Race favorite Kiseki captured this year’s Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger), the last leg of the Triple Crown, with powerful strides over soft going under the heavy rain and wind from the approaching typhoon, to register his first grade-race title. Winning his first and only start as a two-year-old, the Rulership colt kicked off this season with a fifth and two thirds, which included the G3 Mainichi Hai, and won two allowance races before coming in second, two lengths behind Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) winner Rey de Oro in the previous Kobe Shimbun Hai. This win marked trainer Katsuhiko Sumii’s 24th JRA-G1 win, the first since the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes with Leontes in 2015, and third Kikuka Sho title, which he claimed with Delta Blues in 2004 and Epiphaneia in 2013. Jockey Mirco Demuro claimed his 22nd JRA-G1 victory following the Sprinters Stakes with Red Falx three weeks ago. Kiseki became the first G1 winner for his sire Rulership (JPN, by King Kamehameha) who retired for stud service in 2013.
Breaking somewhat slowly from stall 13, Kiseki traveled wide in mid-division toward the rear while the field expanded into a long line in the backstretch. With all the horses turning wide through the last corners to avoid the muddy inner track, Mirco Demuro led the Rulership colt to take the widest turn, and once facing the homestretch, urged him to make bid, to which the dark bay responded willingly, taking the front 200 meters out and further accelerating to a two-length victory.
“The race condition was tough but I had confidence in him because he’s a great horse. I just tried to race him in good rhythm as his tension was a bit high and the distance of 3,000 meters was not his favorite. Though the pace was slow, I was able to race him well, traveling behind Mikki Swallow. I was sure we were going to win when we entered the straight, and he displayed a great turn of speed at the end,” commented Mirco Demuro.
Tenth pick Clincher also traveled toward the rear, in front of the winner, and made an early bid toward the end of the backstretch and through the corners to enter the straight in second. The son of Deep Sky won out a fierce rally with Popocatepetl and Danburite at the top of the straight and, although overtaken by Kiseki, managed to fend off the persisting efforts of Popocatepetl to finish a nose in front.
Popocatepetl, though posted 13th favorite, showed an impressive kick in the stretch after traveling in midfield, around ninth from the front, and dueled strongly with the runner-up for a well-fought third.
Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) winner and second pick Al Ain settled in mid-division, swung wide and entered the lane in good striking position behind Clincher, but the Deep Impact sired colt failed to respond to finish seventh.
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