Fierement Repeats in Tenno Sho Spring

Left with a lot to do at the end of two miles in the grade 1 Tenno Sho (Spring) May 3 at Kyoto Racecourse, Fierement found just enough to edge longshot Stiffelio by a nose, winning the event for the second consecutive year.

With Christophe Lemaire up, the 5-year-old son of Deep Impact dawdled well back in the 14-horse field through the first circuit of the turf course. Taking closer order nearing the last bend, Fierement came well out into the track and out-finished Stiffelio by a nose in the final stride.

Mikki Swallow was third as the 3,200 meters went in 3:16.50 on firm turf.

Lemaire said he was confident going in that Fierement would be up to the task in his first start of the season, then had some doubts as the race progressed.

"The pace was ideal, and I was almost sure it would be an easy win for us," Lemaire said. "But he wasn't focused at times, so as it turned out, we had to fight hard to the line. But in spite of the long distance and the wide draw, he was unhurried earlier in the race and had the strength left to charge home the way he did. Everything went well."

Lemaire noted the grandstand was devoid of spectators as Japanese racing continues pandemic protocols, adding, "I'm thankful to the fans rooting for us at home. I look forward to seeing them in the stands very soon."

Fierement was one of two horses in the race with a victory in the grade 1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) on his résumé. The other, Kiseki, led most of the way in the Tenno Sho with Yutaka Take up, then tired in the final 200 meters to finish sixth.

Both also contested the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) last fall, with Kiseki fifth and Fierement reporting 12th.

Bred by Northern Farm and owned by Sunday Racing, Fierement has been campaigned relatively sparingly. He did not start as a 2-year-old, then made four starts in 2018 and five last year, returning from France to finish fourth in the Dec 22 Arima Kinen (G1). The Tenno Sho double and the Kikuka Sho are his only wins at the top level.

Trainer Takahisa Tezuka said before the Tenno Sho that the break helped Fierement recover from his overseas exertions.

"He's completely refreshed after last year's Arima Kinen, and he's just how I think he should be going into this race," Tezuka said.

Kiseki has been less successful than Fierement in rebounding from the European tour, finishing fifth in the Arima Kinen and seventh in the Hanshin Daishoten (G2) in March. He has not won since his Kikuka Sho victory in October 2017, although he has been second in three grade 1 events since then, and the decision to switch to Take was an attempt to reverse the trend.

Mikki Swallow, a 6-year-old by Tosen Homareboshi, posted his best-ever showing in a grade 1 event. He finished sixth behind Kiseki in the 2017 Kikuka Sho and fifth in the 2018 Japan Cup in Association with Longines (G1), behind Almond Eye's record run.