Daring Tact Remains Unbeated in Japanese Oaks

Daring Tact (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn})'s win in the G1 Yushun Himba at Tokyo on Sunday puts her in an exclusive club as only the second filly to take the first two legs of the Japanese Fillies' Triple Tiara while undefeated alongside Miss Onward (Jpn) (Hard Sauce {GB}), who completed that feat in 1957.

Bet down to 60 cents on the dollar, the heavy chalk drifted towards the fence from the rail and, although bumped a bit in close quarters, settled in the back third of the 18-strong field into the grandstand turn, as Smile Kana (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) enjoyed a comfortable lead. Weaving around horses approaching the far turn, the Normandy Thoroughbred Racing colourbearer shifted several paths off the fence entering the straight. Forced to wait for a gap at the 400-metre pole, Daring Tact surged up in between horses and came charging into fourth inside the final furlong, while Win Mighty (Jpn) (Gold Ship {Jpn}) took over on the front end. Win Marilyn (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}) also unleashed a sharp rally and was surging up the fence, but Daring Tact flashed home the best, to win by a measured half-length. Win Inc. runners Win Marilyn and Win Mighty fought out second-place honours. There was only a neck separating that duo, with another 3/4s of a length back to Ria Amelia (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn})-a daughter of 2013 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies victress Ria Antonia (Rockport Harbor)- in fourth.

“After a good break, we were bumped a few times, so I decided to keep her relaxed in a lower position than planned,” said jockey Kohei Matsuyama. “She instantly kicked into gear once out of traffic in the straight and showed another amazing run down the middle of the lane. Her tremendous burst of speed was extraordinary. It was the first time I rode a favourite [in a Group 1 race] and I admit, I felt the pressure, so I am relieved.”

Successful in a Kyoto newcomers' affair last November, Daring Tact claimed the Listed Elfin S. in her black-type bow on Feb. 8. Kept at a mile, she made the jump up to group company with ease, when winning the G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) at Hanshin on Apr. 12. The Yushun Himba was her first try beyond 1600 metres, and she and her fellow placegetters are now eligible to start in the 2400-metre G1 Prix Vermeille in France free of charge to enter and with additional financial support given for transportation.

Pedigree Notes

By a Symboli Kris S half-brother to Japanese champion Saturnalia (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), Daring Tact is the only black-type winner for her G1 Japanese St. Leger-winning sire and also hails from his first crop of runners. Also runner-up in the G1 Japanese 2000 Guineas and G1 Japanese Derby, the 2014 Japan Cup victor and Shadai-based Epiphaneia appears to have several black-type winners waiting in the wings, with seven black-type placers on the books including MGSP Season's Gift (Jpn), and the GSPs Sky Groove (Jpn), Varuna (Jpn), and Roll of Thunder (Jpn).

The unplaced Daring Bird's first foal is an unnamed filly by South Vigorous, while Daring Tact is her second. Out of Japanese Group 3 heroine Daring Heart (Jpn) (Sunday Silence), she produced a full-sister to Daring Tact named Maono Zenith (Jpn) in 2018, followed by another full-sister last year. She was bred back to Drefong for this term. Daring Heart, in turn, was a half-sister to Japanese GSW Pit Fighter (Jpn), by Pulpit and to GI Super Derby scorer and Korean sire Ecton Park (Forty Niner). The fourth dam, 1980 GII Matron H. heroine Impetuous Gal (Briarctic), a half-sister to three GSWs, came up with MGISW Banker's Lady to the cover of Nijinsky II, while the latter foaled MGSW & MGISP and sire Banker's Gold (Forty Niner). Impetuous Gal is also the ancestress of GI Jenny Wiley S. heroine Daisy Devine (Kafwain).

Sunday, Tokyo, Japan
YUSHUN HIMBA (JAPANESE OAKS)-G1, ¥247,880,000 (US$2,302,885/£1,892,852/€2,111,988), Tokyo, 5-24, 3yo, f, 2400mT, 2:24.40, fm.
1–DARING TACT (JPN), 121, f, 2, 3, Epiphaneia (Jpn)
          1st Dam: Daring Bird (Jpn), by King Kamehameha (Jpn)
          2nd Dam: Daring Heart (Jpn), by Sunday Silence
          3rd Dam: Daring Danzig, by Danzig
(¥12,000,000 Ylg '18 JRHAJUL). O-Normandy Thoroughbred
Racing; B-Hasegawa Farm (Jpn); T-Haruki Sugiyama; J-Kohei
Matsuyama. ¥136,516,000. Lifetime Record: 4-4-0-0. Werk
   Nick Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Win Marilyn (Jpn), 121, f, 3, Screen Hero (Jpn)
          1st Dam: Cosmo Cielo (Aus), by Fusaichi Pegasus
          2nd Dam: Shorwon (Aus), by Buena Shore
          3rd Dam: April Wonder (Aus), by Newtown Wonder (GB)
O-Win Inc.; B-Cosmo View Farm (Jpn); ¥51,576,000.
3–Win Mighty (Jpn), 121, f, 3, Gold Ship (Jpn)
          1st Dam: Aoba Colline (Jpn), by Cacoethes
          2nd Dam: Colline de Bruyere (Ire), by Lomond
          3rd Dam: Gold and Purple (Ire), by Golden Fleece
O-Win Inc.; B-Cosmo View Farm (Jpn); ¥31,788,000.
Margins: HF, NK, 3/4. Odds: 0.60, 27.50, 59.50.
Also Ran: Ria Amelia (Jpn), Magic Castle (Jpn), Chain of Love (Jpn), Miyamazakura (Jpn), Ho O Peaceful (Jpn), Lily Pure Heart (Jpn), Maltese Diosa (Jpn), Des Ailes (Jpn), Woman's Heart (Jpn), Sanctuaire (Jpn), Fiori Chiari (Jpn), Cravache d'Or (Jpn), Smile Kana (Jpn), Ablaze (Jpn), Intermission (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart & video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.