Mikki Queen Closes to Record Shuka Sho Win

Mikki Queen, successful in the Yunshun Himba (Jpn-I, Japanese Oaks) earlier this year, added a second classic success to her record when taking the Shuka Sho (Jpn-I) in stakes record time Oct. 18 at Kyoto. 

 

Winning by a neck from Rings Queen, Mikki Queen covered about 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles) in 1:56.09 on firm turf, lowering by 0.1 seconds the stakes standard set last year by Shonan Pandora. The Shuka Sho is the final jewel in the Japan's Triple Crown for fillies.

 

The 3-1 favorite, Mikki Queen settled in midfield down the backstretch after breaking from the far outside post in the 18-horse field. But showing the strongest stretch kick entering the straight in sixth, she accelerated clear, collared third-place finisher Maximum de Paris 100 meters out to lead and then held off a determined challenge from Queens Ring.

 

"She was the Oaks queen hoping for a second crown—I had no idea how the wide stall would affect her, but she was just amazing," said winning rider Suguru Hamanaka. "At the top of the stretch, I asked her to go right through the group of horses instead of going wide, because I had faith in her strength and she responded beautifully." 

 

A daughter of leading Japanese sire Deep Impact, Mikki Queen won the Japanese Oaks May 24 at Tokyo after she was denied a start in the first race of the classic series, the April 12 Oka Sho (Jp-I, Japanese One Thousand Guineas) because of insufficient earnings.

 

"She will now head for races against stronger competition, but I'm confident she will show us great results—I'm looking forward to the battles," Hamanaka said of owner Mizuki Noda's filly. 

 

Mikki Queen is trained by Yasutoshi Ikee, who also saddled last year's winner, Shonan Pandora.

 

Produced by multiple French group winner Musical Way, by Gold Away, Mikki Queen was bred in Japan by Northern Farm and sold through her breeder's agency to Noda for ¥100,000,000 ($988,000) at the 2013 JHRA select yearling sale.