Three Overseas Entries Eye Japan Cup

Erupt, winner of the Pattison Canadian International (Can-IT), and German-breds Iquitos and Nightflower—all group I or grade I winners this season—are the only foreign accepters for this year's Japan Cup (Jpn-IT).

 

The recent history of the Japan Cup, set for Nov. 27 at Tokyo Race Course at 2,400 meters of left-handed turf, does not promise an easy time for the international raiders. Ten straight Japanese-trained horses have won since Alkaased, trained by Luca Cumani with Frankie Dettori up, held off Heart's Cry by a nose to land the Cup in 2005.

 

This year's field of locals looks equally tough, featuring the likes of Reel Steel, winner of this year's Dubai Turf (UAE-IT); Japanese 2000 Guineas (Jpn-IT) winner Dee Majesty; Gold Actor, winner of four of his past five starts; and Kitasan Black, never out of the money in 12 starts.

 

Makahiki, winner of the Japanese Derby (Jpn-IT), misses this race after contesting the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I), where he finished 14th.

 

The Woodbine triumph was the only victory in five starts this year for Erupt, a 4-year-old Niarchos Family homebred son of Dubawi, who is trained in France. He also was second behind Silverwave in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (Fr-I) on July 3.

 

Iquitos, a German-bred 4-year-old son of Adlerflug, won the Grosser Pris von Baden (Ger-I) on Sept. 4, with Nightflower second, That rival returned the favor in the Preis von Europa (Ger-I) three weeks later, winning that fixture at Cologne while Iquitos got home fifth.

Germany landed the top prize in 1995 with Lando. Le Glorioux, German-owned and French-trained, won in 1987.

  

The Canadian and the Grosser Pris von Baden are both qualifying races for Japan Cup bonuses. Both Erupt and Iquitos therefore are eligible for a share of the $5.4 million purse but also for a bonus of $1 million for a victory in the Japan Cup with smaller awards for second and third and a $100,000 bonus just for starting.