Shonan Pandora Wins Shuka Sho in Record Time
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Shonan Pandora nabbed the final jewel of Japan's Triple Crown for fillies in record time, striking at 10-1 odds in the Shuka Sho (Jpn-I) Oct. 19 at Kyoto while denying Yushun Himba (Jpn-I, Japanese Oaks) winner Nuovo Record.
Shonan Pandora held off 3-2 favorite Nuovo Record by a neck and covered 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles) in a stakes-record 1:57 flat on firm turf.
Tetsuhide Kunimoto's daughter of Deep Impact did not compete in the first two classics for fillies this year and tallied her first stakes win in the Shuka Sho.
The 17-horse field split into two groups several lengths apart after Peisha Felice struck for the early lead and opened a five-length advantage on her nearest rivals. Shonan Pandora led the second group and was unhurried along the rail while saving ground down the backstretch. Nuovo Record settled in behind Shonan Pandora.
Closing ground rounding the final turns, jockey Suguru Hamanaka drove Shonan Pandora through a narrow gap between tiring leader Peisha Felice and Lilavati entering the stretch. She unleashed a furious drive and seized the lead at the furlong pole to secure the victory.
Nuovo Record was unable to improve position and still in midpack when commenced her rally on the home turn, sweeping wide and in behind third-place finisher Tagano Etoile. She displayed her top-class turn of foot down the middle of the lane but could not overtake the winner.
"She broke well and was able to sit in an ideal position taking an economic route," said Hamanaka. "We all had high hopes for her from the beginning, and as she powered-up over the summer, I could feel her strength during recent work-outs. I saw Nuovo Record coming from the outside and just prayed that we could hold her off till the wire."
Shonan Pandora has a 3-3-0 record from eight starts this season for trainer Tomokazu Takano, who enjoyed his first group I win. The filly was winless in her only start as a 2-year-old.
Tagano Etoile finished 1 1/4 lengths behind Nuovo Record while last season's champion 2-year-old filly and second choice Red Reveur checked in sixth. Sang Real, a three-quarters sister to Japan's 2010 Horse of the Year Buena Vista, was ninth.
Bred in Japan by Shadai Corp., Shonan Pandora is out of the French Deputy mare Cutie Gold, a half sister to group I winner and prominent Japanese sire Stay Gold.