Lord Kanaloa Repeats in Sprinters Stakes
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Champion sprinter Lord Kanaloa ran down pacesetter Hakusan Moon for a repeat victory in the Sprinters Stakes (Jpn-I), the first top-level race of Japan's fall season, Sept. 29 at Nakayama.
Lord Kanaloa was settled off the early pace by Yasunari Iwata, who guided him through a gap at the top of the straight to secure the win. The 5-year-old King Kamehameha horse willingly uncoiled a swift turn of foot when called upon, sprinting past third-place finisher Mayano Ryujin with a sixteenth to run before collaring Hakusan Moon in the final 50 yards to prevail by three-quarters of length.
Lord Kanaloa covered the 1,200-meter (about six furlongs) race in 1:07.20 as the 1.30-1 favorite, turning the tables on Hakusan Moon, who defeated him by a neck in the Centaur Stakes (Jpn-II) Sept. 8 at Hanshin in his start prior to the Sprinters Stakes.
Prior to the Centaur, Lord Kanaloa capped a five-race win streak that began with his record-breaking win in 2012 Sprinters Stakes in stakes-record time of 1:06.70. The victory skein also included the 2012 Longines Hong Kong Sprint (HK-I) in December at Sha Tin and back-to-back wins this season in the Yasuda Kinen (Jpn-I) June 2 at Tokyo, Takamatsunomiya Kinen (Jpn-I) March 24 at Chukyo.
Lord Horse Club owns Lord Kanaloa, who has 12 wins, five seconds, and a third from 18 career starts for trainer Takayuki Yasuda.
The bay horse was bred in Japan by K.I. Farm out of the winning Storm Cat mare Lady Blossom. His second dam is Saratoga Dew, who was the U.S. champion 3-year-old filly of 1992. He is a half brother to stakes-placed winner Lord Balius.
Lord Kanaloa is among 30 stakes winners and three champions for two-time leading Japanese sire King Kamehameha, a 12-year-old son of Kingmambo, who stands at Shadai Stallion Station in Hokkaido.