Pomp, Pate and Cheat Sheets

by Lucas Marquardt
Sunday is one of the biggest days on Japan’s racing calendar, with the 34th annual G1 Japan Cup on tap at Tokyo Racecourse. On Friday night, the Japan Racing Association kicked things off with a dinner to welcome, not only the connections with runners in the $4.4-million race, but also the international cast competing in the weekend’s two-day World Super Jockeys Series. 
Masayuki Goto, president and CEO of the JRA, addressed a crowd of several hundred at the Ritz-Carlton Tokyo. “Our Japan Cup was established in 1981 with the intention of building the quality of our horses to match world-class level,” he said. “Back then, I was based at Tokyo Racecourse, drinking with the stable staff of the invited runners of the 1st Japan Cup at the International Stables when the welcome party was being held. I still recall being stunned by the amazing run of [the U.S.-based-] Mairzy Doates, the first Japan Cup winner.” 
Did Japan achieve that goal of making the Japanese Thoroughbred a world-class animal? The question was answered as the connections of horses like Gentildonna (Jpn), Just a Way (Jpn) and Harp Star (Jpn) stood to be recognized. Also on hand were jockey Eurico Rosa Da Silva and trainer Malcolm Pierce, who smiled broadly as the horse he trains for Sam-Son Farm, Canadian hopeful Up With the Birds (Stormy Atlantic), was shown on the video screens winning the GII Nijinsky S. at Woodbine. 
So long as you weren’t a vegetarian, the dinner was first class–pan-seared trout, fried pate, and a veal filet–as was the entertainment. The show began with a pair of break-dancing robot mimes, who bent, curved, shifted and jerked their way through a medley of mostly American pop culture references–Star Wars, the “I’ll be Back” scene from Terminator, lots of Michael Jackson–and closed with a stunningly good young female violinist who, accompanied by a pianist and cellist, tore through an odd mix of minor-key riffs and upbeat numbers flavored with the sensibilities of Eastern European gypsy folk. 
Now, on to the Japan Cup itself. For those of you planning on staying up into the wee hours Saturday night (or Sunday morning, I guess) to watch and/or bet–the race goes off around 1:55 a.m. Eastern, or a more reasonable 11:55 p.m. on the West Coast–we’ve put together a cheat sheet on horses to watch. 

THE HOME TEAM 

GENTILDONNA (m, 5, Deep Impact {Jpn}) – That this two-time winner of the Japan Cup, the only dual winner in the history of the race, isn’t favored here says something about how deep this field is. But I still have a hard time making a better case for the 3-year-old filly Harp Star (Jpn), or anyone else, really, than I can for this super mare. 
Her run in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic earlier this year was awesome. Absolutely stymied for 200 meters into the stretch before being yanked wide in the final 200, she easily swept past Cirrus des Aigles (Fr) and won going away. Sure, she threw in a clunker when ninth in the G1 Takarazuka Kinen in June, but she got a great tightener for this in the form of a runner-up effort in the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) going 2000 meters over this course Nov. 2. There, she squeezed through the tightest of holes on the rail to slip past favored Isla Bonita (Jpn), just to see the rallying Spielberg (Jpn) overhaul them both. I spoke with Murray Johnson, Tokyo’s English-language announcer, and he indicated Gentildonna’s trainer was tipping his hand with atypical confidence. 
“She’s kept the condition she had from the Tenno Sho, and she’s in better shape than she was last year,” said conditioner Sei Ishizaka. “She’s had good results at Tokyo 2400 meters, so I can send her off without any anxiety. The lineup is an extremely strong one, but I’m looking forward to seeing just what kind of race she’ll give us. This will be her last Japan Cup, but she’s in the best shape she has been in yet, the right shape to go for three successive wins. I ask for your support.” 
Well, not exactly Ali-level trashtalking there, but I’ll take it. 

