Japan: Embroidery likes Shuka Sho's distance for second G1 triumph of year

The Japanese Oaks at 1 1/2 miles in May was too far for Embroidery, who faded to finish ninth.

The Grade 1 Shuka Sho at 1 1/4 miles on turf for 3-year-old fillies at Kyoto Racecourse on Sunday was much more to her liking.

Winning her second Grade 1 race of 2025, Embroidery ($8.70 in American pools) closed from mid-pack in a field of 18 to win by a half-length over 15-1 pacesetter Erika Express.

“I had every faith in the filly that she would deliver today since the Oaks didn’t suit her distance-wise,” winning rider Christophe Lemaire said.

“She was calm and relaxed in the first half of the race, and, while the pace slowed down in the backstretch, we were able to advance to a better position. It took a while for her engine to get started, but she showed an incredible turn of foot in the last 200 meters.”

Paradise Reine (23-1) closed from the back of the field to finish third while Kamunyak, the 3-2 favorite, was as close as third before fading to finish 16th. Kamunyak won the Japanese Oaks.

Embroidery, a Japanese-bred by Admire Mars, races for Silk Racing Co. Ltd., and is trained by Kazumoto Mori. Embroidery has won 5 of 8 starts. In April, she won her first Grade 1 in the Japanese Oaks at a mile, her third consecutive win at the time.

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