Japan: Museum Mile rallies from far back to take Arima Kinen

Museum Mile, the winner of the Grade 1 Japanese 2000 Guineas in April, beat older horses for the first time in Sunday’s Grade 1 Arima Kinen at Nakayama Racecourse in Japan.

Museum Mile ($8.90 in American pools) closed from the back of a field of 16 to win by a half-length over Cosmo Kuranda, who was more than 99-1 in Japan.

Danon Decile finished third for the second consecutive year. Danon Decile won the Group 1 Sheema Classic in Dubai in April.

Museum Mile was ridden by Cristian Demuro and won his third stakes of 2025 in the $6.13 million Arima Kinen at 1 9/16 miles, the longest race of his career. All three of the stakes wins have been at Nakayama.

On Sunday, Museum Mile closed with a wide rally through the final three furlongs, and raced on the outside through the stretch. Demuro said he tracked Danon Decile, whom he rated as a leading contender.

“When we came outside, I knew I we could beat him,” Demuro told Japan Racing Association publicity. Museum Mile “likes the Nakayama track, so it was a big advantage for us.”

Last year, Demuro finished second by a nose in the Arima Kinen aboard Shahryar, who was beaten by Regaleira.

Demuro described his win on Sunday as “revenge. Last year, Regaleira cut my dream and this year, I brought it back,” he said.

On Sunday, Regaleira finished fourth in an attempt to become the seventh horse to win two runnings of the Arima Kinen.

Regaleira, the 9-5 favorite, was beaten 1 1/4 lengths. She raced in traffic in the stretch and missed third by a half-length.

Museum Mile, by Leontes, has won 5 of 10 starts. Owned by Sunday Racing Co., Ltd., and trained by Daisuke Takayanagi, Museum Mile was second in the Grade 1 autumn running of the Tenno Sho at Tokyo Racecourse in early November, his first start against older runners.

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