Arima Kinen (Group 1)

JAPAN’s final Group 1, the Arima Kinen, takes place tomorrow at Nakayama Racecourse. Sixteen will go to the gate, including a host of the top Japanese performers over the mile, four and a half furlongs.

The Arima Kinen, along with the Takarazuka Kinen in June, are two races for which the field is selected in part by the fans. This year a record 478,415 ballots were cast for one horse alone, five-time Group 1 winner Do Deuce.

Do Deuce, winner of this year’s Tenno Sho (Autumn) and the Japan Cup is an unfortunate late absentee, but this year’s Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) winner Danon Decile, and Osaka Hai winner Bellagio Opera line up.

The field also includes this year’s Takarazuka Kinen winner Blow The Horn, the 2024 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) winner Urban Chic, seven-year-old Deep Bond back for his fourth Arima Kinen, dual Group 1-winner Stunning Rose and 2023 Tenno Sho (Spring) champion Justin Palace.

The three-year-old Urban Chic is this year’s Kikuka Sho winner. Fourth in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas), the son of Suave Richard disappointed in the Japanese Derby with an 11th-place finish. Urban Chic returned in the autumn, and with Christophe Lemaire, they bagged a first graded-stakes win with the Grade 2 St. Lite Kinen at Nakayama, followed by his first top-level victory with the Kikuka Sho.

Better prepared

Danon Decile took the Japanese Derby by a two-length margin. Returning in the autumn, the son of Epiphaneia finished in sixth place in the Kikuka Sho but should be better prepared here.

Stunning Rose, a five-year-old daughter of King Kamehameha was a second and a first in two classics at three. Against older horses since, she was well beaten, before she won the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup in November. Her new partner is none other than Ryan Moore.

Last year, Stars On Earth went to the Arima Kinen off a third in the Japan Cup and finished second by half a length off winner Do Deuce.

This year, the Duramente five-year-old has had only two starts, the Dubai Sheema Classic at the end of March (eighth) and the Japan Cup last month. In the Japan Cup, returning after eight months, she again broke from the outside gate, was sent forward and finished seventh only 0.6 seconds behind winner Do Deuce.

Blow The Horn had proven himself a consistent finisher in eight starts, including a win of the Group 1 Takarazuka Kinen in late June. Despite two unplaced efforts since, he should not be ignored.

Last year, Shahryar went from the Dubai Sheema Classic to the Sapporo Kinen, then the Breeders’ Cup Turf. This year, with the same races, he’s run better in each and his prospects of making the board again in the Arima Kinen are good.

SELECTION: Stars On Earth

Next best: Shahryar