Japan: Titleholder leads gate to wire in Japanese St. Leger
Titleholder led by five lengths midway through Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese St. Leger at Hanshin Racecourse.
While a bold move to take command of the race may have seemed dangerous, the tactic turned out to be a winning strategy.
Titleholder ($17.20) maintained the lead throughout to win the $2.38 million Japanese St. Leger by five lengths, showing that he had no difficulty with a new distance of 1 7/8 miles. The result was a turnaround from a troubled 13th-place finish in the Grade 2 Asahi Hai St. Lite Kinen at 1 3/8 miles on turf at Nakayama Racecourse on Sept. 20.
“We had a terrible race last time, so I was determined to win it this time,” winning rider Takeshi Yokoyama told Japan Racing Association publicity. “I’m glad it panned out.
“I personally thought that the distance was maybe too much to ask from this colt, but he showed otherwise and performed well above my expectations.”
Titleholder’s lead was reduced to a length with a half-mile remaining when 70-1 Sefer Raisel moved closer. Turning into the stretch, Titleholder rapidly pulled away.
Titleholder was the fourth choice in a field of 18 in the Japanese St. Leger, a race formally known as the Kikuka Sho.
“I concentrated in keeping him comfortable in a long race like this,” Yokoyama said. “He’s an honest horse, in a way too honest, and always gives his full effort. Knowing that once in front he would settle, I let him go as he liked and didn’t try to hold him back too much.”
Orthoclase (6-1) finished second, a head in front of 10-1 Divine Love, the lone filly in the race. Stella Veloce, the 5-2 favorite, finished fourth, beaten a nose by Divine Love.
Titleholder, by Duramente, has won 3 of 8 starts for owner Hiroshi Yamada and trainer Toru Kurita. Earlier this year, Titleholder won the Grade 2 Yayoi Sho Deep Impact Kinen at 1 1/4 miles at Nakayama Racecourse.
The Japanese St. Leger was the third and final leg of the country’s Triple Crown for 3-year-olds. Titleholder was second in the Grade 1 Japanese 2000 Guineas in April and sixth in the Grade 1 Japanese Derby in May, the first two races of the series.