From its 1981 start, the Japan Cup (G1) has a long history of top females taking the spotlight, and this year two more will try to add to that tradition.
Two of the past three winners of the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) (G1) are entered in the Nov. 24 test for 3-year-olds and older at Tokyo Racecourse. Cervinia captured this year's classic, while Stars on Earth landed it in 2022.
Fillies or mares have claimed 10 of the first 43 editions of the Japan Cup, beginning with 5-year-old Kentucky-bred mare Mairzy Doates winning its first edition. Two females have won it twice, with Gentildonna winning at age 3 in 2012 and then at 4, and Almond Eye claiming victory in 2018 and 2020 at age 3 and 5.
Trainer Tetsuya Kimura, who won the Japan Cup last year with Equinox, this year will send out Cervinia. Kimura noted that the weight assignments are attractive for fillies and mares. Cervinia will carry 54 kilograms (119 pounds) while older male rivals will tote 58 kilograms (127.8 pounds). He said it would be special if he could send out the third 3-year-old filly to win the Japan Cup.
"That would be something that would be remembered for years to come," Kimura said through an interpreter.
Cervinia won two-thirds of Japan's filly Triple Crown this year as she followed her Japanese Oaks score with a clear victory in the Shuka Sho (G1) Oct. 13 at Kyoto, her most recent race. The Japanese Oaks is contested on the same 1 1/2-mile route at Tokyo as the Japan Cup.
Stars on Earth will try to improve on her third-place finish in last year's Japan Cup, where she finished five lengths behind Equinox. The daughter of Duramente is campaigned by Shadai Race Horse Co. and trained by Mizuki Takayanagi. At 3, Stars on Earth also claimed two filly classics, pairing the Oka Sho (Japanese One Thousand Guineas) with her Oaks score. She'll be making her first start since an off-the-board finish against males in the Dubai Sheema Classic (G1T) in late March.
Trainer Mizuki Takayanagi said Stars on Earth has been preparing for this start since October at the Miho Training Center.
"When we clock her, her times are good and her footwork was as expected," Takayanagi said. "It's not bad compared to her work the week prior to this race last year. She's improving with each bit of work she gets. She won the Oaks and she gave a good performance (third place) in this race last year. So, the conditions suit her."
Equinox update
Kimura said he checks in regularly on Equinox at Shadai Stallion Station, where the son of Kitasan Black will soon start his second season at stud.
Through an interpreter, Kimura said, "He's a prized stallion among the Shadai horses, so I'm very proud that he has completed his mission as a stallion for the first year. He covered 203 mares in his first season."
Last year's Japan Cup win marked the final start for Equinox, who nailed down a second straight Japan Horse of the Year honor and the Longines World's Best Racehorse Award. His 135 rating for the Longines award is the highest ever earned by a Japan-based horse.
Almond Eye Foal
Two-time Japan Cup winner Almond Eye nearly saw some winning headlines one day before this year's edition of the race. Aaron's Rod, an Epiphaneia colt and first foal for Almond Eye, finished second in a maiden race Nov. 23 at Tokyo. Japan-bred Best Scene prevailed by three-quarters of a length in the 1,800-meter (1 1/8-mile) turf test.
Almond Eye swept Japan's Filly Triple Crown and twice was named the country's Horse of the Year.
Nice Crowd
Under sunny skies and pleasant temperatures, an estimated 30,000 people attended the Saturday race card at Tokyo Racecourse as the city gears up for Sunday's main event.
Quotable
Trainer Aidan O'Brien, who will send out Auguste Rodin in Sunday's Japan Cup, on Thursday noted his horse is doing well but threw in a qualifier that applies to all runners.
"With horses, 24 hours is a long time."
