Lucky Lilac Takes Hanshin Juvenile Fillies
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Photo: Naoji Inada
Lucky Lilac after her score in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies at Hanshin Dec. 10
Lucky Lilac (JPN) circled the leaders into the stretch run in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (G1) Dec. 10, grabbed the lead and held off Lily Noble (JPN) by three-quarters of a length, giving her sire, Orfevre, his first grade 1 winner.
Mau Lea (JPN) was third and favored Rock This Town (JPN), another by Orfevre, finished ninth.
Lucky Lilac, with Syu Ishibashi riding for trainer Mikio Matsunaga, covered 1,600 meters (about one mile) on firm turf at Hanshin Racecourse in 1:34.3. She scored her third win from as many starts for Sunday Racing, which fielded the top two finishers.
"She was a bit keen in her last start but was very relaxed today," Ishibashi said. "We were in a good striking position at the top of the stretch, which gave me all the confidence I needed. Her physical ability is extremely high and she is very intelligent, too. Although she has room to improve, I just hope she can start the next season in good form."
Orfevre, a son of Stay Gold (JPN) and grandson of Sunday Silence, retired at the end of the 2013 season. He scored six grade 1 victories in Japan and finished second in both the 2012 and 2013 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1), a race Japanese horsemen have coveted for decades.
Lucky Lilac is out of the Flower Alley mare Lilacs and Lace, winner of the 2011 Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1) at Keeneland.