Pavel Takes on Japan's Top Dirt Runners

Pavel will look to bounce back from his second straight Breeders' Cup disappointment when he takes on some promising up-and-comers Dec. 2 in the Champions Cup (G1) at Chukyo Racecourse, a race formerly known as the Japan Cup Dirt.

The 4-year-old Creative Cause  colt comes to Japan on the back of his second straight 10th-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). Before that, Pavel finished second behind Accelerate —albeit 12 1/2 lengths behind him—in the $1 Million TVG Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) at Del Mar and first in the Stephen Foster Handicap (G1) at Churchill Downs. He came in fourth in this year's Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (G1).

After watching Reddam Racing's Doug O'Neill trainee work over the track early in the week before the race, assistant trainer Leandro Mora said his early concerns about the surface have evaporated.

"I'm very happy with the track. It's pure sand, unlike many tracks in the U.S., which (are) clay mixed with sand," Mora said. "But Pavel has raced in Kentucky, where it is three-quarters sand and a quarter of dirt, so if he likes Kentucky, we're going to have a very good race with him here."

Pavel drew gate 3 for the 1,800-meter (about 1 1/8-mile) test, and jockey Mario Gutierrez will ride. Pavel is the first foreign horse to tackle the race since Hong Kong-based Gun Pit finished 16th in 2015.

"To beat Japanese horses (in Japan) is not easy, I know," Mora said. "But I'm pretty confident because he did exactly the same as when we traveled overseas in Dubai, and we ran a very nice race there, so that's why I feel very comfortable and confident that he'll do well."

Last year's Champions Cup winner, Gold Dream, is a late defection from this year's renewal after he finished second to Le Vent Se Leve in the Nambu Hai at Morioka Racecourse.

Le Vent Se Leve, a 3-year-old colt by Symboli Kris S, does return for the Champions Cup. He is riding a streak of three wins, including the Unicorn Stakes (G3) over the Tokyo dirt. The Champions Cup will be his first grade 1 effort.

"It was a strong run last time, after not having run in a while," trainer Kiyoshi Hagiwara said of Le Vent Se Leve. "He started well and things went right for him. There's no change in his condition, and things have gone well in training."

Another 3-year-old, Omega Perfume, also has credentials to compete. The Swept Overboard colt has four wins, two seconds, and a third in seven starts, including a win in the Sept. 29 Sirius Stakes (G3) at Hanshin. He finished second to Le Vent Se Leve in the July 11 Japan Dirt Derby at Ohi Racecourse.

The only filly in the race, 4-year-old Ange Desir, has recovered from a tough effort in winning the JBC Ladies' Classic at Kyoto Racecourse in her last start, said trainer Mitsugu Kon.

"She seems a different horse now, and there's no doubt she has ability," Kon said. "Even though she's a daughter of Deep Impact, she's become more of a dirt horse. What's more, she's very good racing left-handed."