Chrono Genesis Nabs First Grade 1 in Shuka Sho

The Japanese filly Triple Crown went unclaimed this season, a year after Almond Eye swept the three races, but Chrono Genesis' performance in the final leg nonetheless gives her claim to being best of her generation.

After a patient trip behind the leading pack, the Bago filly peeled out from behind a wall of rivals turning for home in the Oct. 13 Shuka Sho (G1) at Kyoto Racecourse and spurted clear to a two-length victory.

Curren Bouquetd'or, lacking running room inside Chrono Genesis through the turn, also responded when shown daylight but could not match the winner's turn of foot and settled for second, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Shigeru Pink Dia. The favorite, last season's 2-year-old filly champion Danon Fantasy, was in contention until the final bend, then tired to finish eighth.

Chrono Genesis, with Yuichi Kitamura riding for trainer Takashi Saito, finished the 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles) in 1:59.9. The course was rated good despite threats that a major typhoon that forced cancellation of racing in Tokyo might negatively affect the going.

Kitamura said the race played out as well as he could have hoped.

"I was able to race her in an ideal position while eyeing Danon Fantasy in front," the rider said. "She was responding really well at the fourth corner, so I was able to make a bid with confidence.

"I am grateful for having been able to ride the filly since her debut. I'm really glad that I was able to deliver a good result."

The gray filly was bred in Japan by Northern Racing and runs for Sunday Racing.

The Shuka Sho field lacked the winners of the first two legs of the Triple Crown—Gran Alegria, who won the grade 1 Oka Sho (Japanese One Thousand Guineas) April 7 at Hanshin, and Loves Only You, winner of the grade 1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) May 19 at Tokyo.

Chrono Genesis finished third in both of those events. The cumulative value of the three performances, along with her second-place finish behind Danon Fantasy in last year's Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (G1), gives her, if nothing else, bragging rights as she heads into tougher spots.

Chrono Genesis had not raced since the Yushun Himba.

"She just needed a bit more in the Oaks," Saito said at the barrier draw, where Chrono Genesis was installed in gate 5. "Things just didn't come together for her there, and it's hard to win a grade 1. I think she gave it her all, though. She doesn't have a problem racing without a prep, and I figured that without one here, she could then go to the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1) next fairly fresh. 

"She spent the summer at the farm and returned to the training center on Sept. 4. She was much bigger than she'd been in the spring, and I mean that in a good way."

The Nov. 10 Queen Elizabeth II Cup is run at 2,200 meters (about 1 3/8 miles) at Kyoto and is open to fillies and mares 3 years old and up. Almond Eye did not contest that race, instead going straight to the Japan Cup (G1), where she handily defeated older males.