Pavel will be a longshot in Japan

Pavel may be a Grade 1 winner in the United States this year, but he is rated as a longshot for Sunday’s Champions Cup at Chukyo Racecourse in Japan.

The $1.9 million Champions Cup is run at about 1 1/8 miles on a left-handed dirt track and will be Pavel’s second trip to Asia this year. He was fourth in the $10 million Dubai World Cup in the United Arab Emirates in March.

“He sure seems to travel really well and hopefully that’s a pro for us,” trainer Doug O’Neill said on Thursday.

The Champions Cup will be Pavel’s first start since a troubled 10th in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3. Pavel, who was ridden by Mario Gutierrez, was steadied while racing in traffic with about a quarter-mile remaining and could not recover, finishing nine lengths behind the winner, Accelerate.

“He checked pretty hard right around the quarter pole and that stopped all forward momentum,” O’Neill said. “Mario was grateful that he and the horse were in good shape. If you put a line through that, the form holds up.”

O’Neill, who trains Pavel for Paul and Zillah Reddam, did not travel to Japan. His chief assistant, Leandro Mora, accompanied the 4-year-old Pavel on the journey last week. Pavel will run in Mora’s name since he is present to oversee the horse, O’Neill said.

“One of us had to be there,” O’Neill said.

Pavel, the only foreign-trained horse in the Champions Cup, jogged and galloped slightly less than two miles at Chukyo Racecourse on Thursday.

By Creative Cause, Pavel has won 3 of 12 starts and earned $1,375,000. In June, Pavel won the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs. He was later a well-beaten second to Accelerate in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar.

Pavel is considered an outsider in a field expected to include La Vent Se Leve, the star 3-year-old on dirt in Japan this year, as well as the stakes winners KT Brave and Omega Perfume.

La Vent Se Leve has won 6 of 7 starts, including the Japan Dirt Derby at 1 1/4 miles at Ohi Racecourse in July. By Symboli Kris S, Le Vent Se Leve won the Mile Championship Nambu Hai on dirt at Morioka Racecourse on Oct. 8.

KT Brave and Omega Perfume were first and second in the JBC Classic on dirt at Kyoto Racecourse on Nov. 4.