Efforia Caps Potential Title Season in Arima Kinen Win

After a rash of top-level retirements, Japanese racing needed a new champion—and Efforia was happy to oblige Dec. 26 in the Arima Kinen (G1) at Nakayama Racecourse.

Leading a solid performance by many of the nation's best of the 3-year-olds, Efforia dominated the second trip through the stretch to win by three-quarters of a length. Four-year-old longshot Deep Bond  was a determined second, holding off the late bid of the latest retiree, Chrono Genesis , who settled for third in her career finale.

Efforia notched his sixth win from seven starts, the only defeat a runner-up showing in the Yushun Himba (Japanese Derby, G1). Three of the six victories came in grade 1 events, including the Tenno Sho (Autumn, G1) in his previous start—a record likely good enough to land the colt Horse of the Year honors.

Although Chrono Genesis wasn't able to match the recent career-ending wins of Loves Only You , Contrail, and Gran Alegria , she ran gallantly in defeat and bows out with four grade 1 victories of her own, including the 2020 Arima Kinen and back-to-back runnings of the Takarazuka Kinen (G1).

"She has always given it her all in the three years since her debut at Kokura as a 2-year-old," said Chrono Genesis's trainer, Takashi Saito. "She is quite a horse."

The 2,500-meters (about 1 mile, 4 1/2 furlongs) of the Arima Kinen was the longest challenge Efforia has been set by trainer Yuichi Shikato. The colt responded enthusiastically although jockey Takeshi Yokoyama said he might not have been in peak form at the end of a demanding campaign.

Efforia takes out the G1 Arima Kinen! pic.twitter.com/3aILFpagIm

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 26, 2021

"(Efforia) wasn't in the same perfect condition today as in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) in which he was 120%," Yokoyama said. "But his potential proved he still could give a remarkable performance even with the added distance. Twenty-five-hundred meters was the longest he's ever run. Unlike in the Derby, he was relaxed and positioned well and was able to show his true strength."

The outcome of the Arima Kinen put paid to any fears Japan might suffer a letdown in top-rank stars—or international competitors—as the calendar turns to 2022.

Two other promising 3-year-olds, Stella Veloce and Titleholder finished fourth and fifth and will be reckoned with in the New Year.

Efforia came into the Arima Kinen as the favorite but trainer Shikato acknowledged he needed a good performance to cement his position atop the Japanese pantheon.

"Since he's only 3 years old," Shikato said before the race, "he's still in the position of a challenger."

No longer.

Efforia, bred by Northern Farm and racing for Carrot Farm Co., Ltd, was produced by the Heart's Cry  mare Katies Heart. He won both starts as a 2-year-old, both at 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles), then won his 3-year-old debut going 1,800 meters (about 1 1/8 miles) in February at Tokyo Racecourse. He jumped right into the deep end—successfully —April 18 in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas-G1) before suffering his only defeat at the hands of Shahryar in the Derby May 20.

Shahryar, in turn, franked the quality of the Derby effort by finishing an impressive third in the Japan Cup (G1) Nov. 28 at Tokyo Racecourse and called it a season after that effort.

The race was the penultimate grade 1 of the year in Japan. The Hopeful Stakes (G1) for 2-year-olds over the same course on Dec. 28 winds things up for the season.