By Heather Anderson
A Group 2 winner as a 3- and 4-year-old, including in this contest last year, Win Bright turned in three off-the-board efforts after that tally, but opened his 2019 campaign with a win in the G3 Nikkan Sports Sho Nakayama Kimpai on Jan. 5. Cutting back 200 metres on Sunday, he left from stall one and promptly perched in fourth in the strung out field as Maltese Apogee (Jpn) (Goshawk Ken {Jpn}) rattled off fractions of :23.50, :46.70 and 1:09.90. Positions were largely unchanged until the home straight when champion juvenile filly and G1SW Lucky Lilac collared the tiring Maltese Apogee and forged to the front, covering the mile in a sharp 1:33.60. Switched off the rails for his run, Win Bright unleashed a stirring turn off foot and caught the Sunday Racing colourbearer in the final few jumps to win by a neck, as Stelvio, who had unleashed a similar rally farther out in the course, was third, only a head behind.
Several also-rans who were aiming for a run on Dubai World Cup night on Mar. 31, namely G1SW Suave Richard (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) who is pointing to the $6-million G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic and $6-million Dubai Turf hopeful Deirdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}), ran fourth and sixth, respectively.
Pedigree Notes…
One of four winners from five to race out of the three-time winner Summer Eternity, Win Bright is also a full-brother to G1 Hanshin S. bridesmaid Win Fabulous (Jpn). MGSW & MG1SP Hakusan Moon (Jpn) (Admire Moon {Jpn}) sits under the unraced third dam, herself a half-sister to Japanese champion juvenile filly Silksky (Jpn) (Minsky). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Sunday, Nakayama, Japan
NAKAYAMA KINEN-G2, ¥119,640,000 (US$1,081,071/£827,216/€953,061), Nakayama, 2-24, 4yo/up, 1800mT, 1:45.50, fm.
1–WIN BRIGHT (JPN), 126, h, 5, Stay Gold (Jpn)
1st Dam: Summer Eternity (Jpn), by Admire Cozzene (Jpn)
2nd Dam: All for Guelain (Jpn), by Jade Robbery
3rd Dam: Miss Guelain (Jpn), by Maruzensky (Jpn)
O-Win Inc.; B-Cosmo View Farm (Jpn); T-Yoshihiro
Hatakeyama; J-Masami Matsuoka; ¥62,794,000. Lifetime
Record: 17-7-2-0. *Full to Win Fabulous (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}),
G1SP-Jpn, $717,278. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Lucky Lilac (Jpn), 117, f, 4, Orfevre (Jpn)–Lilacs and Lace, by
Flower Alley. O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
¥25,228,000.
3–Stelvio (Jpn), 126, c, 4, Lord Kanaloa (Jpn)–L'Archetto (Jpn),
by Falbrav (Ire). O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
¥16,114,000.
Margins: NK, HD, 1 1/4. Odds: 6.00, 7.60, 3.60.
Also Ran: Suave Richard (Jpn), Epoca d'Oro (Jpn), Deirdre (Jpn), Maltese Apogee (Jpn), Happy Grin (Jpn), Meiner Sage (Jpn), Siberian Superb (Jpn), Toruk Makto (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart or the JRA Video.
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