By Heather Anderson
It was a stakes double for Lord Kanaloa (Jpn) on Sunday, as Ho O Emmy's (Jpn) won the G3 Fukushima Kinen, and Brede Weg (Jpn) became his latest Group 1 winner with a victory in the Queen Elizabeth Cup in Kyoto. She is the first 3-year-old filly to win the race since Mozu Katchan (Jpn) (Harbingers {GB}) in 2017, and also became the QEC victress with the fewest starts with five.
Despite the presence of last year's winner Geraldina (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}), the Sunday Racing 3-year-old garnered favouritism at 7-5 in her first start beyond 2000 metres. Hopping at the start, Brede Wag perched next to the fence as Art House (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}) carved out fractions of :49 for the first 800 metres and 1:37.50 for the 1600 metres while pressed by Roselite (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}).
Like the winner, Geraldina was not cleanly away from the stalls, but unlike Brede Weg's small hop, she attempted to kickstart her career over jumps, catching a fair bit of air. As a result, the intended frontrunner was instead briefly last and Ryan Moore had his hands full as she was three deep into the first turn. By the 600-metre mark she was just behind Brede Weg's, but several paths deeper into the course.
Brede Weg came off the fence for her run entering the straight, but treaded water for a bit before shifting gears. By the 200-metre mark she had dead aim on Art House, with Harper (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) also rallying strongly on her outside. Rouge Eveil (Jpn) (Just A Way {Jpn}) also flashed home strongly up the inside as the wire neared. At the line it was Brede Weg by three-quarters of a length over Rouge Eveil, who was a neck to the good of Harper. Geraldina's run flattened late and she ran on to be fifth, a half-length behind Lilac (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}).
“I was a bit worried about the soft ground but it was no problem for her,” said pilot Christophe Lemaire. “We couldn't break well but were able to travel in good position behind Harper. She was calm, responded well throughout the race and
pulled away strongly with her explosive kick.”
Second on debut last August, she graduated by six lengths at Tokyo in February and added another victory, this time over 2000 metres, at that venue in June. Brede Weg was runner-up in the G2 Rose S. at Hanshin in September.
Pedigree Notes
Brede Weg is the 46th stakes winner and 32nd group winner for her sire, who stands at Shadai Stallion Station. She is also his ninth top-level scorer and one of four Group 1 winners by the son of King Kamehameha (Jpn) out of mares by Sunday Silence or one of his sons.
Inner Urge missed to Lord Kanaloa for 2021, but currently has a Saturnalia (Jpn) yearling filly and foaled a colt by Harbinger this term. Inner Urge is also a full-sister to the Japanese Champion 3-Year-Old Filly Mikki Queen (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who won both the G1 Yushun Himba and G1 Shuka Sho.
The winner's second dam is the well-traveled Musical Way (Fr) (Gold Away {Ire}), who won a brace of French group races and was also placed in two editions of the G1 Premio Lydia Tesio as well as the 2007 G1 Hong Kong Cup. Musical Way brought 300,000gns from Katsumi Yoshida out of the Tattersalls December Mares Sale in 2008.
Sunday, Kyoto, Japan
QUEEN ELIZABETH CUP-G1, ¥253,400,000, Kyoto, 11-12, 3yo/up, f, 2200mT, 2:12.60, fm.
1–BREDE WEG (JPN), 119, f, 3, by Lord Kanaloa (Jpn)
1st Dam: Inner Urge (Jpn), by Deep Impact (Jpn)
2nd Dam: Musical Way (Fr), by Gold Away (Ire)
3rd Dam: Mulika (Fr), by Procida
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. 1ST GROUP 1 WIN.
O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-Keisuke Miyata;
J-Christophe Lemaire; ¥133,780,000. Lifetime Record: 5-3-2-0,
¥170,798,000. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click
for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Rouge Eveil (Jpn), 123, f, 4, Just a Way (Jpn)–Nothing But
Dreams (GB), by Frankel (GB). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE.
O-Tokyo Horse Racing; B-Shadai Farm (Jpn); ¥43,310,000.
3–Harper (Jpn), 119, f, 3, Heart's Cry (Jpn)–Seresta (Arg), by
Jump Start. (¥86,000,000 Wlg '20 JRHAJUL). O-M's Racing;
B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥43,310,000.
Margins: 3/4, NK, HF. Odds: 1.40, 12.30, 5.70.
Also Ran: Lilac (Jpn), Geraldina (Jpn), Saliera (Jpn), Divina (Jpn), Izu Jo no Kiseki (Jpn), Shinryokuka (Jpn), Kukuna (Jpn), Big Ribbon (Jpn), Roseite (Jpn), Art House (Jpn), Gold Eclipse (Jpn), Magria Elena (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart & video.
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