Japan: Do Deuce rallies to win $3.1 million autumn Tenno Sho

Do Deuce registered his fourth Grade 1 victory by claiming the $3.1 million autumn Tenno Sho by 1 1/4 lengths Sunday at Tokyo Racecourse.

Following his victories in the 2021 Futurity, the 2022 Tokyo Yushun and the 2023 Arima Kinen, Do Deuce became the seventh horse in Japan Racing Association history to win Grade 1 races for four consecutive years. The five-year-old bay bounced back from two unsuccessful starts in spring and probably will head to the Japan Cup (G1) on Nov. 24 and the Arima Kinen on Dec. 22 before being retired.

Sunday’s win marked trainer Yasuo Tomomichi’s 20th Grade 1 victory following this year’s Satsuki Sho with Justin Milano.

It was jockey Yutaka Take’s seventh win in the autumn Tenno Sho, tying him with record holder Takayoshi Yasuda. It also was his 82nd Grade 1 score following last year’s Arima Kinen with Do Deuce.

Breaking smoothly from gate 7, Do Deuce (5-2) eased back to settle second from last in the field of 15. The 5-year-old entire by Heart’s Cry made a wide move through the far turn and steered farther to the outside at the top of the homestretch.

Still second from last at the quarter-mile pole, Do Deuce unleashed an explosive turn of speed, passing his rivals one by one with the fastest finishing speed in the field and taking the lead just before the wire en route to a 1-1/4-length victory.

“I wanted to show the true ability and strength of Do Deuce today, so I was really happy when he was able to display his usual powerful kick in the homestretch and crossed the wire first,” Take said. “The pace was not very fast, and I was relying on his strong finishing speed, so I didn’t want to make any unnecessary moves in the first half of the race and settled him second from last.”

Do Deuce finished with a winning time of 1:57.3 without a run-up going 2,000 meters, 13 yards short of 1 1/4 miles, around 1 1/2 left-hand turns on the good-to-firm turf. The early fractions were 24.3, 47.9, 1:11.8 and 1:34.7.

Last year’s Tokyo Yushun winner Tastiera (52-1) settled around fourth between horses, slightly angled out rounding the far turn, switched to the outside in the last 330 yards and, while no match for the winner, passed the frontrunners in the last furlong to secure the runner-up spot by a half-length.

Ho O Biscuits (49-1) set a slightly slow pace, sustained a bid before being overtaken by the top two finishers just before the wire and showed tenacity to hold off the late chargers by a neck for a well-deserved third.

Post-time favorite Liberty Island (6-5) broke smoothly from the outermost post, traveled around fourth and entered the lane in good striking position, but the fillies’ Triple Crown winner was used up in the last furlong and finished 13th.

Do Deuce was bred in Japan by Northern Farm and is owned by Kieffers Company. He is out of Vindication mare Dust and Diamonds.