Maurice (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}) took his seasonal record to a perfect five-for-five, adding Sunday's G1 Mile Championship S. at Kyoto to his earlier success in the G1 Yasuda Kinen when last spotted at the races June 7. The effort in all likelihood locked up divisional honors for the paternal grandson of Grass Wonder, who holds entries for both the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup (200m) and Mile at Sha Tin in three weeks' time and could be a horse for the G1 Dubai Duty Free S. (1800m) in March 2016. Ryan Moore, in Japan on a short-term contract, had the winning ride.
“He showed a really good turn of foot in the final 400 meters,” the jockey commented. “I knew that he was probably going to be the best miler in the race, and it was just a question of getting a clean trip, and hopefully if we kept things straight-forward, he would be able to show he was the best horse. And he did.”
Drawn awkwardly in gate 16 of the 18 runners, Maurice was off alertly and though unable to get closer to the rail than about four off for the journey up the backstretch, raced with cover from a position slightly worse than midfield as Tosen Stardom (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) set a solid pace over the sound surface. Left no choice but to travel deep on the sweeping turn, Maurice began to work his way into the race and launched his bid entering the final two furlongs. Pulled out into the clear by Moore in upper stretch, Maurice accelerated visibly, wrested command about 200 meters from the wire and was home for a cozy success. Fiero (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), the second choice in a race that attracted nearly US$121 million in wagers, raced to the inside of the eventual winner for most of the race and drove between rivals late to match his runner-up effort from 2014. Favored Isla Bonita (Jpn) (Fuji Kiseki {Jpn}) hopped in the air at the break, made steady progress up the inside through the middle stages and ran on well late to just miss second. Maurice became the 10th horse to win the country's two mile features and the sixth to do it in the same season (Daiwa Major {Jpn}, 2007).
Sunday, Kyoto, Japan
MILE CHAMPIONSHIP S.-G1, ¥195,460,000, Kyoto, 11-22, 3yo/up, 1600mT, 1:32.80, fm.
1–MAURICE (JPN), 126, c, 4, by Screen Hero (Jpn)
1st Dam: Mejiro Frances (Jpn), by Carnegie (Ire)
2nd Dam: Mejiro Monterey (Jpn), by Mogami (Fr)
3rd Dam: Mejiro Quincey (Jpn), by Fidion (Fr)
O-Kazumi Yoshida; B-Togawa Farm; T-Noriyuki Hori; J-Ryan Moore; ¥103,822,000. Lifetime Record: 12-7-0-1, ¥313,008,000. Werk Nick Rating: D+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Fiero (Jpn), 126, h, 6, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Ruby (Ire), by Danehill. (¥40,000,000 Wlg '09 JRHAJUL). O-Makoto Kaneko Holdings; B-Shadai Farm; ¥41,092,000.
3–Isla Bonita (Jpn), 126, c, 4, Fuji Kiseki (Jpn)–Isla Cozzene, by Cozzene. O-Shadai Race Horse; B-Shiraoi Farm; ¥25,546,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, NK, NO. Odds: 4.70, 4.10, 2.20.
Also Ran : Satono Aladdin (Jpn), Albiano, Let's Go Donki (Jpn), Tosen Stardom (Jpn), Real Impact (Jpn), Logotype (Jpn), Danon Shark (Jpn), Arma Waioli (Jpn), Clarity Sky (Jpn), Curren Black Hill (Jpn), Vincennes (Jpn), Red Reveur (Jpn), Keiai Elegant (Jpn), Daiwa Maggiore (Jpn), Red Arion (Jpn).
Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. JRA VIDEO.
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