Japan: Lemon Pop leads all the way in Champions Cup

The Kentucky-bred Lemon Pop led throughout Sunday’s Grade 1 Champions Cup at Chukyo Racecourse in Japan, becoming the fourth horse to sweep two Grade 1 dirt races at Japan Racing Association tracks in the same year.

Lemon Pop ($8.10 in American pools) broke from the outside in a field of 15 and maintained an advantage of at least a length throughout the $1.58 million race at 1 1/8 miles. The 5-year-old Lemon Pop won by 1 1/4 lengths over 91-1 Wilson Tesoro, who overcame trouble in early stretch.

Wilson Tesoro finished a neck in front of 28-1 Dura Erede. Wilson Tesoro and Dura Erede were bred in Japan.

Lemon Pop, who was favored, was ridden by Ryusei Sakai for trainer Hiroyasu Tanaka. By Lemon Drop Kid, Lemon Pop is owned by Godolphin Racing.

Sakai told JRA publicists that Lemon Pop was eager at the start of the longest race of his career.

“He was quick out of the gate and wanted to go, so I chose to race him in the front,” Sakai said. “I think he handled it well with his remarkable ability. He was really strong.”

A $70,000 purchase as a weanling at Keeneland in 2018, Lemon Pop is the first horse to win the Grade 1 February Stakes and Champions Cup in the same year since Gold Dream in 2017.

Lemon Pop has won 10 of 14 starts. Earlier this year, Lemon Pop followed his win in the $1.73 million February Stakes with a 10th-place finish in the Group 1 Golden Shaheen at six furlongs on dirt at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates in March. Rested through the summer, Lemon Pop returned to win the Mile Championship Nambu Hai at Morioka Racecourse on Oct. 9.

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