Mozu Ascot claimed his first graded win in this year’s Yasuda Kinen after being sent off ninth favorite in a field of 16 tying the race record of 1:31.3 set in 2012. The Frankel colt debuted last year in June and marked two fourths in a 1,800m and 2,000m race, went on to notch four wins in succession in races between 1,400m and 1,600m and then capped off his debut campaign with a fourth in his first graded test, the Hanshin Cup (G2, 1,400m) in December. This year, he kicked off his second season with three consecutive runner-up efforts, the Hankyu Hai (G3, 1,400m) in February, the Milers Cup (G2, 1,600m) in April and his previous start, the Azuchijo Stakes (1,400m) just a week prior to his first G1 challenge. This was trainer Yoshito Yahagi’s first Yasuda Kinen victory and fourth JRA-G1 title, his latest was with 2012 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) winner Deep Brillante. Jockey Christophe Lemaire landed his 17th G1 title after claiming the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) with Almond Eye two weeks earlier.
As the field broke at the top of the backstretch, Win Gagnant gunned for the lead from the farthest stall with Reine Minoru stalking the pace. Mozu Ascot made steady progress in mid-pack but was checked briefly before the far turn before settling on the rails up to the top of the straight. Steadily chasing half of the field up the stretch hill and on the heels of Suave Richard, the four-year-old made most of the opening found just as the race favorite shifted outside with a furlong to go and charged strongly to the line catching the favorite and then Aerolithe in the final strides for a neck win.
Aerolithe, G1 victor at the mile distance, broke well and raced a few lengths behind the leader in third up to early stretch. While picking off the tiring pace setter at the furlong pole, the four-year-old filly stretched well holding off the fast-closing favorite but surrendered the lead in the last strides to Mozu Ascot for second.
Race favorite Suave Richard took a ground saving trip in fourth to fifth and was in good striking position with a clear path in front of him at the top of the stretch. With 300 meters to go, the G1 winner found another gear and drove well almost tagging Aerolithe in the last 50 meters then overtaken by the hard-closing winner in the final strides to finish third.
Western Express broke smoothly and positioned handily around fifth to sixth behind a brisk pace, turned smoothly into the straight with every chance to rally in the early stretch but was unable to sustain his bid and fell back to tenth while crossing the wire a second behind the record-tying winner.
“He went really well and couldn’t be happier with him—he just lacked the strong finish at the mile. He jumped well, the pace wasn’t overly strong early, then it got quicker from the 1,000 or 800 (meters) and he was tired at the end—but he didn’t drop out, he kept trying and he’s only been beaten by five lengths or so. He’s probably gone as good if not better than he ever has,” commented Samuel Clipperton.
“We thought that he ran as good as he could but the (other) horses in the race, they were just too strong for him. He stood in the gate quietly, jumped well on the terms of the other horses, he had a nice run in the first section of the race, he was fifth one off the fence, so you couldn’t ask for better than that, committed to make a run and he just wasn’t strong enough to get up the hill and up to the line,” commented John Size.
Other Horses:
4th: (2) Satono Ares―broke poorly, 3rd from rear, tied fastest over last 3 furlongs, belatedly
5th: (15) Sungrazer―traveled wide in mid-pack, responded well, tied 3rd fastest over last 3 furlongs
6th: (5) Persian Knight―ran in front of eventual winner, struggled to find clear path, quickened in last 200m
7th: (16) Win Gagnant―set pace, led until 200m marker, overtaken in last 100m
8th: (14) Lys Gracieux―raced wide outside eventual winner, lacked needed kick
9th: (9) Red Falx―sat 2nd from rear, turned wide, passed tired rivals
11th: (8) Campbell Junior―forwardly positioned in 4th, weakened in last 200m
12th: (6) Reine Minoru―chased leader in 2nd, sustained bid until 200m pole
13th: (12) He's in Love―settled towards rear, even paced
14th: (3) Dashing Blaze―hugged rails inside eventual winner, showed little at stretch
15th: (11) Real Steel―traveled wide in mid-division, never fired at stretch
16th: (13) Black Moon―was off slow, trailed in rear, no factor
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