By Alan Carasso
Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), who swept the Japanese Filly Triple Crown and concluded her season with a world record-setting victory against the boys in the G1 Japan Cup, was named Japan's Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old filly Tuesday. The first champion for her boom sire, she received each of the 276 votes cast for Horse of the Year, becoming the first unanimous winner of that award since T M Opera O (Jpn) (Opera House {GB}) in 2000. Almond Eye was also unanimously voted champion sophomore filly.
Almond Eye earned her first group win in January, then returned from a three-month freshening to defeat 2017 champion juvenile filly Lucky Lilac (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) in the G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) (1600m) (video). Stretched to Tokyo's metric mile and a half for the G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) the following month, she proved two lengths too tough (video) and completed the Triple Crown with a smooth success in the G1 Shuka Sho (2000m) Oct. 14 (video). Sent off the 2-5 favourite in the Japan Cup, Almond Eye tracked a fast pace set by G1 Japanese St Leger hero Kiseki (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}), but claimed that one at will inside the 200m en route to a 1 3/4-length victory in a record time of 2:20.6 (see below). Owned by Silk Racing Co. Ltd, trained by Sakae Kunieda and ridden throughout the campaign by record-setting jockey Christophe Lemaire, Almond Eye has been entered for the G1 Dubai Turf and G1 Dubai Sheema Classic, with the 2019 G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe a longer-range objective.
WATCH: Almond Eye stops the clock in 2:20.6 in the Japan Cup
Silk Racing is to be represented by another champion in the form of Blast Onepiece (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}), who received 114 votes to take the 3-year-old male division over G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) hero Wagnerian (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). The striking bay colt was a three-time group winner in 2018, posting a remarkable first win at that level in the G3 Mainichi Hai (1800m) (video) in March and closing the campaign with a scintillating defeat of champion older male Rey de Oro (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) in the G1 Arima Kinen (2500m) Dec. 23 (video). Le Vent Se Leve (Jpn) (Symboli Kris S.) finished third in the 3-year-old male category, but was named champion dirt horse on the strength of his win in the G1 Champions Cup Dec. 2 (video).
Danon Fantasy (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) won three of her four outings, including the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (video) to provide her all-conquering stallion with a 16th champion, while the 2-year-old male division was more hotly contested, with G1 Asahi Hai Juvenile (video) victor Admire Mars (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) given the nod over G1 Hopeful S. hero (video) Saturnalia (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}).
Other champions include:
Older Female: Lys Gracieux (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn})
Sprinter/Miler: Fine Needle (Jpn) (Admire Moon {Jpn})
Steeplechase: Oju Chosan (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn})
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