Japan: Vela Azul gets up in final strides of Japan Cup

The Grade 1 Japan Cup at Tokyo Racecourse on Sunday looked like a lost cause for Vela Azul early in the long stretch.

That is until jockey Ryan Moore weaved his way past a majority of the field to take the lead in the final strides of Japan’s leading race.

Sent off favored in North American pools, Vela Azul ($8.50) finished three-quarters of a length in front of 7-2 Shahryar, who was third in the 2021 Japan Cup.

Weltreisende (9-1) finished third in Sunday’s race, beaten a length, in a field of 18.

Moore, rated as one of the world’s finest riders, was aboard Vela Azul for the first time in the $5.5 million Japan Cup.

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“I was very lucky to ride a talented horse,” Moore told Japan Racing Association publicity.

“The pace was very steady for the Japan Cup. The horse never had much room, but when he did he quickened up very well so he was very impressive.”

Vela Azul, a 5-year-old Japanese-bred horse by Eishin Flash, races for Carrot Farm Co., Ltd., and trainer Kunihiko Watanabe. The Japan Cup was Vela Azul’s Grade 1 debut and his second start in a graded stakes. Vela Azul won the Grade 2 Kyoto Daishoten at 1 1/2 miles at Hanshin Racecourse on Oct. 10 in his graded stakes debut.

Vela Azul has won 6 of 22 starts and ran in modest races until earlier this year.

Watanabe said Vela Azul was plagued by injuries earlier in his career.

“He was in good condition coming into this race, but he exceeded our expectation,” Watanabe told JRA publicity. “He is 5 years old, but he gets better and better and still has room for improvement.”

CATTLEYA REPAP

Continuar, a Japanese-bred colt by Drefong, won his first stakes in Saturday’s $219,900 Cattleya Stakes for 2-year-olds at a mile, the initial event in Japan’s four-race qualifying series for the 2023 Kentucky Derby.

Continuar (7-2 in Japan) closed from sixth in a field of 10 to finish a half-length in front of Mirror of Mind, an allowance race winner in his debut in July.

Continuar, who has won 2 of 3 starts, earned 10 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby. The series continues with the Nisai Yushun Stakes at Sapporo on Dec. 14. The final two races in the series will be run in February and March.

Four Japanese-based horses have run in the Kentucky Derby, including Crown Pride, who was 13th this year. Master Fencer had the best result, finishing sixth in 2019.

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