Japan: 3-year-old filly Regaleira beats older males in Arima Kinen

Conquering a nail-biting, fierce duel to the finish line, Regaleira became the second 3-year-old filly to win Japan’s top all-star race when she finished first by a nose Sunday in the 69th running of the Grade 1, US$6,934,901 Arima Kinen at Nakayama.

Regaleira (9-1) beat a stellar field that included nine Grade 1 winners and joined Star Roch, the 1960 winner, as the only sophomore fillies to take the season-ending, 1 9/16-mile race that goes right-handed around nearly three turns on the turf.

A Suave Richard filly, Regaleira had been winless since claiming the Hopeful Stakes (G1) last year, finishing sixth in the Satsuki Sho 2,000 Guineas (G1) and fifth in the Tokyo Yushun Japanese Derby (G1) against male opponents in the spring. After a fifth in the Rose Stakes (G2), her first start of the autumn season, Regaleira was fifth again in her latest outing, the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1) on Nov. 10.

Trainer Tetsuya Kimura, who won the Arima Kinen with Equinox in 2022, scored his 11th Japan G1 victory, following this year’s Shuka Sho with Cervinia. Jockey Keita Tosaki, who took the reins of the filly for the first time Sunday, registered his 13th Grade 1 score, his last being the Satsuki Sho with Justin Milano. It was his second Arima Kinen victory after Gentildonna in 2014.

Regaleira was settled off the pace in fifth to sixth the first time in front of the stands with Shahryar (29-1), the third-place finisher in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, traveling two to three lengths behind in mid-pack. After steadily cruising up the backstretch, Shahryar gradually made headway from the outside before the final turn. Regaleira also made her bid and shifted slightly outward for clear sailing near the end of the turn.

Entering the straight in third, the eventual winner was challenged immediately by the Shahryar, a 6-year-old son of Deep Impact who emerged from the outside. After both unleashed a furious drive and a head-to-head battle all the way to the wire, picking off tired pacesetter Danon Decile (3-1) about 50 yards out, it was Regaleira who won by a whisker in a breathtaking photo finish.

“I knew a good break was crucial, but although we might have been a tad late, we were able to sit in a good position and maintain a smooth run in good rhythm,” Tosaki said. “She responded well, but the competition was so strong, I couldn’t tell at all crossing the wire who’d won.”

This year’s Tokyo Yushun winner Danon Decile took the lead from the rail post to set the slow pace and maintained the lead until being passed late. He secured third place by a half-length.

Behind fourth-place Bellagio Opera (6-1) and fifth-place Justin Palace (9-1), post-time favorite Urban Chic (5-2) missed his break but quickly improved his position to go along the rail in mid-pack. Although hitting the stretch in good striking position, the 3-year-old chestnut struggled in climbing the hill and finished sixth in the field of 15.

Defending winner Do Deuce, who was expected to be favored, was scratched and subsequently retired due to lameness being detected in his right foreleg Friday. Owner Matsushima Masaaki told Racing Post he wants the 5-year-old Heart’s Cry horse to sire a winner of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1), a race that has befuddled Japan horses.

Regaleira, who is owned by Sunday Racing, finished with a time of 2:31.8 without a run-up for the 2,500 meters, 16 yards short of 1 9/16 miles. The ground was labeled good to firm.

An announced crowd of 54,505 contributed to the US$451,819,730 in betting handle, including US$352,069,638 on the Arima Kinen itself.