Gold Ship Sails to Breakthrough Tenno Sho Win
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Trying to win the Tenno Sho (Spring) (Jpn-I) for the third time, after two previously unsuccessful attempts, Gold Ship finally broke through to win the race May 3 at Kyoto.
Gold Ship scored by a neck from Fame Game, with Curren Mirotic hanging on for third after leading 600 meters out.
Slow into stride after refusing to load and having to be blindfolded into the starting gate, Gold Ship trailed well off the pace set by Courir Kaiser, who was chased by Curren Mirotic. He advanced down the backstretch and into contention at the far turn, in behind the front-runners.
Curren Mirotic overtook the tiring leader 600 meters out and into the stretch, but Gold Ship was moving determinedly hooked him in the final 50 meters for the win while holding off Fame Game, who was up in time for second.
Favorite Kizuna finished seventh, after trailing in last five furlongs into the race.
"I was thinking of going front if he started well, which obviously was not the case," winning rider Norihiro Yokoyama said of the 6-year-old Stay Gold horse, who finished 3,200 meters (about two miles) in 3:14.70 on firm turn. "From there on, I just concentrated on following the pace and (was) careful not to turn him off. In the straight, he really showed his stamina and perseverance.
Gold Ship was seventh in last year's Tenno Sho (Spring) and fifth in 2013, each time behind winner Fenomeno.
"He's often said to be unsuited to Kyoto Racecourse, but I think it's just that he's not a handy type of horse and needs a skilled rider to guide him," Yokoyama added.
Gold Ship, Japan's champion 3-year-old male of 2012, has a 13-3-2 record from 25 career starts for trainer Naosuke Sugai. His résumé includes victories in the Japanese St. Leger and Two Thousand Guineas, and Arima Kinen (all Jpn-I) during his championship season, and the 2013 and 2014 Takarazuka Kinen (Jpn-I).
Gold Ship, a homebred of Kobayashi Eiichi Holdings produced by the Mejiro McQueen mare Point Flag, had come off his third consecutive Hanshin Daishoten (Jpn-II) victory March 22 with 2013 Japan Cup (Jpn-I) runner-up Denim and Ruby finishing second.