By Masakazu Takahashi -
Japanese legend of the saddle Yutaka Take became the joint winningmost rider in the history of the Grade 1 Arima Kinen when winning a fourth title aboard Yasuo Tomomichi’s Do Deuce at Nakayama on Sunday. The half length success took Take, 54, alongside Japanese compatriot and contemporary Kenichi Ikezoe, who is also on four wins. Do Deuce’s success was his third at the highest level and also his first since winning the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) in May 2022.
His only win in between had come in the Grade 2 Kyoto Kinen, but on Sunday going 2500m in the Arima Kinen, he was held at the back of the field by Take, who was happy to run to a pace set by Toru Kurita’s Titleholder, making his last career start. Kazuo Yokoyama decided to ask Titleholder to kick clear with over 1000m left to run and it turned out to be a bad idea as the Kurita trainee lost steam when it mattered despite kicking clear and put nearly eight lengths between himself and the chasing pack making the final turn.
GROUND GOBBLER Take had started to gobble up ground and gain on the frontrunners and turning fivewide, he swooped in to gain the ascendancy at the 200m marker and coast to a half length victory ahead of Stars On Earth, trained by Mizuki Takayanagi and ridden by ChristophePatrice Lemaire. Titleholder was a further length back in third. It was a brilliant victory as it came against a field that comprised eight top-level winners.
“We did have our struggles after winning the Kyoto Kinen early this year, but I was determined to show his true strength and prove what he was really made of in this big race,” said Take, who first won the race in 1990 and then followed up in 2006 and 2017. It was Take’s 81st Japan Racing Association Grade 1 win and he added: “It’s great to comeback with Do Deuce to win this race against some really strong opponents. He was in good shape coming into this race, and although the colt was a bit keen, I had to keep him in hand and maintain a good rhythm and not let him rush. “I gave him the go from about 700m out and his response was very good, rounding the last corner. He gave a terrific late charge to the wire.”
