Indy Champ in Victory Lane After Mile Championship

Indy Champ had a perfect trip in the Mile Championship (G1) Nov. 17 at Kyoto Racecourse, tracking the pace into the turn and spurting clear through the final 100 meters to win by 1 1/2 lengths over the favorite, Danon Premium.

The victory gave the 4-year-old Stay Gold colt a relatively rare grade 1 double in the same year, following his win in the June 2 Yasuda Kinen (G1) during the spring. Only six others have accomplished the feat, most recently Maurice in 2015.

Indy Champ is now ticketed for the Dec. 8 Longines Hong Kong Mile (G1) at Sha Tin, part of a powerful Japanese force expected to include reigning Japanese Horse of the Year Almond Eye.

With Kenichi Ikezoe subbing for suspended jockey Yuichi Fukunaga, Indy Champ broke cleanly from post 5 and raced handily behind a moderate pace through the backstretch. Sweeping through the turn, the leaders separated conveniently and Ikezoe gave Indy Champ the gas. He quickly kicked away to an authoritative score. Persian Knight finished third, edging longshot pacesetter My Style.

"I was asked to ride at short notice but wanted to deliver a good result since the colt was a Yasuda Kinen champion," Ikezoe said. "I was told he is a bit unstable at the start, but he broke well and we were able to race in good position while eyeing Danon Premium. He responded really well when asked at the lane."

The race played out exactly as Ikezoe outlined it after the barrier draw.

"It's important to have him relaxed in the gate and to jump well," the rider said, "and from there, just ease him into the flow of the race.

"He's the champion miler from the spring, and my job is to get the best out of him."

Indy Champ reported in 1:33 flat over firm going before a crowd of 36,272.

Bred by Northern Racing and racing for Hidetaka Otonashi, Indy Champ improved his record to seven wins from 12 starts. The Yasuda Kinen was his first attempt at the grade 1 level, and the Mile Championship score leaves him 2-for-2 at the top level.

After a summertime break, he prepped for the race with a third-place finish in the Mainichi Okan (G2) at Tokyo Racecourse, a race won by Danon Kingly, who finished fifth in Sunday's race.