JUST A WAY (JPN) (h, 5, Heart’s Cry {Jpn}) – Put in maybe the most electric performance of the year winning the 1800-meter G1 Dubai Duty Free over the likes of The Fugue (GB), Dank (GB), Trade Storm (GB), etc. More recently, he ran eighth in the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in his first start in four months, which didn’t quell any of the doubters, who say he’s just not an effective 2400-meter animal. Is that true? Beats me. But his win over Gentildonna in the 2013 G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) over 2000 meters, another electric run and completed in 1:57.50, makes me think the distance is in his wheelhouse. Huge chance, and a win would stamp him as one of the world’s most complete racehorses, a monster from 1600 meters up. 

HARP STAR (JPN) (f, 3, Deep Impact {Jpn}) – Won the G1 Oko Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) in April with a stunning turn of foot that propelled her from last to first in the final 350 meters. It’s worth YouTub-ing (video) it if you haven’t seen it. She just failed to get up in the G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) in May, but came back to beat the very good Gold Ship (Jpn) in the G2 Sapporo Kinen over 2000 meters in August. Harp Star gained a lot of attention with a flying finish in the G1 Arc de Triomphe last time, where she finished sixth after an extremely wide run. And that, her running style, is generally regarded as the lone chink in her armor. She’ll likely be last early, and will have to pass a number of very good horses to win this. 

ISLA BONITA (JPN) (c, 3, Fuji Kiseki {Jpn}) – Blaze-faced winner of the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) and second in the G1 Tokyo Yashun (Japanese Derby), won the G2 Asahi Hai St. Lite Kinen over 2200 meters at Niigata Sept. 21. Was favored in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) and finished third; I didn’t see many excuses–he sat just off a moderate pace and, after striking the front, just couldn’t keep on. 

SPIELBERG (JPN) (h, 5, Deep Impact {Jpn}) – Interesting longshot, not only because of his breakout win in the Tenno Sho (Autumn), but also because, for American fans, he’s a half-brother to the Grade I winner and Kentucky Derby sireFlower Alley (Distorted Humor). 

THE FOREIGN THREAT 

UP WITH THE BIRDS (c, 4, Stormy Atlantic) – Closer will need a lively pace up front to even figure into the exotics, but he’ll be plugging away at the end. C’mon North America! 

TRADING LEATHER (IRE) (c, 4, Teofilo {Ire}) – The 2013 G1 Irish Derby winner was beaten comprehensively by The Grey Gatsby (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and Australia (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Irish Champion S. Sept. 13, and things don’t get easier here. Has toted a stiff 133 pounds in last three, however, including a good second in the G1 Coral Eclipse S., so maybe a drop to 126 pounds and a switch to firmer ground can help turn things around. “He is really a good quick-ground horse, and he just didn’t really have the conditions that suit him all season,” said jockey Kevin Manning Friday from Tokyo. “And saying that, he’s still put up some really big performances.” 

IVANHOWE (GER) (c, 4, Soldier Hollow {GB}) – Of the three foreigners, maybe the one with the best chance to land a blow. A lackluster 18th in the G1 Arc, he preceded that race with a victory in the G1 Grosser Preis Von Baden over 2400 meters, and followed with another win at that distance in the G1 Grosser Preis Von Bayern Nov. 1. A big, imposing animal, he should find the huge course at Tokyo–it measures 2,156.1 meters–to his liking. 

THE PLAY 
For me it’s a three-horse race between Gentildonna, Just a Way and Harp Star. I’m guessing Harp Star will be able to rally past one, but not both, and so I’m going to play a $5 trifecta with Gentildonna and Just a Way on top, Harp Star added in the second spot, with a relatively well-matched group under, all in the third spot in the hopes of catching a big price. (Note: I looked up the last five years of Japan Cup results: while the average odds for the race winner is 5-1, average win odds of the show horse is 50-1.) Cost: $320. 
If you’re playing, let me know who you like on Twitter at @ThoroStride. Good luck!