Japanese Superstars Clash in the Arima Kinen

Fans of turf racing might want to push the boundaries of their bedtimes tonight as some of the best grass horses in the world will come together for one last showdown in Japan. The Arima Kinen, run Sunday in Japan, with a 1:25 am Eastern post time in America, is one of the biggest races in the nation. The 1 9/16 miles test is run at Nakayama Racecourse, and interestingly, it calls for the fans to invite much of the field, with the top ten vote getters earning automatic entry into the rich race. 16 will go to the post in the 2014 edition of the Arima Kinen, and while the field is littered with major stakes winners, it is headlined by the four biggest stars in Japanese racing in Gentildonna, Just A Way, Gold Ship, and Epiphaneia. The Arima Kinen is without question more than just a four-horse race, but all eyes will be on this fantastic four.

Ladies first, and there can be no doubt that Gentildonna is one special lady. The five-year-old daughter of Deep Impact is also on the verge of retirement, and looks to close out her decorated career in style with one final big victory. She became a sensation two years ago, when becoming only the fourth horse ever to sweep Japan’s filly Triple Crown. Later that season she took it up a notch by becoming the first three-year-old filly in history to win the Japan Cup, doing so at the expense of the mighty Orfevre. Her four-year-old season was not as successful as her sophomore year, but that mattered little when she capped 2013 by defending her Japan Cup crown. Gentildonna is the only horse ever to win the Japan Cup in back-to-back years. As for this year, she has not won since a big victory in Dubai in the Dubai Sheema Classic back in March, but comes into tomorrow’s swan song in good form. Most recently she finished 4th of 18 in her second attempt to defend a Japan Cup title, on course conditions likely with a bit more cut than she prefers.

While Gentildonna is a local and international favorite, it was the beautiful and hard-hitting grey, Gold Ship, who was actually the top vote getter of the fans. The son of Stay Gold will be making his first start since finishing a disappointing 14th in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe nearly three months ago. It was the five-year-old’s first start overseas, and now back in Japan, his team is expecting better things. We know the trip suits the grandson of Sunday Silence. Two years ago the flashy colt won the Arima Kinen in style. Last year in this race, he closed well to finish 3rd behind an awesome farewell performance by Orfevre. Off those two performances alone, Gold Ship should be given big respect, but the five-time Group 1 winner is both top class and moody at the same time, further evidenced by his dull performance in France. Which Gold Ship shows up tomorrow, could be the difference between winning and losing for the other contenders.

In one magnificent performance in the Dubai Duty Free, Just A Way became the top rated horse in the world rankings. The six-length dismantling of a top international field was part of a winning streak that made the son of Heart’s Cry one of the most respected turf horses in the world. Arguably, no horse had a finer first half of the year on the planet than Just A Way. After returning to Japan to score a victory in the Group 1 Yasuda Kinen in June, the five-year-old was pointed for the ultimate turf prize in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe along with his Naosuke Suga-trained stablemate, Gold Ship, but could not make headway in the Longchamp stretch, and could do no better than 8th as one of the big race favorites. Back in Japan again, he fared better, but was not very close to victory when 2nd in Epiphaneia’s Japan Cup. That was supposed to be his final career race, but his good training, and with urging from his owner, Just A Way will get one final opportunity to cap his excellent season with another huge win.

Epiphaneia may not yet possess the popularity of the three listed before him in his homeland, but he comes in with the best recent form. It may seem strange reading that, considering that the four-year-old has only once once in 2014, but when you win the Japan Cup by four lengths, respect is quickly earned. That type of breakthrough performance seemed a long time coming for the regally bred son of two-time Arima Kinen winner, and two-time Japanese Horse of the Year, Symboli Kris S. American racefans should be familiar with his dam, Cesario, who came from Japan to impressively win the Grade 1 American Oaks in 2005. Bred to be a champion, Epiphaneia was good enough to be the runner-up in voting for both the 2yo and 3yo championship the past two years, but his last race was undoubtedly his best. A similar performance could make the youngest of the big four, the one to beat tomorrow. If he is to pull off the Japan Cup-Arima Kinen double, he will have to do so without Christophe Soumillon who rode him brilliantly when visiting from Europe last time. Yuga Kawada picks up the mount in the big race, and will need to draw the best from the colt who can be a temperamental sort.