Breeders' Cup Distaff: Awesome Result looks to give Japan another upset
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Far, far away from Breeders’ Cup prep races in the United States, an undefeated filly in Japan is quietly preparing for a chance to upset the stars of the BC Distaff.
It happened once before, three years ago at Del Mar, where a filly from Japan shocked the Distaff at 49-1. This year, at the same track in the same race, Awesome Result will arrive from the Land of the Rising Sun with a higher profile than Marche Lorraine, 2021 Distaff knockout.
The difference is Awesome Result might be better than March Lorraine ever was. Her record certainly is. Awesome Result has won all seven of her starts in Japan, including a five-length romp in the same prep Marche Lorraine won, fully extended, by a half-length prior to her Distaff shocker.
Awesome Result, however, cannot rely on a Distaff pace collapse like the 2021 meltdown that benefited Marche Lorraine. This year, front-runner Idiomatic could shake loose and win the Distaff for a second straight year.
Idiomatic regains Distaff favoritism following a runaway victory in the Grade 1 Spinster Stakes last Sunday at Keeneland. Idiomatic and Thorpedo Anna subsequently flipped on the early odds line by Daily Racing Form. Idiomatic is 8-5, Thorpedo Anna 2-1 second choice.
It’s a big gap back to 6-1 third-choice Raging Sea, whose head victory in the Grade 2 Beldame Stakes on Sunday at Aqueduct earned an 86 Beyer Speed Figure, the lowest figure ever for a Beldame winner. Speculation is that Raging Sea bounced from her recent upset over Idiomatic.
Awesome Result, the 8-1 fourth choice in the Distaff, will enter with a fighting chance. The 4-year-old filly is part of the largest Japanese contingent to the Breeders’ Cup. As many as 19 from Japan, including Classic contenders Forever Young and Ushba Tesoro, could make the trip to Del Mar.
Awesome Result’s trainer, Yasutoshi Ikee, through an intermediary, acknowledged the challenges of travel and faster tempo of U.S. dirt racing.
“She already had a flight experience before, but . . . this would be her first time long flight, so we will see how she handles it,” Ikee said. “Also, she has never experienced the pace [of] American races, so it may be a bit of my concern.”
The 54-year-old Ikee, whose father Yasuo Ikee trained Japanese superstar Deep Impact, is back at the Breeders’ Cup for a second time, having trained Trailblazer, fourth in the BC Turf in 2012. Before going on his own, Ikee was an assistant to his father, and in 1996 spent one year working in California for trainer Neil Drysdale. Ikee said he also worked briefly at Del Mar in 2003.
Awesome Result, a Kentucky-bred by Justify, looks “like a strong colt,” Ikee said. He added the filly’s “physical form is similar to Deputy Minister. She has a wide body with long neck and a comfortable body.” Awesome Result’s dam is by Deputy Minister.
Beyond physique, Awesome Result can be a handful. Ikee said Awesome Result “can separate herself from private and work. She is really gentle at the barn, but once she goes to race, she is always aggressive and ready to run.”
Awesome Result, who routinely works and gallops in company, trains over a wood-chip track at Ritto Training Center, relatively close to Kyoto Racecourse. After her fifth straight victory this winter at Kyoto, Ikee plotted her path to the Distaff.
“After she won the open race, Aldebaran Stakes in February, the trip to the Breeders’ Cup became one of the options,” Ikee said. “If she won either the Empress Hai [at Kawasaki] or Breeders’ Gold Cup [at Mombetsu], I would decide to send her to the U.S.”
Awesome Result won both races, topped by a 1 1/4-mile clockwise romp at Mombetsu in late August. The quality of her competition was uncertain, but not the way she did it. Awesome Result cruised to the lead three furlongs out, with minimal urging from regular rider Yutaka Take, and drew off comfortably.
Awesome Result would not be the first undefeated Distaff winner, nor the first from Japan. It has happened before.
If she scores an upset, Awesome Result would match the feats of undefeated Distaff winners Personal Ensign and Zenyatta, and replicate Japan’s first Distaff winner March Lorraine.
– additional reporting by Mariko Seki
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