Japan: Equinox dominates Japan Cup for sixth consecutive win

The outcome of Sunday’s Grade 1 Japan Cup at Tokyo Racecourse produced no surprises, only confirmation that race winner Equinox is one of the most brilliant racehorses on the planet.

Equinox won as a heavy favorite by four lengths over the brilliant 3-year-old filly Liberty Island. The victory was the sixth consecutive for Equinox in a Group 1 or Grade 1 race.

Equinox ($2.70 in American pools) won the $7.22 million Japan Cup without difficulty.

Panthalassa (34-1) set a quick early pace – including an opening five furlongs in 57.60 seconds – leading by approximately 15 to 18 lengths. The advantage began to diminish rapidly early in the three-furlong stretch when Equinox closed from third to move closer to the front.

Ridden by regular jockey Christophe Lemaire, Equinox took the lead with slightly more than a furlong remaining and won comfortably. He was not urged in the final sixteenth by Lemaire.

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“He is a top horse and can adapt to any kind of race or surface,” Lemaire told Japan Racing Association publicity. “Equinox is easy to ride. He knows his job very well and he doesn’t use too much energy, so riding a horse like him is a pleasure. I felt very privileged to be in the saddle of such a fantastic horse.”

Equinox ran 1 1/2 miles on good-to-firm turf in 2:21.80, not far from Almond Eye’s 2018 course record of 2:20.60 set in that year’s Japan Cup.

Fillies finished second or third. Liberty Island, who swept the Triple Crown for Japanese fillies earlier this year, finished second at 7-2, a length in front of 18-1 Stars on Earth, a 4-year-old.

The loss ended a streak of four consecutive Grade 1 wins in Japan for Liberty Island. Panthalassa faded to finish 12th in a field of 18.

Equinox won for the eighth time in his 10th start. Lemaire has been aboard Equinox for all of his races. The magnitude of Sunday’s win was not lost on Lemaire.

“When we came back in front of the huge happy crowd who witnessed the race, I became very emotional,” Lemaire said.

Equinox, who is owned by Silk Racing Co. Ltd. and trained by Tetsuya Kimura, is a 4-year-old colt by Kitasan Black.

The current winning streak consists of five Grade 1 races in Japan and the Group 1 Sheema Classic on the Dubai World Cup undercard in the United Arab Emirates in March, Equinox’s only start outside of Japan.

Equinox has not lost since a second in the Japanese Derby at Tokyo Racecourse in May 2022.

For sweeping the Sheema Classic and Japan Cup in the same year, Equinox earned a $3 million bonus.

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