Mikki Rocket ends graded stakes win drought in Japan

Mikki Rocket ended a streak of nine consecutive graded stakes losses with a first-ever Grade 1 win in Sunday’s $2,644,357 Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin Racecourse.

The win gave Mikki Rocket an automatic berth to the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3, although trainer Hidetaka Otonashi said after Sunday’s race that the Grade 1 Japan Cup at Tokyo Racecourse on Nov. 25 is an autumn goal.

Mikki Rocket (12-1) won the Takarazuka Kinen at 1 3/8 miles on turf by a neck over the Hong Kong shipper Werther, a 13-1 chance. Noble Mars (39-1) finished third in the field of 16, while 5-2 favorite Satono Diamond finished sixth.

Mikki Rocket, a 5-year-old horse by King Kamehameha, was ridden by Ryuji Wada for owner Mizuki Noda. Wada had Mikki Rocket in the middle of the field on the inside before moving into contention on the turn. Mikki Rocket took the lead in the final quarter-mile before holding off Werther.

“He has overcome a bad habit of missing his break, which gives him a better chance in the race and his position in the race was up to my rider to decide, as he knows the horse well,” Otonashi told Japan Racing Association publicity.

“He does have a tendency to lean to the inside, so maybe that was the reason Wada let him hug the rails and nicely covered early in the race. I just prayed that he’d make it to the finish as Werther came strongly from behind.”

Mikki Rocket, who has won 5 of 22 starts, was a Grade 2 winner at 1 1/2 miles on turf at Kyoto in 2017.