Race Info > CHAMPIONS CUP 2016 - Sixth Favorite Sound True Revenges Last Year's Third-Place Finish by Holding off Race Favorite in This Year's Champions Cup|Racing News

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CHAMPIONS CUP 2016 - Sixth Favorite Sound True Revenges Last Year's Third-Place Finish by Holding off Race Favorite in This Year's Champions Cup
Information sources:Horse Racing in Japan 
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Sixth-favorite dirt specialistSound Truerevenged last year’s third-place finish by stealing away the title from race favoriteAwardeein the last two strides with his powerful late drive that renewed the race record set by Sambista last year by 0.3 second to 1:50.1. The six-year-old gelding captured his third graded victory and his second G1 title following his win in the year-end Tokyo Daishoten last year. This was also his first win of this season though he had been consistent with a second and three thirds out of five starts prior to this race. He is the third horse to claim the first win of the season in the race following Kane Hekili in 2008 when the race was run under the name Japan Cup Dirt, and the second gelding to capture the title following Fleetstreet Dancer in 2003. He is also the fourth six-year-old champion following Sambista. This victory marked the second JRA-G1 victory for both trainer Noboru Takagi and jockey Takuya Ono following the 2014 Sprinters Stakes with Snow Dragon.

Breaking smoothly from stall eight, six-year-old Sound True partnered with Takuya Ono eased back to second from the rear and maintained the rearward position while taking an economic route by the rails. The French Deputy gelding, still hugging the rails turning for home, angled out to find space outside the front horses that spread wide to make bid in the homestretch. Switching his gear on from the outside route, the chestnut unleashed his usual late charge that timed the fastest last three furlong and flew passed all his rivals to pin the leader right before the wire for a neck victory.

“We had to race toward the rear as the pace was fast, but I concentrated on keeping good rhythm. I raced him along the rails through the last two corners as planned and was able to find space entering the homestretch. It seemed that the horses in front tired somewhat in the last 100 meters. I was unable to race him smoothly in the stretch last year but the ride was perfect this year. The horse seems to be in good form during this time of the year so I am looking forward to defending the title in the year-end Tokyo Daishoten,” commented Takuya Ono.

Odds-on-favorite Awardee, mounted by Yutaka Take who had just claimed his 71st JRA-G1 victory when winning the Japan Cup with Kitasan Black a week ago, hugged the rails in mid-division, around sixth from the front. The six-year-old bay by Japanese Derby winner Jungle Pocket took a wide route rounding the corners and steadily advanced forward to assume command 100 meters out, and just when the crowds were convinced of his seven-race winning streak, he was overtaken and succumbed to second.


“I knew that the horse tends to lose his concentration when taking the front but he was more so today than usual. He also seemed a bit difficult during the race,” said Yutaka Take.

Tenth pickAsukano Romanbroke sharply and rallied to take command but settled behindMonde Classeto press the pace in second. Entering the lane in second, the son of Agnes Digital persistently closed in and, although overtaken by Awardee then by Sound True in the last 100 meters, passed the tiring frontrunner and fended off the strong late charge byKafuji Taketo cross the wire a neck in front in third.

“He lost his concentration at the first corner, which disrupted his rhythm. He held on really well despite the difficult race development (fast pace). I think he was in his best condition coming into the race so I am really disappointed in this result,” commented Ryuji Wada.

[Other Horses]
4th:(1) Kafuji Take -trailed in rear, showed impressive late kick after turning widest-timed 2nd fastest over last 3 furlongs, but was belated and neck short for 3rd
Akihide Tsumura: “He exerted a powerful late kick but he had to cover extra distance compared to the winner. He was really calm and showed great performance today”
5th:(14) Apollo Kentucky -raced in mid-pack, showed belated charge in last 300m
Fuma Matsuwaka: “The field was strong and I had to urge him to keep up with the fast pace but he stretched well in the last stage.”
6th: (9) Nonkono Yume -settled toward rear in mid-division, entered 2nd from last to stretch, quickened in last 200m, but was too late
Ryan Moore: “The corners are a bit tight here so I think the horse prefers the wide track at Tokyo. I also think a longer distance will suite him better.”
7th: (15) Moanin -advanced to 5th from widest draw, dropped back between 3rd and 4th corner, passed tired rivals in last furlong
Keita Tosaki: “The pace was fast and he seemed to hesitate a little getting sands from the horses passing us from the outside.”
8th: (5) Roi Jardin -took economic trip in back of mid-group, ran gamely along rails, but outrun in last 100m
9th: (7) Lani -sat toward rear, traveled wide, met traffic at stretch, lost momentum
Mikio Matsunaga (trainer): “We were interrupted when entering the homestretch.”
10th: (6) Monde Classe -set pace, led until 100m out, outrun in final strides
11th: (10) Meisho Sumitomo -hugged rails in mid-division, ran willingly until 300m out, unable to reach contention
12th: (12) Gold Dream -broke poorly, made headway to 7th, improved position to 5th turning final corner, but weakened in last 200m
Mirco Demuro: “I was able to settle him in good position but the pace was too fast, and he weakened when overtaken by Awardee in the stretch.”
13th: (11) Copano Rickey -pressed pace in 2nd or 3rd, sustained bid until 300m out, then fell back
Christophe Lemaire: “We were unable to keep our own pace due to the race development that was accelerated by the horses making early bids in the backstretch. He ran out of steam in the last stage.”
14th: (13) Bright Idea -rated in middle of field, angled wide into stretch, but never fired
15th: (3) Brightline -prominent early in 4th, advanced to 2nd briefly at final corner, but soon faded

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