Last year’s Oka Sho winner and this year’s Yasuda Kinen winner Gran Alegria rushed home to win Sunday’s Gr1 Sprinters Stakes (1200m) at Nakayama.
Slowly away and second last early, Gran Alegria was reserved for one run in the home straight by Christophe Lemaire and did not disappoint, accelerating past all her rivals to reach the lead inside the final 50m and easing past the post one length clear of Danon Smash (Lord Kanaloa) with A Will A Way (Just A Way) third.
Christophe Lemaire told the JRA he settled further back than anticipated.
“I can’t believe how strong she is!” Lemaire said. “She was a little slow to get into the rhythm and we were much further back than expected but we did not panic if not a little worried that we may not be in time as the pace was fast.
“In a normal situation we may not have made it—but she certainly showed what she is made of and she just carried on while some of the front runners started to weaken.