Moore Pilots Maurice to Mile Championship

Kazumi Yoshida's Maurice notched his second straight group I win and stayed unbeaten this year in taking the Mile Championship (Jpn-I) Nov. 22 at Kyoto.

 

The son of Screen Hero won by 1 1/4 lengths, easily denying Fiero, who settled for second again following his runner-up finish last year. Last year's champion 3-year-old and odds-on favorite Isla Bonita was a good third after missing the break and racing from behind. 

 

Under British-based Ryan Moore, Maurice broke smoothly from post 16 and was eased back to mid-division while traveling wide behind Fiero on the outside. Coming out around turn and still in midpack, Maurice accelerated from around 300 meters out, passed tiring rivals to lead with 100 meters to run, and drew away for a fifth successive win from as many starts the year.

 

Fiero, in eighth early behind pacesetter Let's Go Donki, slipped out from between horses around the 200-meter mark, and chased Maurice to the wire. Isla Bonita, threaded through horses in the stretch and uncoiled a strong late kick, running the fastest in the last three furlongs to get third in the full field of 18.

 

Maurice finished the trip in 1:32.08 on turf rated as firm. Because of back problems, he was making his first start in more than five months since winning the mile Yasuda Kinen (Jpn-I) June 7 at Tokyo. He came into the Mile Championship "free of pain and fresh," trainer Noriyuki Hori said leading up to the race.

 

Maurice's string of wins this year also includes mile Lord Derby Challenge Trophy (Jpn-III) April 5 at Nakayama. He has a 7-0-1 record from 12 career starts over three seasons.

 

"I knew that he was probably going to be the best miler in the race and it was just a question of getting a clean trip, and hopefully if we kept things straight forward, he would be able to show that he's the best horse, and he did," said Moore, who enjoyed a fifth group I win in Japan. "He showed a really good turn of foot in the last 400 meters. I rode him when he was a 2-year-old, but he's developed into a fast, strong horse."

 

Maurice, who was bred in Japan by Togawa Bokujo, is out of the Carnegie mare Mejiro Frances.

 

Daiwa Major in 2007 was the last horse to complete the Yasuda Kinen/Mile Championship double in the same year.