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where the horse is always the hero
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Posted 2014-12-27 21:05:44  
Japan: Arima Kinen (The Grand Prix) (G1

The Arima Kinen for 2014 is littered with stars from Japan. including the world's best rated horse, Just A Way, the great mare Gentildonna and reigning Japan Cup champion Epiphaneia. 

It's going to be a classic... 

2014 Arima Kinen (The Grand Prix) (G1) - comments from runners' connections

Denim and Ruby (4yo, filly)
Suguru Hamanaka
"She was moving well and she’s been in good condition all along. Her last race was fast pace and on top of that, she struggled with the turf conditions. I’m hoping the pace slows down and Denim (and Ruby) can pick a spot to break through – like she did when she was second in the Japan Cup last year.”


Epiphaneia (4yo, colt)
Yuga Kawada
"I’ve never felt any pressure. I’m being trusted with a horse of his caliber and it’s up to me to produce. That’s my job and it’s what I get paid to do. I had an opportunity to ride him a little before he made his debut, but there’s no comparing how good he was then and now. He was relaxed in the workout today, but I’m sure it’ll be a completely different story once the race rolls around. He quickens so well that I have to make sure he’s got something left in the tank for the stretch run.”

Katsuhiko Sumii (trainer)
“I was reminded again just how talented he is. To win the way he did after the trip he had (in the Japan Cup) is simply amazing. Our job is to figure out how he can channel the phenomenal speed and power he has. I think almost all good racehorses are high maintenance. We’re constantly experimenting as it’s a massive responsibility to be working with such a horse. We’re trying to keep the work not as intense as it was for his last start. It’ll come down again to how well he can settle. But he’s had two races this fall so mentally as well as physically, he should be easier to prepare. The racetrack doesn’t exactly suit him by all means, but he’s in good condition. We’re praying he can run like the way he did in the Japan Cup.”


Fenomeno (5yo, horse)
Hirofumi Toda (trainer)
"He’s a little tense, but I mean that in a good way. I’m getting a good overall feel from him, a lot of intensity. I think he’s finally switched on. The two races he’s had this fall have been unacceptable, no matter how you look at it. He’s raring to go himself now. It’s the most he’s been fired up in his three starts this fall. I hope we can put these past two results to bed with a good performance here. We managed to land a good jockey (in Hironobu Tanabe); Tanabe himself has said he’s gotten a good feel for him. We don’t want people to remember Fenomeno as the horse he’s been in these last two races. I really hope we can strike back here.”


Gentildonna (5yo, mare)
Sei Ishizaka (trainer)
“We had her work with a partner this morning, just to see how sharp she was. A bit different from what I expected maybe, but nothing surprising. This will be her third race since the summer so the workload was just about right. My impression (of Arima Kinen) is that every year, the going seems to be bad and the layout is tricky. Who knows how the race will turn out, but at least the turf appears to be in relatively good condition, which was a huge reason we decided to race her at Nakayama. They’re going to hold a ceremony for her after the race, and I wanted the fans to have one last opportunity to see her. She’s worked abreast last week and this week so she is ready to give it everything she’s got. We ask for everyone’s support.”


Gold Ship (5yo, horse)
Yasunari Iwata
“There’s no comparison from last week. He had a fantastic workout. I made sure he didn’t let up and when he took the bit, he was locked in all the way to the end. I wasn’t completely satisfied with the work he has last week. Today, he showed me he was ready for a race. He’s in good enough form. I’ve always had the impression he was a powerful horse. I was surprised by how strong he was when I rode him (in the Hanshin Daishoten). He’s absolutely ripped this time, too, and he’s been working really well. It’s an honor to be riding him. He won the most votes so we owe it to the fans to have a good race; that’s important. It’s the last race of the season and I want to ride a good race myself.”

Naosuke Sugai (trainer)
“I wanted to get him ready for battle. I think he’s well prepared. I just don’t think he was into it (for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe). He was well looked after at the farm and we’ve been working backwards from this race all along. He’s had the support of so many people, from kids to the old aged. And he’s in good enough shape to make everyone happy.”


