Over the past quarter of a century, horses based in Japan have increasingly made their presence felt on the international stage, winning the best races in mainland Europe, the Middle East, Hong Kong and places as far away. than Australia. Although clearly possessed with horse flesh to make an impression, regardless of the port of call, the Breeders’ Cup had eluded the island nation, but history was made on Saturday in Del Mar when the frequent traveler Love only you (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) made its way between its rivals in the final strides to greet in the GI Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar. My sister Nat (Fr) (Acclamation {GB}), the half-sister to Filly & Mare Turf’s 2018 victory Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}), overcame some difficulties to be second to the favorite. War as goddess (Round) in third.

The Breeders’ Cup had always been the goal of the 5-year-old mare, who had performed brilliantly on her overseas trips this year. 2019 G1 winner Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) didn’t score a win in five starts on the tough JRA Tour last season, but started 2021 on a good footing, with a 1 1/4 victory as a big favorite in the G2 Kyoto Kinen to Hanshin during this trip in mid February. This race served as the perfect preparation for the 12-meter-long G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic on March 27, where it made its way to the head on the 100-meter pitches, only to be overtaken by the duo. world class from Mishriff (GB) (Make Believe {GB}) and his compatriot Chrono Genesis (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}). From there he traveled to Hong Kong, where Loves Only You led home a Japanese 1-2-3 in the G1 FWD Queen Elizabeth II Cup over a mile and a quarter on April 25. Refreshed with an eye on Del Mar, the bay of an immaculate breed didn’t quite manage to beat defending G1 winner Satsuki Sho (1000 Japanese Guineas) Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune) and settled for of second place in G2 Sapporo Kinen on August 22. Loves Only You was entered for the Turf, but tried his luck in this sexually restricted event.

Alert in the wake for Yuga Kawada, Loves Only You obtained a good position before while settling in a good rhythm, while the Go to Vegas (Goldencents) accelerated forward from his rail pull. With some pressure on their pace on the outside, Going to Vegas established legitimate fractions for the distance, covering the first quarter in: 24.10 and a half in: 47.83 while prompted by Dog tag (War front). Loves Only You lobbed from fourth, running just inside Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) as they reached the second of three towers, while War Like Goddess was content to hang around leisurely.

Kawada took a bit of a tug for cover on the way up the stern section. Well within reach, Loves Only You had every chance imaginable, but Julien Leparoux, who had allowed the chalk to improve by a few points by passing the half-mile marker, really cut the ribbons in three eighths and circled four wide on the outside of the love in the alley. Loves Only You, momentarily ticked off on her heels and a little off balance at the quarter-pole, ran over her incorrect lead in the last eighth of a mile, accelerated impressively between War Like Goddess and the My Sister Nat rally in a deep stretch and was hit to score narrowly.

Coach Yoshito Yahagi is one of the most charismatic coaches on the JRA Tour and has been shown to be more than willing to roll the dice on foreign soil. In 2016, he traveled Loves Only You’s full brother, Real Steel (Jpn) to Dubai for a half-length success in the G1 Dubai Turf and also conditioned Lys Gracieux (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}), the Japanese Horse of the Year for 2019, whose victories that year included a stunning success at the G1 Cox Plate in Melbourne, Australia. Other people who benefited from his training program include Group 1 double-court winner Mozu Ascot (Frankel {GB}) and Japanese hero of the 2020 Triple Crown Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) .

“When we finished second in Sapporo, I chose [this] race because the grass track is similar to that of Del Mar, ”he said after the race. “The first time she went abroad she was not very good at traveling, but she is getting better and better and she is getting stronger mentally.”

Yahagi has indicated that Loves Only You is set to return to Hong Kong for the Longines Hong Kong International Races reunion on December 12, where connections accepted an invitation to the $ 3.85 million G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup. .

