Japan: World Premiere outruns Deep Bond in Tenno Sho
The veteran stayers World Premiere and Deep Bond performed to expectations by sweeping the top two positions in Sunday’s spring running of the Grade 1 Tenno Sho at two miles at Hanshin Racecourse in Japan.
The victory was World Premiere’s second Grade 1 win. World Premiere won the Grade 1 Japanese St. Leger at 1 7/8 miles in October 2019, but was winless in four subsequent starts until the $2.66 million Tenno Sho.
Ridden by Yuichi Fukunaga, World Premiere ($12) closed from seventh in a field of 17 to finish three-quarters of a length in front of 5-2 favorite Deep Bond, who raced wide throughout in a stalking position and remained a factor through a determined ride from jockey Ryuji Okubo.
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The 5-year-old mare Curren Bouquetd’or finished third, 2 3/4 lengths behind World Premiere.
World Premiere has won 4 of 11 starts. The Tenno Sho was World Premiere’s second start of the year, preceded by a third in the Grade 2 Nikkei Sho behind Win Marilyn, who finished fifth in the Tenno Sho.
Last fall, World Premiere finished sixth in the Grade 1 Japan Cup at Tokyo Racecourse in November and fifth in the Grade 1 Arima Kinen at Nakayama Racecourse, the two leading races for older horses in Japan. The same races are likely to be targets this year for World Premiere, a 5-year-old horse by Deep Impact.
Deep Bond was favored on Sunday on the basis of a win in the Grade 2 Hanshin Daishoten at 1 7/8 miles in his second start of 2021 on March 21.