Almond Eye Takes Another Run at Yasuda Kinen

Almond Eye has accomplished so much in her career that new goals are needed—like earning two Breeders' Cup Challenge races in a three-week span.

The 5-year-old Lord Kanaloa mare could do just that with a victory June 7 in the Yasuda Kinen (G1) at Tokyo Racecourse.

Almond Eye scored a "Win and You're In" berth in the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) three weeks ago in the Victoria Mile (G1). The Yasuda Kinen is a Breeders' Cup Challenge race for the TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T).

Almond Eye, bred by Northern Racing and owned by Silk Racing, drew gate 5 in a field of 14 for the Yasuda Kinen, a one-mile turf test starting on the backstretch.

She already has seven top-level wins—six of them in Japan and the other in the 2018 Dubai Turf Sponsored by DP World (G1). Another would tie her with the immortal Vodka for the most grade 1 victories on Japanese soil.

Almond Eye's incredible string also includes all three legs of the 2018 Japanese filly Triple Crown and a record-breaking victory in that year's Japan Cup in Association with Longines (G1).

And her record might have been even more impressive had she not missed the 2019 Longines Hong Kong International Races with a fever and been denied a chance to repeat in Dubai this year when racing was canceled due to COVID-19.

Trainer Sakae Kunieda explained the quick turnaround for his prize mare.

"After the Victoria Mile, I waited to see how she was doing," Kunieda said. "She looked good and it had been an easy win for her, so she'd come out of the race well. So, I figured she could run again with only two full weeks for training in between. I decided to come here.

"It's her first time with so little time between starts, but mentally she's very relaxed and very calm. Looking at her fast work this week, I'd say there's nothing to worry about."

Kunieda said Almond Eye had no trouble dealing with company in her last bit of track work, which he called "an ideal workout."

Doubling down on the word, he added, "If she can get a run like she had in the Victoria Mile, that will be ideal."

All of that said, and considering her popularity with Japanese fans, Almond Eye should be a solid favorite in the Yasuda Kinen, which will be run without spectators. But, given the competition, she'll have to earn another win—and another "Win and You're In."

One of her three losses was in the 2019 Yasuda Kinen, won by Indy Champ, a 5-year-old son of Stay Gold who returns. He came back to win the Mile Championship (G1) at Kyoto in November and tuned up for this with a victory in the April 26 Yomiuri Milers Cup (G2).

"He has a lot of quirks, but that was part of the attraction," said Yuichi Fukunaga, who rides Indy Champ. "I had the impression from before being asked to ride him that he was a difficult horse and that he had difficulties at the break. Now, a lot of that has been fixed."

Also tackling the Yasuda Kinen is Admire Mars, a 4-year-old colt by Daiwa Major. That one has three top-level wins to his credit, including the Longines Hong Kong Mile (G1) in December. Another victim of the Dubai cancellation, he has not raced since then.

"It'll be six months since his last race, but you couldn't tell that from looking at him," said Admire Mars's trainer, Yasuo Tomomichi. "He seems to have gotten taller since returning from Dubai and definitely is bigger all around. His strong point is being able to run at a speed at length. A decent pace would be good for him."

Also with strong claims is Danon Premium, a 5-year-old son of Deep Impact who returns from a trip to Australia that included a third in the April 11 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (G1) at Royal Randwick—a good showing on unsuitable heavy going.

Before that, Danon Premium was second in the Tenno Sho (Autumn, G1) behind Almond Eye and second in the Mile Championship, beaten only by Indy Champ.

Christophe Lemaire and Yuga Kawada are staging a heated battle for the lead in the Japan jockey standings. Lemaire, with 80 wins this year to Kawada's 78, pilots Almond Eye, and Kawada rides Admire Mars. Lemaire has copped the last three premierships.