Genealogy Notes:

Loves Only You is the first Breeders’ Cup winner for the late and great Deep Impact (second starter) and comes from a female family that was no stranger to the success of this reunion. The must-have Loves Only Me was acquired by Katsumi Yoshida for $ 900,000 foal of Danehill Dancer (Ire) at the November 2009 Keeneland sale and came with a lot of pedigree, as her dam Monevassia was a full sister to the double. GI Breeders’ Cup Mile. Kingmambo, the son of the winner Miesque (Nureev) and had produced the champion and future broodmare of the year Rumplestiltskin (Ire) (Danehill) – later the dam of G1SW Tapestry (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and GSW John F Kennedy (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). In addition to Kingmambo, Miesque was also responsible for the G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches and the G1 Prix de Diane heroine East of the Moon (private account); GSW Mingun (AP Indy); GSW / MG1SP Miesque’s Son (M. Prospector), father of the Mile hero Miesque’s Approval in 2006.

Loves Only Me is the dam of seven eight-race winners, all except the in-utero colt, by Deep Impact. The crossbreeding of the late Inmate Shadai on Mothers Storm Cat and Storm Cat-line was sensationalizingly productive, accounting for almost 20% of the 53 Global Grade I / Group 1 winners, including recent G1 hero Yasuda Kinen Danon Kingly (Jpn) , The Hong Kong Group 1 stallion A Shin Hikari (Jpn), Satono Aladdin (Jpn) and the French heroine of the 1000 Guineas Beauty Parlor (Jpn), among others.

Loves Only Me was also a commercial success at the JRHA Select sales. Loves Only You raised 160 million yen ($ 1,404,800) as a yearling in the 2017 sale, while a half-brother of Heart’s Cry (Jpn) at Loves Only You won 280 million yen ($ 2,537,293) as a foal for this year’s sale. Loves Only Me is also represented by a one-year-old colt by Duramente (Jpn), who died last September.

Saturday, Del Mar
MAKER’S MARK BREDERS ‘CUP HEN AND MARE TURF-GI, $ 1,840,000, Del Mar, 11-6 yrs, 3 yrs / over, f / m, 1 3/8 mT, 2: 13.87, fm.
1-LOVES ONLY YOU (JPN), 124, m, 5, by Deep Impact (Jpn)
1st dam: Loves Only Me, by Storm Cat
2nd Dam: Monevassia, by M. Prospector
3rd mother: Miesque, by Nureyev
(¥ 160,000,000 Ylg ’17 JRASAL). O-DMM Dream Club Co.;
B-Ferme du Nord (JPN); T-Yoshito Yahagi; J-Yuga Kawada.
$ 1,040,000. Lifetime record: G1SW-Jpn & HK, G1SP-UAE,
15-7-2-3, $ 6,493,602. * Complete at Langley (Jpn), SP-Jpn,
$ 1,173,360; Real steel (Jpn), Hwt. Older Horse-UAE at 7-9.5f,
G1SW-EAU, MGSW and MG1SP-Jpn, $ 7,508,769; and lavish
Fils (Jpn), SW & MGSP-Jpn, $ 1,564,219. Werk Nick’s rating: B +.
Click for the ENicks report and pedigree 5 crossed.
2–My sister Nat (Fr), 124, m, 6, by acclamation (GB)
1st dam: Starlet’s Sister (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Premiere Creation (Fr), by Green Tune
3rd mother: Allwaki, by Miswaki
(€ 20,000 Ylg ’16 ARQFEB). O-Peter M. Brant; B-Stable
Monceaux (FR); Chad C. Brown. $ 340,000.
3–War Like Goddess, 124, f, 4, through the Channel
1st dam: Misty North, by North Light (Ire)
2nd mother: Misty Gallop, by Victory Gallop
3rd Dam: Romanette, by Alleged
($ 1,200 Wlg ’17 KEENOV; $ 1,000 RNA Ylg ’18 KEESEP; $ 30,000
2 years ’19 OBSOPN). O-George Krikorian; Ferme B-Calumet (KY);
T-William I. Mott. $ 180,000.
Margins: HF, HD, 1HF. Odds: 4.30, 29.90, 2.30.
Also ran: Love (Ire), Audarya (Fr), Ocean Road (Ire), Rougir (Fr), Pocket Square (GB), Acanella (GB), Dogtag, Going to Vegas, Queen Supreme (Ire). Click for the Equibase.com Chart, the PP from TJCIS.com or the Free Equineline.com catalog style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.