Post-time favourite Do Deuce, coming off his autumn Tenno Sho (G1) victory, successfully closed from last place in the field of 14 to win by a neck Sunday in the 44th running of the Grade 1, US$7 million Japan Cup covering 1 1/2 miles on the left-handed turf track at Tokyo Racecourse.
Jockey Yutaka Take extended his record for Japan Cup wins to five following his earlier triumphs with Special Week in 1999, Deep Impact in 2006, Rose Kingdom in 2010 and Kitasan Black in 2016. It was Take’s 83rd Japan Grade 1 victory.
It was the fifth Grade 1 victory for 5-year-old entire Do Deuce, adding to his victories in the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes in 2021, the Tokyo Yushun or Japanese Derby in 2022, the Arima Kinen in 2023 and the Tenno Sho last month.
Trainer Yasuo Tomomichi earned his 21st Grade 1 win and his second Japan Cup trophy after his win in 2017 with Cheval Grand.
The 14-horse field was off with no one bidding for the lead. Shin Emperor eventually set a slow pace. Do Deuce (6-5), breaking from stall 3, was unhurried and travel in the rear.
Durezza (15-1) took over the lead with still not much pace up the backstretch. Do Deuce, a son of Heart’s Cry, began to make headway from the outside rounding the second turn but still was well behind and wide.
Take unleashed Do Deuce for an incredible drive with the fastest late speed to catch Durezza three-sixteenths of a mile from the finish. He rallied with the stubborn pacesetter before shaking him off in the final strides while repelling a determined challenge from Shin Emperor (25-1), who finished in a dead heat with Durezza for second.
“As was the case before his victory in the last Tenno Sho, he was extremely calm throughout, even more so that last time, when he was in the saddling area, the paddock and then the post parade,” Tomomichi said. “The race itself unfolded with no one wanting to set a solid pace as expected to a certain extent but resulting in a very slow pace, around 62 seconds in the first (five furlongs). Take seemed to struggle to settle him down, so I was a bit worried watching him go along the backstretch.
Trainer Yasuo Tomomichi earned his 21st Grade 1 win and his second Japan Cup trophy after his win in 2017 with Cheval Grand.
The 14-horse field was off with no one bidding for the lead. Shin Emperor eventually set a slow pace. Do Deuce (6-5), breaking from stall 3, was unhurried and travel in the rear.
Durezza (15-1) took over the lead with still not much pace up the backstretch. Do Deuce, a son of Heart’s Cry, began to make headway from the outside rounding the second turn but still was well behind and wide.
Take unleashed Do Deuce for an incredible drive with the fastest late speed to catch Durezza three-sixteenths of a mile from the finish. He rallied with the stubborn pacesetter before shaking him off in the final strides while repelling a determined challenge from Shin Emperor (25-1), who finished in a dead heat with Durezza for second.
Sunday’s 12-race card had an announced attendance of 79,720 and all-sources handle of US$225,309,874. The Japan Cup by itself attracted US157,435,812 in bets.
