Japan: Rey de Oro-Lemaire formidable team in Arima Kinen

Rey do Oro has had a career ideally suited to be selected for Sunday’s Grade 1 Arima Kinen Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse.

The field for the $5.16 million Arima Kinen is largely determined by a vote of racing fans, who select 10 of the 16 runners. The remainder of the field is determined by career earnings.

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Rey de Oro won the 2017 Japanese Derby and has been the first or second betting choice in his last four starts in Japan, including a second in the 2017 Japan Cup and a win in the Grade 1 Tenno Sho at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Tokyo Racecourse on Oct. 28. He has truly been an all-star in Japanese racing in the last few years.

Rey de Oro will be favored in the Arima Kinen, largely on race record but also on the presence of jockey Christophe Lemaire, who is in the midst of a fine season in Japan. Lemaire was aboard Rey do Oro for the Tenno Sho and a win in the Grade 2 All Comers Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse on Sept. 23.

Trained by Kazuo Fujisawa for U Carrot Farm, Rey de Oro has won 7 of 11 starts. The colt was held out of the Japan Cup on Nov. 25 in favor of a start in the Arima Kinen.

Lemaire rode the brilliant filly Almond Eye to a win in the Japan Cup.

“Almond Eye is like a Ferrari, but this horse is like a Land Rover,” Lemaire said of Rey de Oro. “He’s strong and he can keep giving you more in the stretch. He’s like a fast four-wheel drive.”

Kiseki, second in the Japan Cup, is Rey de Oro’s main rival. A 4-year-old colt, Kiseki was third in the Tenno Sho in October.