Dura Erede Proves "Dura-ble" in Winning Japan's Hopeful

Dura Erede had to dig deep to land his first top-level win in the Hopeful Stakes (G1) at Nakayama Racecourse Dec. 28 and the gutsy victory in a race with a history as a champion-maker gives his connections hope for the 2023 classics.

The final group 1 event on the calendar also provided the first Japanese grade 1 win for the colt and both his trainer, Manabu Ikezoe, and jockey Bauyrzhan Murzabayev, a Kazakhstan native riding in Japan under a short-term license.

It was an impressive show of "dura-bility" by Dura Erede, who briefly looked beaten in the stretch run while making his first start at 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles) before coming back to win in a tight photo.

The race started with Top Knife blasting out to the lead with Dura Erede pressing the pace on his outside flank. The pair ran that way until they hit the uphill climb of the stretch run and Top Knife and jockey Norihiro Yokoyama opened up a nearly one-length lead.

Dura Erede then found another gear, closed the gap and won by an official nose. King's Reign, under Christophe Lemaire, completed an all-long shot trifecta. Mikki Cappuccino and Phantom Thief, the favorite and second-favorite, finished fifth and fourth, respectively.

While it was the first Japan Racing Association win for Murzabeyev, the rider has been a star in Germany for the past few years.

"It's the same good feeling as when I won my first group 1 race in Germany," Murzabeyev said. "I'm very happy.

"I couldn't tell if we won, it was so close. But my colt broke well and it was the plan to chase the pace in second so everything went well. After two close seconds last weekend, I'm so happy that I came in first in the last grade 1 race of the year."

Bred by Northern Racing and owned by Three H Racing Co., the dark brown colt has been a bit slow to find his stride. He took three starts to secure his first win, that in a 1,700-meter (about 1 1/16 miles) maiden event at Sapporo. He then reported fourth in the Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes (G2) Nov. 19.

After that race, his trainer said he still would need improvement to win at Nakayama.

"I think he's improving nicely," Ikezoe said. "He does get the bit in his teeth at times and I'm hoping he'll be able to execute all four turns well. It will depend on how balanced he can remain and where he can catch a bit of a breather.

"He's always been good at the break and he has good racing sense. Still, a lot of things are going to have to come together for him."

And so they did, providing his connections with a promising candidate, indeed, for the 2023 classics.

The Hopeful Stakes became a grade 1 event only in 2017 but even before that, it was seen as an important springboard to future glory.

Among the stars who used the race as a way station to success are 2010 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, G1) and 2011 Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1) winner Victoire Pisa , 2013 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger, G1) and 2014 Japan Cup (G1) victor Epiphaneia , 2017 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1) champion Rey de Oro, 2019 Satsuki Sho winner Saturnalia , and 2020 Triple Crown winner Contrail.

Dura Erede is bred to follow in their footsteps. His sire, Duramente , won the Satsuki Sho and Tokyo Yushun and his damsire, Orfevre , swept the 2011 Japanese Triple Crown and twice finished second in the Qatar Prix del l'Arc de Triomphe (G1).