By Heather Anderson
Breaking his maiden in a Tokyo 2000-metre newcomers' race at first asking Oct. 9, Rey de Oro made it two on the bounce with a tally over that trip transferred to a firm Nakayama turf course Dec. 3. Heavily favored testing the waters in group company for the first time, the Carrot Farm colorbearer was 1-2 by post time and dropped anchor to race in third last through the first 1000 metres in 1:00 3/5, as Nishino Apple Pie (Jpn) (Reach the Crown {Jpn}) showed the way. Making inroads up the inside on the back straightaway, the dark bay angled off the fence in between rivals on the far turn with fellow Carrot Farm runner Globe Theatre keeping him briefly in a pocket. Fanned four deep once the field hit the lane, Rey de Oro burst into the clear and rocketed home in the final 200 metres to win by 1 1/4 lengths. Meiner Sphene, who had also settled off the pace for the majority of the running, ran second, with Globe Theatre completing the trifecta. It was the third 2-year-old group stakes victory for trainer Kazuo Fujisawa, after Soul Stirring (Jpn) (Frankel {GB}) took the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies and Satono Ares (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) landed the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S.
“He ran very well and showed lots of talent,” said winning jockey Christophe Lemaire, who would go on to take the G1 Arima Kinen with Satono Diamond (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) later on the card. “He has improved a lot since his maiden race and always won easily. He will be able to handle 2400 meters.”
Pedigree Notes…
By Japanese champion and two-time leading sire King Kamehameha (Jpn) (Kingmambo) and the second stakes-winning foal from two to race out of the winning Symboli Kris S mare La Dorada (Jpn), Rey de Oro is the first group winner for his dam. His second dam is a winning Seeking the Gold half-sister to no less than two-time Japanese Horse of the Year and wonder sire Deep Impact (Jpn) (Sunday Silence), SW and Group 1 sire Black Tide (Jpn) (Sunday Silence), SW New Beginning (Jpn) (Agnes Tachyon {Jpn}) and US Grade III heroine Veil of Avalon (Thunder Gulch). Their dam is German highweight and G1SW Wind in Her Hair (Ire) (Alzao) and this is also the family of English champion juvenile filly Height of Fashion (Fr) (Bustino {GB}). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Sunday, Nakayama, Japan
HOPEFUL STAKES-G2, ¥128,430,000 (US$1,095,108/£891,927/€1,047,471), Nakayama, 12-25, 2yo, 2000mT, 2:01.30, fm.
1–#@REY DE ORO (JPN), 121, c, 2 by King Kamehameha (Jpn)
1st Dam: La Dorada (Jpn), by Symboli Kris S
2nd Dam: Lady Blond, by Seeking the Gold
3rd Dam: Wind in Her Hair (Ire), by Alzao
O-Carrot Farm; B-Northern Farm; T-Kazuzo Fujisawa;
J-Christophe Lemaire; ¥67,511,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0,
¥84,770,000. *1/2 to Tizona (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}),
SW-Jpn, $335,514. Werk Nick Rating: D+. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Meiner Sphene (Jpn), 121, c, 2, by Stay Gold (Jpn)–Meine
Giada (Jpn), by Jade Robbery. O-Thoroughbred Club Ruffian;
B-Big Red Farm; ¥27,146,000.
3–Globe Theatre (Jpn), 121, c, 2, King Kamehameha (Jpn)–
Cesario (Jpn), by Special Week (Jpn). O-Carrot Farm;
B-Northern Farm; ¥17,073,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1 1/4, HF. Odds: 0.50, 46.30, 4.30.
Also Ran: Best Resort (Jpn), Sungrazer (Jpn), Meliora, Bill's Treasure (Jpn), Dear Shooter (Jpn), Cosmos (Jpn), Choix Droit (Jpn), Admire Winner (Jpn), Endgame (Jpn), Nishino Apple Pie (Jpn), Misdirection (Jpn).
Click for the Racing Post result or the JRA Video.
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