NEWS

International Spotlight: Japanese planning Arc assault

Posted: Monday, June 27, 2011 7:55 PM

by Alan Shuback
 
The Japanese are training their guns on Longchamp.

In what has become a concerted effort to lift Europe's most valued Thoroughbred prize, four Japanese-trained horses are being aimed at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on October 2.

The assault on the great French race will be led by last year's runner-up, Nakayama Festa. The five-year-old has the genes of an international winner being a son of Stay Gold, who as a seven-year-old in 2001 won the Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority and Dubai Ports Authority Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-G1) and the Hong Kong Vase (HK-G1), both at the Arc distance of 2,400 meters (11.93 furlongs).
 
Trained by Yoshitaka Ninomiya, Nakayama Festa turned in a gritty performance in last year's Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, losing by just a head to Workforce (GB) after a lengthy duel.
Nakayama Festa prepared for the Arc with a similar second-place finish to Duncan in the Prix Foy (Fr-G2), the course and distance prep for older horses.
 
"Festa" will use the Foy as his Arc prep again this time around, but he will be a much fresher horse as he has not run since a subpar effort in the Japan Cup (Jpn-G1) on November 27. Last year, he beat Buena Vista in the Takarazuka Kinen (Jpn-G1) on June 27 before departing for France.

The Katsuhiko Sumii-trained Victoire Pisa, who was promoted to seventh in last year's Arc following a fourth-place finish in the Qatar Prix Niel (Fr-G2), the Arc course and distance prep for three-year-olds, must be the Japanese favorite for the Arc.
 
The improving son of Japanese Derby winner Neo Universe is riding the crest of a three-race unbeaten streak that began on December 26 in the Arima Kinen (Jpn-G1). He since has won the Nakayama Kinen (Jpn-G2) and, most recently, the Emirates Airline Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1).
 
Victoire Pisa missed an intended date in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (HK-G1) in Hong Kong on May 1 due to a mild case of lameness, but he is back in training at his owner's Shadai Farm in Hokkaido. Sumii is planning a tilt at the Irish Champion Stakes (Ire-G1) at Leopardstown on September 3, an always very tough ten-furlong event that should, theoretically, set up a horse perfectly for the Arc.

Nakayama Festa's stablemate, Nakayama Knight, also is under consideration for the Arc and will use the Niel on September 11 as his trial. The Stay Gold horse, however, finished fourth behind Orfevre in the Tokyo Yushun (Jpn-G1) (Japanese Derby), so the Prix Dollar (Fr-G2), his second choice at 110 yards short of 1 1/4 miles on the day before the Arc, looks like a better spot for him.

Nakayama Festa could run into countrymate Hiruno d'Amour in the Prix Foy on September 11. The four-year-old Manhattan Café colt ran the race of his life when beating five Group or Grade 1 winners in the two-mile Tenno Sho Spring (Jpn-G1) at Kyoto on May 1 and will be freshened by trainer Mitsugu Kon for his Arc prep before departing for France in early August.

Japanese horses have come painfully close to winning the Arc on three occasions in recent years.

In 1999, El Condor Pasa flew out to a six-length lead before being caught late by the great Montjeu (Ire). The key to El Condor Pasa's superb performance may have been that he spent the summer in France, winning both the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (Fr-G1) in June and the Prix Foy. He was a fit and ready horse on Arc day, and one who was well acquainted with French racing.

That was not the case with Deep Impact in 2006. Widely regarded as the best horse Japan has ever produced, he ran in the Arc off a more than four-month absence.

Normally a resolute closer, Deep Impact was put on the lead in his Arc and, ultimately, was unable to withstand the late charges of Rail Link and Pride. To add insult to injury, he subsequently was disqualified and placed last after testing positive for a banned substance.

In sending their quartet of Arc contenders to France early this year and last, Japanese horsemen have learned by experience that the El Condor Pasa route is the correct one.

One Japanese horse who will not be at Longchamp on the first Sunday in October is Satsuki Sho (Jpn-G1) (Japanese Two Thousand Guineas) and Japanese Derby winner Orfevre.

A full brother to Takarazuka Kinen and Arima Kinen winner Dream Journey, the Yasutoshi Ikee-trained Stay Gold colt is being rested for an at-home autumn campaign that could include the Kikuka Sho (Jpn-G1) (Japanese St. Leger), the Japan Cup (Jpn-G1), and the Arima Kinen.

And Buena Vista, the reigning Japanese Horse of the Year, seems bound to a Japanese campaign in this, her six-year-old season. The unluckiest horse in the world was second in the Takarazuka Kinen on Sunday and now is winless since taking the 1 1/4-mile Tenno Sho Autumn in October.
 
Meanwhile, Earnestly earned a spot in the Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) lineup with his Takarazuka score in which he set a stakes record of 2:10.10 for 1 3/8 miles. It remains to be seen, however, if we will see the six-year-old Grass Wonder horse at Churchill Downs on November 5.