Queen Wins Shuka Sho In Record Time

The G1 Shuka Sho, the final leg of the Japanese 3-year-old fillies triple crown was won in record time by Mikki Queen (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). Previously a winner of the G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) in May, Mikki Queen lined up on the back of an encouraging second in the G2 Rose S. at Hanshin Sept. 20 and justified strong market confidence to win by a neck from Queens Ring (Jpn) (Manhattan Café {Jpn}). Held up early by jockey Suguru Hamanaka, Mikki Queen showed a classy burst of acceleration when unleashed early in the straight to go a length clear of the field but was being closed down late on by the runner up who in turn finished a length and a quarter ahead of third placed Maximum de Paris (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}). “At the top of the stretch, I asked her to go right through the group of horses instead of going wide because I had faith in her strength and she responded beautifully. She will now head for races against stronger competition but I’m confident she will show us great results—I’m looking forward to the battles,” commented winning jockey Suguru Hamanaka after the race. Mikki Queen is the first black type winner from three runners so far from her dam Musical Way (Fr) (Gold Away {Ire}), herself an eight time winner including the G2 Prix Dollar at Longchamp in 2002. SHUKA SHO-G1, ¥174,360,000, Kyoto, 10-19, 3yo fillies, 2000mT, 1:56.90, fm. 1–MIKKI QUEEN (JPN), 121, f, 3, Deep Impact (Jpn) 1st Dam: Musical Way (Fr), by Gold Away (Ire) (MGSW-Fr, G1SP-Ity, G1SP-HK $455,288) 2nd Dam: Mulika (Fr), by Procida 3rd Dam: Gazelia (Fr), by Icecapade (¥100,000,000 yrl ’13 JRHAJUL) O-Mizuki Noda; B-Northern Farm; T-Yasutoshi Ikee; J-Suguru Hamanaka; ¥92,822,000 Lifetime: 7-4-3-0. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A. 2–Queens Ring (Jpn), 121, f, 3, Manhattan Café (Jpn)-Aqua Ring (Jpn), by Anabaa. O-Chizu Yoshida; B-Shadai Farm; ¥37,092,000 3–Maximum de Paris (Jpn), 119, f, 3, King Kamehameha (Jpn)-Mlle de Paris (Jpn), by Sunday Silence. O-Green Farm; B-Shadai Farm; ¥22,546,000 Margins: Neck, 1.1/4, Neck; Odds : 2.00, 13.90, 29.70 Also ran: Andriette (Jpn), Earthrise (Jpn), Touching Speech (Jpn), Asuka Biren (Jpn), Tosen Victory (Jpn), Queen’s Milagro (Jpn), Sing with Joy (Jpn), White Elegance (Jpn), Deep Jewelry (Jpn), Dear My Darling (Jpn), Kokorono A ( Jpn), Not Formal (Jpn), Cat Coin (Jpn), Let’s Go Donki (Jpn), Tenderly Voice (Jpn). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Click for the JRA chart and video.