Almond Eye rerouted to Japan for $2.74 million Arima Kinen

Almond Eye, the 2018 Japanese Horse of the Year, will be favored to win her seventh Grade 1 or Group 1 race in Sunday’s $2.74 million Arima Kinen at Nakayama Racecourse, one of the most highly anticipated races of the year in Japan.

The field for the Arima Kinen is partially determined by a fan vote. Not surprisingly for a reigning Horse of the Year, Almond Eye received the most votes even though the Arima Kinen was not the original late-season target for the 4-year-old filly.

Almond Eye was scheduled to start in the Hong Kong Cup earlier this month, but never left Japan after being diagnosed with an elevated temperature. She returned to training quickly, reportedly missing only one day of exercise.

Owned by Silk Racing Co. Ltd, and trained by Sakae Kunieda, Almond Eye has been raced sparingly this year. After winning the Grade 1 Japan Cup in November 2018, Almond Eye began her 2019 campaign with a win in the Group 1 Dubai Turf on the undercard of the Dubai World Cup in March.

Almond Eye finished third in the Grade 1 Yasuda Kinen in Tokyo in June, her second loss in 10 career starts. After being given a break during the summer, Almond Eye rebounded to win the Grade 1 autumn running of the Tenno Sho at 1 1/4 miles on turf on Oct. 27 at Tokyo.

The Arima Kinen is run at 1 9/16 miles, a new distance for Almond Eye, who won the 2018 Japanese Oaks and the Japan Cup at 1 1/2 miles. Almond Eye, who will be ridden by Christophe Lemaire, will break from post 9.

The Arima Kinen drew a field of 16, including five fillies and mares. Almond Eye’s main rivals are the veteran mare Lys Gracieux and the 3-year-old colt Saturnalia.

Lys Gracieux, 5, has excelled in international races in recent months. Lys Gracieux won the Grade 1 Takarazuka Kinen at 1 3/8 miles on turf at Hanshin Racecourse in June. In her only subsequent start, she won the Group 1 Cox Plate at 1 1/2 miles on turf at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Australia in October.

Saturnalia will face a stern test in the Arima Kinen. The winner of the Japanese 2000 Guineas in April, he was later fourth in the Japanese Derby in May and sixth in the Tenno Sho behind Almond Eye.

Post time is 1:25 a.m. Eastern on Sunday, or 10:25 p.m. Pacific on Saturday.