By Alan Carasso
Making his first start since a history-making success in the G1 Dubai World Cup just over six months ago, Kenji Ryotokuji Holdings' Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) prepped for a possible appearance in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita Nov. 4 with a comfortable victory in Wednesday's Listed Nippon TV Hai at Funabashi Race Track near Tokyo.
Yuga Kawada was at the controls when the 6-year-old rallied from last to become Japan's first World Cup winner on dirt, but settled the blinkered bay much closer to the pace as his chief market rival and leading local 3-year-old Mitono O (Jpn) (Logotype {Jpn}) made the running beneath Yutaka Take. Racing in clear air from third down the back of the course, Ushba Tesoro was asked to pick up the leaders three furlongs out, came three wide off the final corner and was more or less ridden out hands and heels to score by a decisively easy 2 1/2 lengths. Tenkaharu (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn})–a son of 2007 GI Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Ginger Punch (Awesome Again) outfinished pace-pressing Suave Aramis (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) for second.
Ushba Tesoro posted three wins from 22 starts on turf to kick off his career, but was making Wednesday's win his sixth straight on the dirt and seventh from eight tries. Successful when making his dirt stakes debut in the G1 Tokyo Daishoten at Ohi Dec. 29, he accounted for the high-class T O Keynes (Jpn) (Sinister Minister) in the Listed Kawasaki Kinen Feb. 1, earning a trip to the desert. Trailing after a sluggish start in the World Cup, he produced a barnstorming finish down the center of the track to capture the $12-million feature by 2 3/4 lengths.
By the sire of Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Marche Lorraine (Jpn), Ushba Tesoro is out of a daughter of Sixieme Sens (Septieme Ciel), purchased for just over €5,000 at the 1993 Deauville August yearling sale, who became a listed winner in France for David Smaga and later a three-time graded scorer in this country for Bobby Frankel. Sixieme Sens was sold to Chiyoda Farm's Dr. Masatake Iida in foal to Gone West for $750,000 at Keeneland November in 2007 and is also the dam of SW Bold Brian (Jpn) (Brian's Time). Ushba Tesoro has a 2-year-old half-brother by Asia Express (Henny Hughes), a yearling half-sister by Mr Melody (Scat Daddy) and a weanling half-sister by Matera Sky (Speightstown)
WATCH: Ushba Tesoro (4) returns running at Funabashi
Wednesday's Results:
NIPPON TV HAI-Listed, ¥68,000,000, Funabashi, 9-27, 3yo/up, 1800m, 1:51.70, gd.
1–USHBA TESORO (JPN), 128, h, 6, Orfevre (Jpn)–Millefeui Attach (Jpn), by King Kamehameha (Jpn).(¥25,000,000 Wlg '17 JRHAJUL). O-Kenji Ryotokuji Holdings; B-Chiyoda Farm; T-Noboru Takagi; J-Yuga Kawada; ¥40,000,000. Lifetime Record: G1SW-UAE & Jpn, 30-10-1-5, $9,532,099.
2–Tenkaharu (Jpn), 123, h, 5, King Kamehameha (Jpn)–Ginger Punch, by Awesome Again. O-Lion Race Horse; B-Northern Farm; ¥14,000,000.
3–Suave Aramis (Jpn), 123, h, 8, Heart's Cry (Jpn)–Bay to Bay, by Sligo Bay (Ire). (¥70,000,000 Ylg '16 JRHAJUL). O-NICKS Inc; B-Shiraoi Farm; ¥8,000,000.
Margins: 2HF, 1HF, NK. Odds: 0.60, 43.70, 59.50. Click for the goracing.jp chart and VIDEO.
#日本テレビ盃 1着はウシュバテソーロ。本日船橋競馬場で行われた第70回日本テレビ盃(JpnII)は、川田将雅騎手(JRA)騎乗で1番人気のウシュバテソーロ(牡6･JRA･高木登厩舎)が制しました。同馬はG1も含め6連勝。2着はテンカハル、3着はスワーヴアラミス。 pic.twitter.com/saokB304EI
— 地方競馬全国協会(NAR)公式 (@nar_keiba) September 27, 2023
My man, Taka Iida on the podium as Breeder😃㊗️👍 pic.twitter.com/H0eDuhe3oI
— Polo Green Stable (@PoloGreenStable) September 27, 2023
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