Lovely Day Wins in Japan, Gold Ship Unplaced

Lovely Day repelled the strong late charge of Denim and Ruby and landed his first group I win June 28 in the Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin, while overwhelming favorite Gold Ship missed the break and finished next to last.

 

Starting from out from the widest stall in the field of 16, Lovely Day traveled just off the pace in second behind Red Davis, who set a slow pace. Pressing that rival to the top of the homestretch, the 5-year-old son of King Kamehameha dispatched from the tiring front-runner with 200 meters to go and accelerated strongly while holding off 5-year-old mare Denim and Ruby.

 

Gold Ship, in search of an unprecedented third consecutive win in the race and record-equaling seventh group I win in Japan, was fractious in gate, blew the start, and was used up trying to make up for the delay, finishing 15th.

 

Lovely Day finished 2,200 meters (about 1 3/8 miles) in 2:14.40 and earned an automatic berth to the Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) Oct. 31 at Keeneland as the Takarazuka Kinen is part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series.

 

A homebred of Kaneko Makoto Holdings, Lovely Day has a 7-3-1 record from 23 career starts, including three other group stakes wins, including the Naruo Kinen (Jpn-III) June 6 at Hanshin.

 

"I was able to position him behind the front-runner with ease, as the pace was slow, and tried to race him with good rhythm," winning rider Yuga Kawada said after the Takarazuka Kinen. "I was a bit worried about the track (with the effect of the rain), but he responded really well. I was aware of the mare (Denim and Ruby) closing in and prayed that he can fend her off."

 

Denim and Ruby traveled second from last and, angling to the outside once entering the homestretch, unleashed a fierce late charge, running the fastest of the field in the last three furlongs, but just missed. Shonan Pandora took third, another 1 1/4 lengths back.

 

Lovely Day, trained by Yasutoshi Ikee, is one of five winners from as many to start produced by the winning Dance in the Dark mare Popcorn Jazz.