AYUSAN MAKES IT 3RD STRAIGHT OKA SHO WIN FOR DEEP IMPACT

Ayusan (Deep Impact) - Oka Sho (G1)
(Photo : JRA)

OKA SHO (Grade 1)
Hanshin, Turf, 1600m
7 April 2013

Japanese 2-year-old filly champion Robe Tissage (Jpn) (War Emblem) had to settle for fifth place in the Grade 1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) Sunday at Hanshin as the upstart Ayusan (Jpn) (Deep Impact) sprang the upset in Japan’s first Classic of the year.

Ayusan showed decent speed from the break, but was taken in hand by jockey Cristian Demuro and raced along in a mid-pack position while under cover. Up front, it was the race favorite Kurofune Surprise who overtook pacesetting duties after a half-mile, and that gray filly spearheaded the pack into the stretch as rivals fanned out to either side of her. Ayusan, two paths further out, came with her wide run and took a narrow lead a furlong from the wire. Red Oval looked like the most likely winner soon after, however, as she came flying down the outside and perhaps put a nose in front, but Ayusan gamely fought back and asserted in the dying strides.

Ayusan becomes the third-straight Oka Sho winner for the Triple Crown winner Deep Impact (Jpn), the sire of 2011 winner Marcellina (Jpn) and last year’s heroine - and fellow Triple Crown winner - Gentildonna (Jpn). Deep Impact also sired runner-up Red Oval.

Ayusan has plenty of North American ties in her pedigree. She is a granddaughter of the New York Grade 1 winner Buy the Firm (Affirmed), and was produced by a half to Stake Winner Royal Arrow (Dayjur) and a full to Graded Stakes Winner Storm Arrow. Her winning dam Buy the Cat, a $430,000 FTSAUG yearling way back in 1996, broke her maiden in her second outing at Saratoga for Don Adam and trainer Allen Jerkens, but only made one more start in her career. She passed through the ring twice more after that before selling for a fourth time, at the 2006 Keeneland November Sale, for $60,000. In foal to Tiznow at the time, she was purchased by Heatherway Inc., agent for Shimokobe Farm, and was sent to Japan.

Extract from Thoroughbred Daily News

APAPANE : TRIPLE CROWN HEROINE FOR JAPAN

Apapane - Shuka Sho (Gr1)
(Photo : Japan Racing Association) 

APAPANE SWEEPS JAPANESE TRIPLE CROWN

International relationships have been the lifeblood of Summerhill, and Admire Main occupies his place in our stallion barn courtesy of one of these. The Yoshida family have almost single handedly catapulted Japanese breeding into the international spotlight, and Northern Farm, the brainchild of Katsumi Yoshida, was the catalyst behind Admire Main’s arrival as the first son of Sunday Silence to come to Africa. The history of Japanese racing is festooned with the achievements of famous Yoshida horses, and this weekend, Northern Farm made history again.

Apapane (Jpn) (King Kamehameha), last year’s champion juvenile filly in Japan and heroine of this year’s Oka Sho (Gr1) (Japanese 1000 Guineas) and Yushun Himba (Gr1) (Japanese Oaks), lived up to expectations to become just the third miss to ever claim Japan’s Triple Crown title for fillies with a 3/4-length tally in Sunday’s Shuka Sho (Gr1) at Kyoto. She joins Triple Crown winners Still in Love (Jpn) (2003) and Mejiro Ramonu (Jpn) (1986). The win gave Kaneko Makoto Holdings, which also campaigned the brilliant champion Deep Impact (Jpn), the distinction of becoming the first owner to claim Triple Crown titles with a colt and a filly.

With usual partner Masayoshi Ebina in the saddle, Apapane appeared a bit agitated in her pre-race preparations, but settled nicely in mid-division in a crowded 18 horse field. It looked like anyone’s race as they lined up five or six abreast turning for home, but Apapane surged to the front under a stiff drive and gamely dug in to hold Animate Bio (Jpn) (Zenno Rob Roy) safe at the line.

Apapane also became the fifth female horse to ever win three Group 1 titles in the same year. “She’s a great horse, and I had complete confidence in her, so I just concentrated on letting her run her race,” commented Ebina.

Dam Salty Bid was purchased by Katsumi Yoshida for $200,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Calder juvenile in training sale.

Extract from Thoroughbred Daily News