Gran Alegria thwarted Almond Eye’s bid for Japanese history when landing the Group 1 Yasuda Kinen (1600m) at Tokyo.
Gran Alegria settled midfield before creeping closer approaching the home turn. Allowed to accelerate into the lead with 300m to go, Gran Alegria never looked in danger of defeat and went on to defeat Almond Eye by 2-1/2 lengths with last year’s winner Indy Champ a further half length away third in 1:31.60 on a track rated good.
Winner last year of the Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas, Gr1, 1,600m) and rated the best of her age and sex, Gran Alegria resumed with a second place finish in the Gr1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen (1,200m), but was forced to miss her scheduled Victoria Mile start three weeks earlier when she ran a fever.
Gran Alegria has now won five of her eight starts and jockey Kenichi Ikezoe told the JRA the daughter of Deep Impact out of the US Grade 1 winner Tapitsfly, settled into a lovely rhythm.
“First of all, I must thank everyone at the stables who tuned her up so well. I was focused on keeping her in
good rhythm and in a good position which all worked out beautifully,” Ikezoe said.
“She just gave her best with such a tenacious run down the stretch – I was afraid up to the line that we were going to be caught, especially by Almond Eye.
“I hurt myself when a chunk of grass hit my eye at the third corner, but it doesn’t hurt at all now!”
Almond Eye, bidding to the first Japanese horse to land eight Gr1 wins, was slowly away however, jockey Christophe Lemaire was making no excuses.
“We had a poor break but I think we recovered well and made a smooth and strong bid turning for home with Gran Alegria in aim,” Lemaire said.
“She showed her good turn of foot but she could have done better. The winner was just so strong, it wasn’t our day.”