By Heather Anderson
The G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) was billed as a showdown between 2018 Japanese champion juvenile filly Danon Fantasy (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and her paternal half-sister, Group 2 victress Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). However, it was the latter that had the last laugh and she bettered Japanese Horse of the Year and Triple Tiara heroine Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn})'s stakes record by 0.4 seconds while collecting the first Japanese Classic crown of the season in 1:32.70.
Second choice on the board at 2-1 behind crowd's pick Danon Fantasy, the Sunday Racing colourbearer secured a position just behind the first flight in fifth through the early stages as Mar. 10 G2 Hochi Hai Fillies' Review winner Pourville (Jpn) (Le Havre {Ire}) showed the way. Caught out very wide after leaving from stall 15, Danon Fantasy was rank until finally settling in midpack. Gran Alegria moved up to third at the half-way point and hoop Christophe Lemaire was always sitting on a ton of horse.
Looming dangerously in second at the head of the lane, Gran Alegria quickened effortlessly clear to win by 2 1/2 lengths, leaving a slew of rivals fighting out second-place honours. Shigeru Pink Dia (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) rallied stoutly from well back to pip Chrono Genesis (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}) by a neck for second, with Danon Fantasy a nose behind in a tight finish. The fifth-place Beach Samba (Jpn) (Kurofune) was only a neck better than the front-running Pourville in sixth.
“She certainly won strongly today,” said Lemaire. “I was a little bit worried as it was her first time out after a long break [111 days]. She was unable to make use of her speed in the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S., so I made sure this time to secure a good position early on and from there I had every confidence in her exceptional speed. The extended 2400 metres in the G1 Yushun Himba though is going to be a tough race for us.”
A winner of a 1600-metre Tokyo newcomers contest last June with Oka Sho crowd's pick Danon Fantasy second, Gran Alegria defeated males in the Oct. 6 G2 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup, and was third, as the favourite in the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S. to 2018 Japanese champion juvenile colt Admire Mars (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) when last seen in mid-December.
Pedigree Notes
Gran Alegria, one of 133 black-type winners for Deep Impact, is the 40th Group 1 winner for her sire who is currently being rested the remainder of the year due to neck soreness. The first millionaire and Group 1 winner for Tapit as a broodmare sire, Gran Alegria is one of 15 black-type winners to date out of daughters by the Gainesway resident. Her dam, Tapitsfly, won twice at the highest level on the grass in the GI Longines Just a Game S. and the GI First Lady S. Although black-type is sparse under the second and third dams, fourth dam Pink Dove (Argument {Fr}) foaled two stakes winners–the Grade III placed Moonshine Hall (Spinning World) and the GI Del Mar Invitational Oaks bridesmaid Malli Star (Baldski). Pink Dove is also a half-sister to GI Arlington Million victor Golden Pheasant (Caro {Ire}), and GSWs Seewillo (Perfect Pigeon), Trial By Error (Caro {Ire}) and SW Supreme Excellence (Providential {Ire}).
Sunday, Hanshin, Japan
OKA SHO (JAPANESE 1000 GUINEAS)-G1, ¥234,070,000 (US$2,095,336/£1,606,972/€1,867,752), Hanshin, 4-7, 3yo, f, 1600mT, 1:32.70 (NSR), fm.
1–GRAN ALEGRIA (JPN), 121, f, 2, 3, Deep Impact (Jpn)
1st Dam: Tapitsfly (MGISW-US, $1,495,503), by Tapit
2nd Dam: Flying Marlin, by Marlin
3rd Dam: Morning Dove, by Fortunate Prospect
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
T-Kazuo Fujisawa; J-Christophe Lemaire. ¥129,829,000.
Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-1, ¥188,275,000. Werk Nick Rating: A+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Shigeru Pink Dia(Jpn), 121, f, 3, Daiwa Major(Jpn)
1st Dam: Moonlight Bay (Jpn), by High Chaparral (Ire)
2nd Dam: Moonlight Dance (Ire), by Sinndar (Ire)
3rd Dam: Style of Life, by The Minstrel
O-Shigeru Morinaka; B-Amaba Farm (Jpn); ¥49,094,000.
3–Chrono Genesis (Jpn), 121, f, 3, Bago (Fr)
1st Dam: Chronologist (Jpn), by Kurofune
2nd Dam: In This Unison (Jpn), by Sunday Silence
3rd Dam: Rustic Belle, by Mr. Prospector
O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥29,547,000.
Margins: 2HF, NK, NO. Odds: 2.40, 19.00, 4.70.
Also Ran: Danon Fantasy (Jpn), Beach Samba (Jpn), Pourville (Jpn), Aile Voix (Jpn), Juranville (Jpn), Schon Glanz (Jpn), A Will a Way (Jpn), No One (Jpn), Meisho Meikei (Jpn), Aqua Mirabilis (Jpn), Red Aster (Jpn), Figlia Pura (Jpn), Ho O Catherine (Jpn), Noble Score (Jpn), Regard Calme (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. JRA Video.
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