Japan: Regaleira tries to go back to back in Arima Kinen
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Regaleira can become the first two-time winner of the Grade 1 Arima Kinen in more than a decade when she starts as the expected favorite in the popular race at Nakayama Racecourse in Japan on Sunday.
Part of the field of 16 is determined by a fan ballot and Regaleira finished first in recent voting. A 4-year-old, Regaleira has won 5 of 11 starts, including two Grade 1 races other than the 2024 Arima Kinen – the 2023 Hopeful Stakes for 2-year-olds at 1 1/4 miles at Nakayama against males, and the Queen Elizabeth Cup at 1 3/8 miles against fillies and mares at Kyoto on Nov. 16.
In the 2024 Arima Kinen, Regaleira closed from sixth of 15 to win by a nose. This year, Regaleira has won 2 of 3 starts, including the Grade 2 Sankei Sho All Comers Stakes at 1 3/8 miles at Nakayama on Sept. 21.
Sunday’s Arima Kinen, worth a staggering $6.13 million, includes Meisho Tabaru, who won the Grade 1 Takarazuka Kinen at 1 3/8 miles at Hanshin Racecourse in June in a 10-1 upset. Regaleira could only finish sixth in that race in her first start of the year.
Meisho Tabaru has had one subsequent start, finishing sixth of 14 in the Grade 1 autumn running of the Tenno Sho at 1 1/4 miles at Tokyo Racecourse on Nov. 2 behind Masquerade Ball, who finished second in the Grade 1 Japan Cup at Tokyo on Nov. 30.
Masquerade Ball is not part of the Arima Kinen field.
Danon Decile, third in the Japan Cup last month and third in the 2024 Arima Kinen, starts as a contender on Sunday. Danon Decile won the Group 1 Sheema Classic at 1 1/2 miles on turf in Dubai in April.
There will also be support for the 3-year-old Museum Mile, who won the Grade 1 Japanese 2000 Guineas at 1 1/4 miles in April and was second in the recent Tenno Sho.
The Arima Kinen has a post time of 1:40 a.m. Eastern on Sunday or 10:40 p.m. Pacific on Saturday.
There have been six two-time winners of the Arima Kinen, the most recent of which was Ofrevre in 2011 and 2013. Symboli Kris S was the last horse to win consecutive runnings in 2002-2003.
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