Japan: Narukami, W Heart Bond square off in Champions Cup

The ultra-consistent colt Narukami and equally reliable filly W Heart Bond start in the richest races of their careers in Sunday’s Grade 1 Champions Cup at 1 1/8 miles on dirt at Chukyo Racecourse in Japan.

They are expected to dominate betting in the $1.49 million Champions Cup, one of the richest races on dirt in Japan. The February Stakes, run on dirt, was worth $1.56 million earlier this year.

Narukami has won his last four starts at distances ranging from 1 1/16 miles to 1 1/4 miles. The winning streak consists of three allowance races and the Japan Dirt Classic at 1 1/4 miles at Oi Racecourse on Oct. 8.

A 3-year-old who has won 5 of 6 starts, Narukami tends to run near the front. He will start from post 12 in a field of 16 in the Champions Cup.

W Heart Bond, 4, who also runs on or near the lead, starts from post 2. A winner of 6 of 7 starts, W Heart Bond won the Group 3 Miyako Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Kyoto Racecourse on Nov. 9 in her last appearance.

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W Heart Bond won her first five starts, a streak that ended with a second-place finish by 1 1/2 lengths in the Breeders Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles on dirt at Monbetsu Racecourse on Aug. 28.

The Champions Cup has an American connection. Luxor Cafe, who finished 12th in the Kentucky Derby in May, is part of the field and will be ridden by Florent Geroux, who rode at Churchill Downs earlier this fall recording four wins.

Geroux will ride Luxor Cafe for the first time on Sunday. Luxor Café has a tough starting position, on the outside of the field.

Since the Kentucky Derby, Luxor Cafe, a Kentucky-bred by American Pharoah, has started twice, finishing third behind Narukami in the Japan Dirt Classic and winning the Grade 3 Musashino Stakes at a mile at Tokyo on Nov. 15. A stalker, Luxor Cafe has won 5 of 9 starts.

The Champions Cup has a post time of 1:40 a.m Eastern on Sunday or 10:40 p.m. Pacific on Saturday.

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