“It is so good she has won, so good,” the trainer’s wife, Mineko,
As popular as Buena Vista has been, however, her year-long losing
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But neither Danedream nor the other internationals could handle the Japanese
home team, which pitched a shut-out, so to speak, by sweeping all of the top
placings for the fifth straight year. Danedream fared best of the raiding party
in sixth, continuing the frustration endured by Arc winners in Tokyo.
Buena Vista hadn’t crossed the wire in front since the 2010 Japan Cup.
Controversially disqualified for interfering with Rose Kingdom, the elevated
winner, she had the satisfaction of beating Rose Kingdom even farther this time.
Rose Kingdom wound up ninth in his bid to become the first two-time Japan Cup
winner. Buena Vista has that distinction on merit, if not in the official record
book.
In the early going, Buena Vista secured a rail-skimming trip in a joint fifth
or sixth, not terribly far off the steady pace set by American shipper Mission
Approved. Tosen Jordan, the winner of the Tenno Sho Autumn in record time last
out, crossed over from post 16 into a perfect stalking spot in second.
Approaching the final turn, Win Variation made an aggressive move from well
back. The Japanese three-year-old overtook Tosen Jordan and collared Mission
Approved swinging for home. As those two battled heads apart at the top of the
stretch, Tosen Jordan delivered his challenge and rolled to the front.
By that time, Iwata had angled Buena Vista off the rail in search of room.
The champion mare had to wait momentarily behind Tosen Jordan, but a seam soon
presented itself. Slicing between Tosen Jordan and a flagging To the Glory,
Buena Vista rallied to join the new leader.
Tosen Jordan wouldn’t defer lightly to the Horse of the Year. Instead, as if
recalling the fact that he had just beaten her in the Tenno Sho Autumn, Tosen
Jordan put up a struggle. But neither would Buena Vista be denied, and Tosen
Jordan could not keep coming up with answers.
Iwata described his feeling as “Saiko!” meaning the ultimate, fantastic, on
“I just kept believing her exceptional power while dueling with Tosen Jordan
“I wanted her to win so badly and show everyone just how strong she is,”
Her trainer expressed the same deep sentiment.
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“After last year and what (jockey Christophe) Soumillon did,” Matsuda began,
then abruptly broke off in a choked sob, a sob of frustration found release.
“I felt sorry for Christophe Soumillon because of the unfortunate demotion
despite their convincing performance last year, and it means a lot to me that we
were able to get our revenge this time.”
Tosen Jordan finished a clear second, 1 3/4 lengths to the good of Jaguar
Mail. Trailblazer checked in fourth, followed by Win Variation, Danedream,
Shareta, Eishin Flash, Rose Kingdom, Oken Bruce Lee, To the Glory, Sarah Lynx,
Victoire Pisa, Mission Approved, King Top Gun and Pelusa.
“(Danedream) was bumped by another horse right after breaking and had to be
held back a bit,” jockey Andrasch Starke said. “We couldn’t get in a good
position. She wasn’t the same as when she was in the Arc.”
“Breaking from a wide stall (13) took a lot out of her,” trainer Peter
Schiergen commented. “It was difficult for her to find a comfortable position,
and on a fast track, it showed in the outcome. This will be the last race for
her this season. If there is no change in her form, she’ll be put on a training
schedule and might even come back to Japan next year.”
“(Shareta) showed a good final drive but her preparation wasn’t quite enough
since coming to Japan,” trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre said. “This will be her
last start of the year. She will be raced next season but I can’t say at this
point whether she’ll challenge the Japan Cup again.”
Mission Approved’s trainer, Naipaul Chatterpaul, wasn’t disheartened by his
effort.
“I think he ran a great race considering that the pace was a bit fast and
that the distance was a little too far for him,” Chatterpaul said. “A mile race
might suit him better. He has the heart and the ability, but to run a mile and a
half at that pace was too fast. He’ll go to the farm and we’ll race him again
next season. I’d love to come back to Japan with one of my horses again.”
Soumillon, who rode Sarah Lynx this time, paid tribute to his former mount
Buena Vista.
“I tried to stay on the heels of Buena Vista, but she outran us in the end,”
Soumillon recapped.
During Buena Vista’s Horse of the Year campaign
This season, Buena Vista made a return trip to
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Buena Vista then mounted a title defense in the
Victoria Mile, where she first teamed up with Iwata. Her late rally fell a neck
shy of catching Apapane, last year’s Filly Triple Crown winner. Second in the
Takarazuka Kinen for the second straight year, she was freshened until the Tenno
Sho Autumn, finishing fourth as the defending champion.
“I was never in doubt about her ability during this season, even in defeat —
she has always maintained her form,” Matsuda said.
“I knew she was the best. I always believed in her. She had not been 100
percent in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) and had trouble under way. Then with the fast
pace. To have come fourth in those conditions just gave me more confidence in
her ability.”
“It was heartaching for me,” Iwata said, “not to be able to get the expected
results during the past three starts, in response to the efforts that the stable
staff had put into this mare.
“So, I was determined to show that Buena Vista is really the very best in
Japan, and I am really happy that I was able to win this time.”
Buena Vista’s victory also lifted the historic profile of her sire, 1999
Japan Cup winner Special Week. He joins the recently deceased legend Symboli
Rudolf as the only Japan Cup winners to sire a Japan Cup winner; Symboli Rudolf,
the 1984 hero, was responsible for 1992 victor Tokai Teio.
Bred by Northern Racing in Japan, Buena Vista is out of Biwa Heidi, the
Japanese champion two-year-old filly of 1995. The daughter of Caerleon has
produced three other stakes winners — Admire Aura, Admire Japan and Tosen Reve.
This is the champion-laden family of Manhattan Cafe, Epsom Derby romper Slip
Anchor, Breeders’ Cup Mile star Steinlen, Arc hero Sagace and recent Grade 1
Hollywood Turf Cup victor Sanagas.
Buena Vista will now contest the Arima Kinen on Christmas Day, hoping that
her third — and final — try in the year-end highlight will be the charm.
“The Arima Kinen will be
the last start of her career in
Japan,” Matsuda said. “Possible overseas challenge next spring will have to be decided after
consulting the matter with the
owners, so I will do whatever I can on my part to prepare her so that she will be
able to give her best performance
on the day.”