Mozu Superflare wins Takamatsunomiya Kinen on DQ

A four-way battle to the finish and a stewards' ruling handed longshot Mozu Superflare her first grade 1 victory in the March 29 Takamatsunomiya Kinen at Chukyo Racecourse.

The 5-year-old Speightstown  mare led comfortably most of the way through the 1,200 meters (about six furlongs) on yielding turf. In the final 100 meters, she was joined on the outside by Kurino Gaudi, who put a nose in front under the wire.

Kurino Gaudi was drifting in throughout his late move, however, and about 100 meters out shut off Diatonic, who was gaining between him and Mozu Superflare. Diatonic's jockey, Yuichi Kitamura, took up, losing all chance.

Outside that, Gran Alegria was gobbling up ground and lacked a few strides of taking it all, finishing third.

After a long look, the stewards put Mozu Superflare up to the win, with Gran Alegria awarded second, Diatonic an unlucky third, and Kurino Gaudi fourth. Kurino Gaudi is the first horse disqualified from a win in a Japanese grade 1 race since Buena Vista was demoted to second in the 2010 Japan Cup (G1).

"To be honest, I thought we had lost when we crossed the wire," said Mozu Superflare's rider, Fuma Matsuwaka. "But I'm genuinely happy that we were able to win our first grade 1 title."

The race is one of only two grade 1 sprints run on Japanese turf. Mozu Superflare finished second in the other, the Sprinters Stakes, last autumn when sandwiched between Tower of London and Danon Smash, both of whom returned for the Takamatsunomiya Kinen. Tower of London, whose connections reportedly harbored Royal Ascot aspirations, reported 12th as the favorite, and Danon Smash finished 10th.

Mozu Superflare's trainer, Hidetaka Otonashi, was concerned about the possibility of off going, but Matsuwaka said the surface was not an issue for the mare.

"She broke well, as I hoped she would, and was able to race in her own rhythm," the rider said. "With the sun coming out in the afternoon, the ground was not as bad as we had anticipated, which I think worked in her favor."

Mozu Superflare, bred in Kentucky by Alpha Delta Stables, is out of the Belong to Me mare Christies Treasure. She sold to her owner, Capital System, for $125,000 at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. 

Gran Alegria's late effort showed promise for her owner, Sunday Racing. The 4-year-old Deep Impact filly out of the grade 1-winning Tapit mare Tapitsfly has been brought along slowly with only three races at 2 and three more at 3. But she was named champion Japanese 3-year-old filly on the strength of a win in the Oka Sho (Japanese One Thousand Guineas, G1).

Last year's Takamatsunomiya Kinen winner, Mr Melody, was to compete in the March 28 Al Quoz Sprint (G1) at Meydan—part of the Dubai World Cup Festival program canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr Melody was part of a shipment of some 20 Japanese horses due to arrive back in Japan within hours of Takamatsunomiya Kinen post time.