Dubai World Cup winner Ushba Tesoro repeats in Tokyo Daishoten

HRN staff
Photo: Kaz Ishida / Eclipse Sportswire

Ushba Tesoro, who snapped a six-race win streak when he was fifth behind White Abarrio in the Breeders' Cup Classic, returned to the winners' circle Friday in the Group 1 Tokyo Daishoten at Oi.

Friday's victory marks Ushba Tesoro's second straight victory in the Tokyo Daishoten, which covers a distance of about 1 1/4 miles. He won the 2022 edition of the race as well, which he then followed up with wins in the Kawasaki Kinen and the Dubai World Cup (G1). After a break through the rest of the spring and summer, he won the Nippon TV Hai, a listed race at Funabashi on Sept. 27, in his prep for the Breeders' Cup Classic.

Ushba Tesoro settled near the back of the field while Wilson Tesoro set the pace. Wilson Tesoro, most recently second to Lemon Pop in the Champions Cup (G1) on Dec. 3, set an uncontested pace with Duro Erede in closest range. Ushba Tesoro hung wide into the stretch but nonetheless quickened, gaining on the leader with each jump.

With half a furlong remaining he still had to reel in the leading pair, but he stayed on under jockey Yuga Kawada to make the lead in the final strides. Ushba Tesoro crossed the wire half a length in front of pacesetter Wilson Tesoro, with Duro Erede staying on for show.

According to a report from BloodHorse, trainer Noboru Takagi confirmed after the race that Ushba Tesoro would remain in training as a 7-year-old in 2024. "If he continues to train well, we would like to go to Saudi or Dubai."
The victory in the Tokyo Daishoten brings Ushba Tesoro's career record to 32: 11-1-5. The son of Orfevre began his career racing on turf and even won three times on the surface, but never proved himself at the group or even listed level on it. A switch to dirt in spring 2022 gave him new life. He has won eight times in 10 starts on conventional dirt, with his only off-the-board finish over that surface to date coming in the 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic.

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