Just a Way (5yo, horse)
Yuichi Fukunaga
"His action was extremely good. He’s back to his best. He’s night and day compared to his last race. His time, his movement, it was a great workout. He’s the type to get better with each race. He was good last week and much better than he was for the Japan Cup. He’s just a lot sharper physically compared to a week ago. We drew a good barrier in the Japan Cup so we broke well and settled. I thought we had it in the bag turning for home, but when you think about the fact that he was still on his way up, he did really well – extremely well. I’ve got a lot of good memories with him but I’m hoping we have one more here. It would be great if he can finish his career on a high – because he’s certainly in the physical condition to do it. The terms of the race aren’t ideal for him but I’m counting on his quality to help him get through here.”


Lachesis (4yo, filly)
Cristian Demuro
"It takes time for her to get going after I give her the signal, but as far as the workout goes, she was good, her action was good. I want to get a position towards the front.”

Katsuhiko Sumii (trainer)
“She’s a clever horse with good footwork. She should like Nakayama.”


Last Impact (4yo, colt)
Hiroyoshi Matsuda (trainer)
"He’s better than he was last week. We haven’t been doing anything differently, and he’s as steady as ever. With him, we just need to take it one race at a time. A lot of horses tend to make their move from the next to last turn, but that’s where we need to be patient. It’ll probably come down to how (Yuji Hishida) rides him.”


Meisho Mambo (4yo, filly)
Yuji Iida (trainer)
"We held her back a little today, bearing in mind the travel to the racetrack and her appetite. But a week ago, she still worked harder than most females do a week before the race and I think she’s already switched on. We know that if we push her, she will give back. It’s worked out for her when she’s traveled the day before a race, as in the Oaks (Yushun Himba) and Victoria Mile so we’re not worried about that. I just hope there’s not too much traffic on the way there.”


Ocean Blue (6yo, horse)
Yasutoshi Ikee (trainer)
“He’s been pumped up since his last race and is looking a lot sharper now. He’s finished second in the Arima Kinen before and won the (Nikkan Sports Sho) Nakayama Kinpai so we like to think the winter at Nakayama brings the best out of him.”


One and Only (3yo, colt)
Kojiro Hashiguchi (trainer)
"The workout was perfect. He showed his class. I thought he might finish behind, but it went better than I expected. He’s grown day by day and it’s safe to say we’re ready. We just need to see where we draw and hope for the best. I don’t think the racecourse is a bad fit for him. If I didn’t think he had a shot, I wouldn’t use him here – even against the older horses. That’s the feel I’m getting from him.”


Satono Noblesse (4yo, colt)
Kenichi Ikezoe
“He put in a good workout and should get even better now. I think he’s approaching the form that won him some graded races. He doesn’t explode but can hit top speed and sustain it for a long stretch. I have to make sure to ride to his strengths.”


To the World (3yo, colt)
William Buick
"He’s got speed and good reaction. It’s been a while since his last race but doesn’t seem the least bit rusty. He’s ready for sure. The distance may not be ideal for him, but it’s within his boundaries.”

Yasutoshi Ikee (trainer)
“He was brilliant. His brother always ran well when it was cold. It could be the same with him. He’s got great footwork and a solid track record at Nakayama.”


Tosen Ra (6yo, horse)
Yutaka Take
"He feels as good as he’s ever been. The guys at the stable have been telling me they’ve been pushing him to the limit because it’s his last race. The distance isn’t perfect for him but he has no problems handling Nakayama. How he deals with the distance – and the opposition – will be key here. It looks like the going will suit (Tosen) Ra perfectly; the horses up front have been having a hard time. We’re just going to leave everything out there. The horse is in excellent condition in his own right.”


Verxina (5yo, mare)
Yasuo Tomomichi (trainer)
“She was sharp, sharp to a point where I think she’s in the best form she’s been in all year. I’m kind of hoping she might sneak in among the leaders somehow. She was only barely ready last time. She’s taking the bit on her own, which is what she does when she’s in top condition.”


Win Variation (6yo, horse)
Kota Fujioka
"I made sure he didn’t let up at all during the workout. He seemed pretty sharp, and got the impression that he was beyond getting warmed up for the race, that he was getting lighter and lighter on his feet. If you solely look at his results, there’s nothing that he needs to be ashamed of. He started fading from the next to last turn in his previous race, but I hope that changes this time around.” 

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