Sunday Racing's Fierement (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) successfully defended his title and took the G1 Tenno Sho Spring by a nose over Stiffelio (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}) at Kyoto on Sunday. He is the fifth horse to take the 3200-metre feature in consecutive years, while granting his trainer Takahisa Tezuka his sixth Japanese Group 1 crown and pilot Christophe Lemaire his 29th.
Before empty stands as spectatorless racing continues in Japan from the coronavirus, the even-money favourite stayed well off the fence in midfield from his wide draw. Fierement traveled sweetly in the three path entering the stretch for the first time, as Danburite (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) led. Kiseki (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) took over leadership duties just past the winning post and the first mile was covered in a reasonable 1:36.10.
The field was well spaced out on the backstretch, but the back half began to bunch up with a half-mile to travel with Kiseki still on top. Fierement was asked by Lemaire as the rail fell away after the final corner and he began to rally out in the center of the course. You Can Smile (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) also unleashed a notable kick up the fence and Stiffelio gained the advantage as Kiseki faded around the 200-metre pole. Closing with a deadly burst, Fierement still had a few lengths to make up and it appeared he was running out of ground, but he bravely stuck his nose in front when it mattered. Mikki Swallow (Jpn) (Tosen Homareboshi {Jpn}) got up by a neck over You Can Smile for third, 2 1/2 lengths behind the top pair.
“The pace was ideal and I was almost sure it would be an easy win for us, but he wasn't focused at times, so as it turned out we had to fight hard to the line,” said Lemaire. “But in spite of the long distance and the wide draw, he was unhurried earlier in the race and had the strength left to charge home the way he did—everything went well. I'm thankful to the fans rooting for us at home. I look forward to seeing them in the stands very soon.”
Lightly raced, the 2018 G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) hero reported home second in the G2 American Jockey Club Cup last January prior to his first Tenno Sho Spring victory and went missing until an Aug. 18 third in the G2 Sapporo Kinen. He traveled to France for the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, but made little impact when 12th in the wake of Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}). His 4-year-old finale was a fourth in the G1 Arima Kinen at Nakayama on Dec. 22.
Pedigree Notes
One of 46 Group 1 winners by his late sire, Fierement is the second to take three or more top-level contests after seven-time Group 1 victress Gentildonna (Jpn). Deep Impact's 156 black-type winners include 127 in group company.
As a racehorse, Italian highweight Lune d'Or was well-traveled, earning checks in four countries to go with her G1 Premio Lydia Tesio victory, two French Group 2 wins and a third in the G1 Yorkshire Oaks in England. She caught the eye of Katsumi Yoshida and hammered for €750,000 during the 2010 Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale with a cover to Galileo (Ire). At stud, the dark bay has produced five other winners besides Fierement, as well as the placed dam of MGSW & MG1SP Inns of Court (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who is now standing his first season at Tally-Ho Stud in Ireland for €7,500. Her 2016 Orfevre (Jpn) colt Last Noodle (Jpn) has scored twice to date, while her 2017 filly Route d'Or (Jpn) (Just a Way {Jpn}) was first past the post in a Tokyo newcomer race in November from two appearances.
Her dam, the 1983 Noir et Or (GB) mare Luth D'Or (Fr) only captured a French listed race, but was placed twice at Group 3 level there. Luth D'Or was a half-sister to French Champion Miler Luth Enchantee (Fr) (Be My Guest), a winner of the G1 Prix du Moulin and Prix Jacques Le Marois, as well as SW Luth Celtique (Fr) (Thatch).
Sunday, Kyoto, Japan
TENNO SHO (SPRING)-G1, ¥290,320,000 (US$2,715,834/£2,173,102/€2,459,730), Kyoto, 5-3, 4yo/up, 3200mT, 3:16.50, fm.
1–FIEREMENT (JPN), 128, h, 5, Deep Impact (Jpn)
1st Dam: Lune d'Or (Fr) (Hwt. 3yo-Ity at 9 1/2-11f, G1SW-Ity,
MGSW-Fr, G1SP-Eng, $440,124), by Green Tune
2nd Dam: Luth D'Or (Fr), by Noir et Or (GB)
3rd Dam: Viole d'Amour (Fr), by Luthier (Fr)
O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-Takahisa Tezuka;
J-Christophe Lemaire. ¥153,024,000. Lifetime Record:
10-5-2-1. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. strong>Werk
Nick Rating: F.
2–Stiffelio (Jpn), 128, h, 6, Stay Gold (Jpn)–Serious Attitude
(Ire), by Mtoto (GB). O-Shadai Race Horse; B-Shadai Farm
(Jpn); ¥60,864,000.
3–Mikki Swallow (Jpn), 128, h, 6, Tosen Homareboshi (Jpn)-
Madre Bonita (Jpn), by Jungle Pocket (Jpn). (¥26,000,000 Wlg
'14 JRHAJUL). O-Mizuki Noda; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
¥38,402,000.
Margins: NO, 2HF, NK. Odds: 1.00, 63.20, 10.90.
Also Ran: You Can Smile (Jpn), Tosen Cambina (Jpn), Kiseki (Jpn), Mozu Bello (Jpn), Meisho Tengen (Jpn), Danburite (Jpn), Etario (Jpn), Melody Lane (Jpn), Miraieno Tsubasa (Jpn), Happy Grin (Jpn), Shirvanshah (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart & video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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