Japan: Liberty Island strengthens position with Japanese Oaks triumph
Liberty Island enhanced her dominant position among Japan’s 3-year-old fillies with a six-length win in Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese Oaks at Tokyo Racecourse, her first start at 1 1/2 miles.
Ridden by Yuga Kawada, Liberty Island ($2.90) closed from seventh in a field of 18 to take the lead in the final furlong, easily beating 7-1 Harper, one of her chief rivals. Dura (102-1) was a surprise third, closing from well off the pace.
Liberty Island won even though Kawada said the filly “was quite tense” before the start.
“I had to make an effort to reserve her energy and calm her down before the race,” Kawada told Japan Racing Association publicity. “She settled well once in the gate, allowing us to make a safe start.
“We were able to race in good rhythm while I still had the task of keeping her under control up to the critical stages. I knew we were already in a position to finish clear of the other horses once taking the lead, but I wanted her to finish off the race strongly to the wire, so I kept driving her to the wire, which led to the big margin.”
Liberty Island, a winner of four of five starts, ran at a mile in her previous races, including a win in the Grade 1 Japanese 1000 Guineas at Hanshin Racecourse in April, the first leg of the Triple Crown for Japanese 3-year-old fillies.
The $2.35 million Japanese Oaks was the second race in the series, which concludes with the Shuka Sho at 1 1/4 miles at Kyoto Racecourse on Oct. 15.
Owned by Sunday Racing Co., Ltd., and trained by Mitsumasa Nakauchida, Liberty Island was the unanimous choice for champion 2-year-old filly of 2022 in Japan. The Japanese 1000 Guineas was her first start of 2023.
Liberty Island is by Duramante and is out of the Australian Group 1 winner Yankee Rose.
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