Japan hero Contrail signs off career with strong win

Contrail, winner of last year's Japanese Triple Crown, wrapped up his career with a two-length win in the Japan Cup (G1) at Tokyo Racecourse on Saturday. It was the fifth Grade 1 win for the Japan-bred colt.

Trainer Yoshito Yahagi also was the winner of two Breeders' Cup races at Del Mar, upsetting the Distaff with Marche Lorraine at 49-1 and taking the Filly and Mare Turf with Loves Only You at 4-1.

In the Japan Cup, Contrail was the favorite at odds of 8-5.

Breaking well from the second most inner stall, Contrail was settled under Yuichi Fukunaga in mid-pack and two-wide, while Kiseki made rapid headway in the backstretch from the rear, taking over the front at the third corner, extending his lead by six to seven lengths, according to a JRA news release. By the time the field hit the top of the straight, the brown colt had shifted to the outside with clear running room in front of him and displayed his trademark explosive kick, shaking off Shahryar after a brief rally at the furlong pole then turned up an extra gear to easily put away Authority 100 meters out for a convincing two-length win.

“All I have now is mixed feelings of relief and lonesomeness," Yahagi said in the release. "In the colt’s latest start (Tenno Sho Autumn), he broke poorly so I told him, while he was walking in the paddock earlier, to stay calm at the start. It worried me a bit since the pace was slow and he wasn’t in that good a position, but we had tuned him up to perfection and the colt gave us all he had in the straight.

"I have to admit I was under a lot of pressure during the two years he was at my stable, but I think it has helped me in becoming more mature, and I can’t thank him enough. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to win the Arc with an offspring of his someday?”