Race Favorite Soul Stirring remained undefeated in her third career win that stamped her claim as a strong candidate for the season’s champion two-year-old filly title and a Grade One winner of the 2016 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies. Winning her debut in July, she proceeded to win the Ivy Stakes (1,800m) on October 22 prior to her first grade-race challenge. She becomes the tenth filly to claim the G1 title undefeated—the first since 2013 when Red Reveur won the race. Trainer Kazuo Fujisawa marked his 23rd JRA-G1 victory—his last G1 win was with Spielberg in the 2014 Tenno Sho (Autumn)—while Christophe Lemaire, who also won the same race last year with Major Emblem, is now just one short of reaching a milestone of ten JRA-G1 wins. Lemaire’s most recent G1 victory before today was in the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger, G1, 3,000m) with Satono Diamond.
Unfazed by the filly beside her rearing in the starting gate, Soul Stirring made a clean break and took advantage of her inside draw, staying near the pace around fourth or fifth along the rails up to the last corner, edged closer to the leader approaching the 200-meter pole then pulled away with ease while managing to hold off a strong charging Lys Gracieux for a 1-1/4-length victory, covering the mile distance in 1:34.0.
“I’m ecstatic. It’s so special because I used to also ride her dam Stacelita (winner of six G1 titles in Europe and USA) and Soul Stirring is out of her and by that great horse Frankel. I was confident from the beginning and we were in a good position and she was relaxed. She easily hit the front at the stretch and with her big strides and stamina; I think she can go a little bit further in distance,” commented Christophe Lemaire.
Lys Gracieux bided her time outside a rival, sitting well off the pace among the rear group, and made headway along the outside rounding the third corner. Staying wide into the homestretch, the Heart’s Cry filly edged past her rivals then responded well to Keita Tosaki’s left-hand urgings passing the furlong pole, switched into top gear which clocked the fastest 600-meter finish, and overtook Reine Minoru within the last 50 meters with increasing speed but was unable to reach the winner for second.
Reine Minoru was the quickest out of the gate and settled outside and about half a length behind the eventual winner in the front group. Surrounded by horses rounding the final turn, Masayoshi Ebina angled the Daiwa Major filly slightly to the outside for a clear run down the center lane and the filly ran gamely while never a threat to the winner and caught by Lys Gracieux in the final stages for third.
[Other Horses]
4th: (1) Dipavamsa—stalked winner, ran gamely until 100m out, then outrun by 2nd and 3rd finishers
5th: (17) Vous Etes Jolie—traveled near rear, accelerated along rails at stretch
6th: (13) Gold Cape—ran outside winner, sustained bid until 200m out, outrun thereafter
7th: (8) Satono Alicia—trailed in rear, turned wide, accelerated, but belatedly
8th: (12) Arinna—set pace, led until 200m marker, weakened in last 100m
9th: (15) Feldberg—sat 2nd from rear, showed belated charge at stretch
10th: (14) Suzukaze—raced wide in mid group, checked at early stretch, passed tired rivals
11th: (11) Jeune Ecole—eased back in mid-pack, ran gamely until 200m pole, weakened thereafter
12th: (7) Black Onyx—settled in mid-division, failed to respond at stretch
13th: (6) Show Way—chased leader in 2nd, used up 300m out
14th: (16) Sigrun—ran 3-wide in mid-group, switched to outside at early stretch, lacked needed kick
15th: (10) Queen’s Sarina—raced in mid-pack, unable to reach contention
16th: (9) Just the Marine—traveled 4-wide in mid-division, never fired at stretch
17th: (5) Pompon—took economic trip toward rear, never a threat
18th: (3) M O Venus—rank at start, missed break, 3rd-4th from rear, no factor
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