2021 Breeders' Cup: Japanese entries made an impression
DEL MAR, Calif. - Loves Only You and Marche Lorraine, who gave Japan its first two victories in the Breeders’ Cup held Saturday at Del Mar, will soon be going their separate ways after being nearly inseparable training buddies for the approximately two weeks they were in Southern California.
Loves Only You, who won the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf, will stay at Del Mar to prepare for the Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin on Dec. 12. Marche Lorraine, who at 49-1 upset the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff by a nose over Dunbar Road, was scheduled to ship back to Japan on Wednesday as her connections contemplate her future.
By remaining at Del Mar and not returning to Japan, Loves Only You avoids having to spend a week in quarantine and unable to train, according to Hiroshi Ando, a representative for trainer Yoshito Yahagi.
Loves Only You, making just her second start since April, raced an up-close fifth early on in the Filly and Mare Turf, then, under Yuga Kawada, split My Sister Nat and War Like Goddess in deep stretch to record a half-length victory.
Loves Only You ran 1 3/8 miles in 2:13.87 and earned a 102 Beyer Speed Figure.
“She showed the guts, the jockey showed the guts, they deserve to win,” Ando said. “They’re big fighters, the jockey and the horse.”
When she runs in the Hong Kong Cup, at approximately 1 1/4 miles against males, Loves Only You is likely to face Love, who finished fourth in the Filly and Mare Turf. Love left Sunday morning on a flight that will take her to Ireland and trainer Aidan O’Brien’s Ballydoyle yard.
Meanwhile, Marche Lorraine is headed back to Japan on Wednesday. Ando said he was not sure what the 5-year-old mare’s future holds. Ando said that Yahagi felt Marche Lorraine, who went 5 for 8 on dirt over the last two years in Japan, deserved a shot at a race like the Distaff.
“She has turf speed and dirt power, that’s why they thought let’s try it, because American dirt racing is super speed racing, so you need real speed,” Ando said. “That’s why they select this mare to come here and challenge.”
There were seven Japanese-based runners who participated in this year’s Breeders’ Cup, a single-series high. Matera Sky finished fifth in the Sprint, Pingxiang and Jasper Prince finished seventh and eighth, respectively, in the Dirt Mile, Jasper Great finished 10th in the Juvenile and Vin de Garde was 12th in the Mile. Vin de Garde will also remain at Del Mar to prepare for the Hong Kong Mile.
Breeders’ Cup officials are hopeful that Japanese participation will continue to grow in future years.
“We revamped how we would recruit in the spring,” said Josh Christian, vice-president of racing and nominations for Breeders’ Cup. “We did it similar to how they do it in Saudi and Dubai. They get strong participation from Asia.”
Christian noted that Japanese owners frequently attend the horse sales at Fasig-Tipton and Keeneland in the days following the Breeders’ Cup in hopes of finding dirt horses.
In 2022, the Breeders’ Cup will be held at Keeneland, which is a farther trip for the Japanese than it was to California.
In 2022, the Breeders’ Cup will consider a charter for Japan runners, Christian said.
_ additional reporting by Steve Andersen