Over a course with conditions that could only be described as a soggy bog, Yoichi Aoyama's homebred Champagne Color (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) earned his first Group 1 win and third win in five career starts with his head victory here. After a stumble out of the gate, the chestnut colt had no choice but to hang back in the early going and rate with the early trailers while From Dusk (Bolt d'Oro) set all the pace. The 22-1 outsider made a bold move toward the front around the bend while wide, slipped between rivals at the top of the lane and reached contention with about 200 metres left to run. In deep stretch, the winner pulled ahead and remained all out to hold off the late challenge from the filly Umbrail (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) to pick up the win.
“The plan was to keep him in about fifth to sixth from the pace, but the competition to position him forwardly was intense and the going was soggy so I didn't force him to move up front,” jockey Hiroyuki Uchida said. “He came out of the last turn smoothly and responded incredibly well. While waiting for the right moment and watching out for the other runners, I just drove him to the line hoping to reach it first. It's his third win here at Tokyo–he enjoys the wide and spacious course–and we're looking forward to seeing him develop with every race he runs this season.”
Pedigree Notes:
Champagne Color is the fifth Group 1 winner by the late stallion Duramente (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) and out of the unraced Memorial Life (GB) (Reckless Abandon), a half-sister to G2 Queen Mary S. winner Ceiling Kitty (GB) (Red Clubs {Ire}), herself the dam of Chesham S. winner Arthur Kitt (GB) (Camelot {GB}); and Listed winner Eartha Kitt (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), who is the dam of last year's G2 Gimcrack S. winner Noble Style (GB) (Kingman {GB}).
Sunday, Tokyo, Japan
NHK MILE CUP-G1,¥253,400,000, Tokyo, 5-7, 3yo/c&f, 1600mT, 1:33.80, gd.
1–CHAMPAGNE COLOR (JPN), 126, c, 3, by Duramente (Jpn)
1st Dam: Memorial Life (GB), by Reckless Abandon (GB)
2nd Dam: Baldovina (GB), by In Tale of the Cat
3rd Dam: Baldwina (Fr), by Pistolet Bleu (Ire)
FIRST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Yoichi Aoyama; B-Shadai Farm (Jpn);
T-Tsuyoshi Tanaka; J-Hiroyuki Uchida; ¥133,780,000. Lifetime:
5-3-0-1, ¥165,487,000. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free
Equineline.com pedigree.
2–Umbrail (Jpn), 121, f, 3, by Lord Kanaloa (Jpn)–L'Archetto
(Jpn), by Falbrav (Ire). O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
¥53,080,000.
3–Obamburumai (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Discreet Cat–Pink Gerbera
(Jpn), by Deep Impact (Jpn). O-Koji Oka; B-Sunday Hills (Jpn);
¥33,540,000.
Margins: HD, 1 1/4, 1 1/4. Odds : 21.20, 11.90, 5.10
Also ran: Danon Touchdown (Jpn), Carro Veloce(Jpn), Moryana (Jpn), Mississippi Tesoro (Jpn), Navona (Jpn), Eeyan (Jpn), Tamamo Black Tie (Jpn), Sing That Song (Jpn), Dolce More (Jpn), Session (Jpn), Yurisha (Jpn), Shomon (Jpn), All Parfait(Jpn), From Dusk. Scratch: Cruzeiro do Sul (Jpn).
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