Undefeated in two prior starts, Danon the Kid (Jpn) (Just a Way {Jpn}) came from off the pace to record the first Group 1 victory for both himself and his champion sire, Just a Way (by Heart's Cry {Jpn}) in Saturday's 2,000-meter G1 Hopeful S. at Nakyama.
Land of Liberty (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) went to the front soon after the start as Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente [Jpn}), who was pursued by Orthoclase (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}), prompted the issue through the first turn. Meanwhile, Danon the Kid advanced to third along the outside as the field continued down the backstretch. As the field approached the final bend, pacesetting Land of Liberty swerved suddenly, dislodging his rider, and the advantage quickly went to Danon the Kid, who carried the most momentum turning for home. In full flight late, the favorite kicked on in the final 100 meters, crossing the wire by 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Orthoclase with Yoho Lake (Jpn) (Deep Impact) third.
Winning rider Yuga Kawada commented following the race, “I'm just so happy that I have at last been able to win on one of my mentor and teacher, [trainer Takayuki] Yasuda. The stable staff did a great job in tuning up the colt and he ran much better than he did in his previous start but still, he couldn't find a good rhythm and was not steady in the last two corners today. There is still a lot of room for improvement and we intend to work hard so he can kick off a good 3-year-old campaign.”
The 2-year-old kicked off his career with a victory going 1,800 meters at Hanshin in June before returning from a five-month break to collect his first graded stakes success in the 1,800m G3 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes at Tokyo Nov. 23.
Saturday, Nakayama, Japan
HOPEFUL S.-G1, ¥135,560,000, Nakayama, 12-26, 2yo, 2000mT, 2:02.80, fm.
1–DANON THE KID (JPN), 121, c, 2, by Just a Way (Jpn)
1st Dam: Epic Love (Ire) (GSW & G1SP-Fr, $205,233), by Dansili (GB)
2nd Dam: Leopard Hunt, by Diesis (GB)
3rd Dam: Alcando (Ire), by Alzao
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (¥100,000,000 wnlg '18 JRHAJUL).
O-Danox Inc.; B-Northern Farm; T-Takayuki Yasuda; J-Yuga
Kawada; ¥71,092,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0. *1/2 to Mikki
Brillante (Jpn) (Deep Brillante {Jpn}), GSP-Jpn, $826,288.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: B.
2–Orthoclase (Jpn), 121, c, 2, Epiphaneia (Jpn)–Marialite (Jpn),
by Deep Impact (Jpn). O-Carrot Farm; B-Northern Farm;
¥28,312,000.
3–Yoho Lake (Jpn), 121, c, 2, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Crow Canyon
(Jpn), by French Deputy. O-Makoto Kaneko Holdings;
B-Northern Farm; ¥18,156,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, HF, 1HF; Odds: 1.10, 4.70, 12.10.
Also Ran: Titleholder (Jpn), Chevalier Rose (Jpn), Tenkaharu (Jpn), Aoi Sho (Jpn), Machaon d'Or (Jpn), Vigore (Jpn), Admire Sage (Jpn), Whole Shebang (Jpn), Vanishing Point, Say Hello to You (Jpn), Moriden Arrow (Jpn). DNF: Land of Liberty (Jpn)
Click for the Racing Post chart or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. japanracing.com Video.
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