An Early Look At The Japan Cup

Only one of last year’s top five finishers is set to return for next month’s Japan Cup following the retirements of Epiphaneia, Just A Way,Gentildonna and Harp Star.

Last year’s winner Epiphaneia was retired after he suffered a tendon injury while training for the Takarazuka Kinen200m) in July.

Both Just A Way and Gentildonna, second and fourth behind Epiphaneia in the 2014 Japan Cup, were scheduled for retirement as of the end of last season.

Gentildonna capped off a remarkable career with her seventh G1 victory in the Arima Kinen while Just A Way ended his career with a close fourth in the same race.

Harp Star, an impressive fifth in the 2014 Japan Cup, was retired after she contested the Dubai Sheema Classic in March. She was diagnosed with suspensory and ligament injuries in her right foreleg, prompting an early retirement to stud.

Also out of the equation are Fenomeno, eighth in last year’s Japan Cup. He was retired after his hopes of claiming his third consecutive title in the G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) were dashed when he injured the suspensory ligament of his right foreleg and further tests also found tendon injuries in his left foreleg.

Denim And Ruby, who finished 11th last year after a second in 2013, is another on the sidelines after sustaining a bowed tendon in her right foreleg during training for the Mainichi Okan.

The 2013 Japan Derby winner Kizuna returned from a long break after sustaining a fracture in his left foreleg following a fourth in the Tenno Sho (Spring) last year.

Unfortunately, in midst of training towards the Tenno Sho (Autumn), he injured a tendon in his right foreleg and was forced to retire to stud.

That leaves Spielberg, who finished third, as the only horse among last year’s Japan Cup top five finishers to be left in training for this year’s raced.

The 6YO son of Deep Impact kicked off this season with a fourth in the G2 Sankei Osaka Hai before he travelled to Great Britain for the G1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot where he finished sixth.

He has maintained his health and is already training to defend his title in the Tenno Sho Autumn and then head to the Japan Cup after a tune-up in this weekend’s G2 Mainichi Okan over 1800m on October 11.

Japan Derby winner One And Only finished seventh in his first Japan Cup challenge and then 13th in the Arima Kinen.

He kicked off his four-year-old campaign in the Dubai Sheema Classic where he finished a fine third before returning when an 11th in in June’s Takarazuka Kinen.

He has shown little in his last four starts in Japan but expectations are high for the late-developing colt to demonstrate improved form after his summer break when he makes his fall debut in the G2 Kyoto Daishoten (2400m) on October 12.

Decipher and Hit The Target were only 12th and 15th last year but finished first and second, respectively in the G2 Sapporo Kinen in August after both horses claimed graded race wins earlier in the season.

Decipher won the G3 Chunichi Shimbun Hai in March and Hit The Target scored in the G2 Meguro Kinen in Mayand have continued to make their presence felt in big events.

The five-year-old Lovely Day has shown great improvement this season, landing his first grade-race title in the G3 Nakayama Kimpai in January and then beating proven winners Kizuna and Harp Star for another title in the Kyoto Kinen.

Although he was unsuccessful in handling extra distances of both the Hanshin Daishoten and the Tenno Sho (Spring), finishing sixth and eighth, respectively, he bounced back to win the G3 Naruo Kinen in June and then won the “all-star” Takarazuka Kinen for his first G1 victory.

The emerging late developer is set to begin his fall campaign with the Kyoto Daishoten.

Toho Jackal captured his first G1 and classic title in the 2014 Kikuka Sho in record time after making a late-career debut in May of his three-year-old season.

He was then sidelined for eight months with a hoof problem thereafter but performed well in his comeback four-year-old debut, finishing fourth in the Takarazuka Kinen, but disliked the soft turf in the Sapporo Kinen in August, finishing eighth.

He will run in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) and then head directly to the Japan Cup.

And then there is the enigmatic Gold Ship, who was not available for the Japan Cup last season.

He scored his third successive Hanshin Daishoten title in March and then took the Tenno Sho (Spring) before the unpredictable son of Stay Gold missed the break in the Takarazuka Kinen and was unable to make up for his mistake, finishing 15th.

Isla Bonita, the 2014 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) victor was nib nth in the 2014 Japan Cup and had just one start this spring for a fifth in the G2 Nakayama Kinen before being turned out again to regain his health.

He is being conditioned towards a comeback probably through the Mainichi Okan and then the Tenno Sho (Autumn) but the chances of his starting in the Japan Cup are slim.