Efforia Defeats Elders in Tenno Sho (Autumn)

Both youth and history were served at Tokyo Racecourse Oct. 31 as Efforia became the first 3-year-old to win the Tenno Sho (Autumn, G1) since 2002 and jockey Takeshi Yokoyama completed a three-generation run of riding victories in the prestigious race.

The Japanese fans also were well served as Contrail used a late rush to edge Gran Alegria  for second, giving the three favorites all the top placings.

Efforia's victory could mark the emergence of a new star in Japan. With retirements looming for some of the older generation, the Epiphaneia colt has a clear path to make his mark in this year's remaining grade 1 races and carry on Japan's ever-growing presence on the international scene.

The Tenno Sho victory seemed easy enough for the colt, bred by Northern Farm out of the Heart's Cry  mare Katies Heart. And it took some of the sting out of a narrow defeat in his previous start, the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1), in which he missed by just a nose to Shahryar after leading in the stretch.

The stretch run of the Tenno Sho came down to the favorites with Efforia this time playing the role of chaser as the field climbed the incline toward the finish after Gran Alegria emerged to take the lead 200 meters out.

Yokoyama then asked Efforia and got the quick acceleration when he needed it to draw even and take a narrow lead. Race favorite Contrail, a 4-year-old son of Deep Impact who swept the 2020 Japanese Triple Crown, also found his best stride and edged Gran Alegria by a neck for second but fell one length shy of catching the winner.

"I cried with joy for the first time in my life, as I was very disappointed with the result of the Derby," Yokoyama said. "He's a good starter and a clever racer so I decided to believe in his ability and ride him without thinking too much.

"We were able to race in an ideal position and I didn't insist on the inner course as I knew that he can handle it even if we had to turn a little wider."

Yokoyama completed a grandfather-father-son Tenno Sho triple. His grandfather and former jockey Tomio won the race in 1969 and father and active jockey Norihiro in 2009. He also made it back-to-back grade 1 wins after taking the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger, G1) a week earlier aboard Titleholder.

Efforia was the only 3-year-old in the field, which included only two horses who had contested the race in previous years. Although no 3-year-old had won the 2,000-meter (about 1 1/4-mile) event since Symboli Kris S in 2002, Efforia was made second-favorite by the attentive Japanese punters.

Yokoyama acknowledged the gradual return of fans to the Japanese racecourses as COVID-19 pandemic restrictions are gradually loosened.

"While the COVID-19 crisis is still lingering," he said, "the number of spectators is gradually increasing and I am grateful that we were able to win the race in front of many fans."

Efforia, trained by Yuichi Shikato for owners Carrot Farm, was undefeated as he lined up for the Tokyo Yushun over the same course May 30 with a win in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese Two Thousand Guineas, G1) in the start before that.

Shikato said before the race that, disappointing as it was, the defeat took some of the pressure off him going into the Tenno Sho.

"Here, he's a challenger and that feels quite different from the Derby. All of us, myself, the jockey and the horse can relax here a bit," the trainer said.

The pressure will be back on as Shikato and the owners ponder whether to send Efforia on to the Japan Cup in association with Longines (G1) Nov. 28 and/or the season's climax, the Arima Kinen (G1) Dec. 26.