeled off four straight wins and missed by a nose in his Group debut in the 2022 Musashino (G3).
During his 2023 championship campaign, Lemon Pop broke through in the Negishi (G3) en route to his first major victory in the February (G1). He concluded the season with wins in the Mile Championship Nambu Hai and Champions Cup.
Lemon Pop’s only unplaced efforts came in his foreign ventures in the 2023 Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) on World Cup night and the Feb. 24 Saudi Cup (G1). But Lemon Pop bounced back at home. Returning triumphant in the June 19 Sakitama Hai at Urawa, the six-year-old defended his title in the Oct. 14 Mile Championship Nambu Hai at Morioka and extended his final winning streak to three on Sunday.
“It was his last race,” Sakai said, “and I’m glad that he was able to end his career with the best result. I wanted to ride him as smoothly as possible without any loss and was ready for any challenge.
“I thought we had won, but wasn’t quite sure because Wilson Tesoro came from behind with great speed, so I’m glad we were able to win.
“Lemon Pop is a strong horse. He has won six out of six Grade 1-class races in Japan,” Sakai added, including the local Grade 1s that count officially as listed stakes for international cataloguing purposes.
“There’s no other horse like him, and I’m proud to have been on his back.”
Out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Unreachable, Lemon Pop descends from a full sister to all-world sire Danehill. The Kentucky-bred, who will enter stud at Darley Japan, was feted with a special retirement ceremony at Chukyo Sunday evening.
