Lauda Sion (Jpn) (Real Impact {Jpn}), ninth choice in the wagering at 28-1, bested 2-1 crowd's pick and 2019 Japanese Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Resistencia (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) by 1 1/2 lengths in the G1 NHK Mile Cup at Tokyo on Sunday. It was the colt's first win at group level.
As the gates flew, Resistencia motored straight to the head of affairs, but Lauda Sion soon joined her. He eventually settled just off her flank on the outside as the favourite blitzed fractions of :22.70 for the quarter mile and :46 flat for the half. She traveled six furlongs in 1:09.30, and Mirco Demuro cut Lauda Sion loose. He began to edge closer tot the pacesetter inside the final 400 metres, stuck his head in front a furlong later and ground away in late stretch to prevail. Resistencia never gave up, but gamely held on to second, as Gilded Mirror (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) rallied into third, a nose better than Turtle Bowl (Ire)'s GSW Taisei Vision (Jpn).
“I knew that the track today ran better for frontrunners, and considering that he's usually an evenly-paced colt, I planned to keep him well up in front,” said Demuro. “He's always quick out of the gate so we were able to secure a good position and I felt he had plenty to outrun Christophe [Lemaire]'s filly in the final stages.”
Off the mark at first asking in June, Lauda Sion was third in soft going at Kokura I the G3 Kokura Nisai S. on Sept. 1. Back on top in the Momiji S. at Kyoto a month later, he ran eighth in the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S. on Dec. 15. Successful in the Listed Crocus S. on Feb. 1, he was a last out bridesmaid in the Mar. 14 G3 Chunichi Sports Sho Falcon S. at Chukyo to Shine Garnet (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}).
Pedigree Notes
A member of G1 Yasuda Kinen/G1 George Ryder S. hero Real Impact's very first crop of foals, the winner is also his sire's first group and first Group 1 winner. The fourth foal and third winner for his winning dam, Lauda Sion is followed by 2-year-old colt Lowell (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) and a yearling filly by Just a Way (Jpn). His second dam is a half-sister to GI Futurity S. hero Cuvee (Carson City), as well as GSW Will He Shine (Silver Deputy). Sire and GI Hollywood Derby hero Olympio (Naskra) is under the fourth dam.
Sunday, Tokyo, Japan
NHK MILE CUP-G1, ¥205,020,000 (US$1,922,003/£1,549,399 /€1,754,910), Tokyo, 5-10, 3yo, c/f, 1600mT, 1:32.50, fm.
1–LAUDA SION (JPN), 126, c, 3, Real Impact (Jpn)
1st Dam: Antiphona, by Songandaprayer
2nd Dam: Snatched, by Cat Thief
3rd Dam: Christmas Star, by Star de Naskra
1ST GROUP WIN. 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Silk Racing; B-Shiraoi
Farm (Jpn); T-Takashi Saito; J- Mirco Demuro. ¥108,864,000.
Lifetime Record: 7-4-1-1. *1/2 to Ambrosio (Jpn) (Rose
Kingdom {Jpn}), SP-Jpn, $648,690. *First GSW & G1SW for his
sire (by Deep Impact {Jpn}). Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple
Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Resistencia (Jpn), 121, f, 3, Daiwa Major (Jpn)–
Malacostumbrada (Arg), by Lizard Island. O-Carrot Farm;
B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥43,104,000.
3–Gilded Mirror (Jpn), 121, f, 3, Orfevre (Jpn)–Titan Queen, by
Tiznow. O-Silk Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥26,552,000.
Margins: 1HF, 3/4, NO. Odds: 28.60, 2.00, 18.00.
Also Ran: Taisei Vision (Jpn), Luftstrom (Jpn), Shine Garnet (Jpn), Win Greatest (Jpn), Rhinebeck (Jpn), Bon Om Touk (Jpn), Soul Train (Jpn), Meisho Titan (Jpn), Stone Ridge (Jpn), Satono Impresa (Jpn), Succession (Jpn), Prince Return (Jpn), Shachi (Jpn), Harmony Magellan (Jpn), Nishino Storm (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart & video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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