Japan: Liberty Island takes Shuka Sho, completes sweep of Triple Crown for fillies

Liberty Island completed a sweep of Japan’s Triple Crown for 3-year-old fillies with a one-length win as a heavy favorite in Sunday’s Grade 1 Shuka Sho at 1 1/4 miles at Kyoto Racecourse.

Liberty Island is the seventh filly to accomplish the milestone and first since 2020.

The win was Liberty Island’s fourth consecutive victory. She is unbeaten this year in the three races that consist of the Triple Crown series – the Grade 1 Japanese 1000 Guineas at a mile at Hanshin on April 9, and the Grade 1 Japanese Oaks at 1 1/2 miles at Tokyo on May 21.

In the $1.44 million Shuka Sho, Liberty Island ($2.30) closed from seventh with a wide run to outfinish 13-1 Masked Diva, a Grade 2 winner at 1 1/8 miles at Hanshin on Sept. 17. Harper (9-1) finished third by 3 1/2 lengths in the field of 18. Harper was fourth in the Japanese 1000 Guineas and second in the Japanese Oaks.

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By Duramente, Liberty Island races for Sunday Racing Co., Ltd, and is trained by Mitsumasa Nakauchida. A winner of 5 of 6 starts, Liberty Island joins Mejiro Ramonu (1986), Still in Love (2003), Apapane (2010), Gentildonna (2012), Almond Eye (2018) and Daring Tact (2020) as winners of the Triple Crown for fillies.

“I’m grateful that we were able to achieve the Triple Crown,” winning rider Yuga Kawada told Japan Racing Association publicity. “She is a horse with great ability, so I placed top priority on letting her run comfortably and finding a good path for her.

“I was confident of her victory when we had an open space” on the turn.

Liberty Island was the unanimous choice for champion 2-year-old filly of 2022 in Japan. Liberty Island ended her 2022 season win a win in the Group 1 Juvenile Fillies at a mile at Hanshin Racecourse.

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