Fourth pick Maurice, coming off his first G1 victory in the Yasuda Kinen in early June, won this year’s Mile Championship to achieve two consecutive G1 victories and a five-race winning streak. The son of Screen Hero became the 10th horse to win both the Yasuda Kinen and the Mile Championship, the sixth to do so in the same year following Daiwa Major in 2007. Trainer Noriyuki Hori claimed his ninth JRA-G1 victory following the colt’s Yasuda Kinen title and Ryan Moore, who is racing in Japan under a short-term license, marked his fifth JRA-G1 win following the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes title he achieved with Asia Express in 2013.

Four-year-old Maurice broke smoothly from stall 16 and was eased back to mid-division while traveling wide behind second-pick Fiero on the outside. Turning wide around the corners and entering the stretch still in mid-division, the bay colt accelerated from around 300 meters out and passed tiring rivals to take command with 100 meters to go and draw away for his second G1 victory.

“I knew that he was probably going to be the best miler in the race and it was just a question of getting a clean trip and hopefully if we kept things straight forward, he would be able to show that he’s the best horse, and he did. He showed a really good turn of foot in the last 400 meters. I rode him when he was a two-year-old but he’s developed into a fast strong horse,” commented Ryan Moore.

Last year’s runner-up Fiero, rated around eighth from frontrunner Let’s Go Donki, slipped out from between horses around the 200-meter pole and chased Maurice to the wire but finished again in second, 1-1/4 lengths behind the winner.

Odds-on-favorite Isla Bonita, being forced to race from behind after missing his break, edged forward along the rails in the backstretch and threaded through horses in the homestretch to deliver a powerful late kick, running the fastest in the last three furlongs, but was 1-1/4 lengths and a neck short to finish third.
Other Horses:
4th: (8) Satono Aladdin—hugged rail inside winner, switched to outer route for clear path, accelerated
5th: (7) Albiano—traveled in 5th, quickened along rail at stretch, led briefly 100m out but outrun
6th: (3) Let’s Go Donki—set moderate pace, sustained bid and led until 100m out, weakened
7th: (14) Tosen Stardom—prominent in 3rd to 4th early, ran gamely until 100m out, outrun thereafter
8th: (13) Real Impact—sat in mid-group, showed good effort but was too late
9th: (17) Logotype—raced in front of winner, checked 200m out, lacked needed kick
10th: (15) Danon Shark—ran in rear pack, angled wide, showed belated charge at straight
11th: (6) Arma Waioli—traveled back in mid-division, even paced at stretch
12th: (18) Clarity Sky—pressed pace in 2nd from widest draw, ran out of steam in last 200m
13th: (11) Curren Black Hill—raced behind winner, unable to reach contention
14th: (1) Vincennes—sat 2nd from last, turned wide, passed tired rivals
15th: (12) Red Reveur—positioned wide toward rear, failed to respond at straight
16th: (2) Keiai Elegant—chased leaders in 3rd to 4th, showed little after final turn
17th: (4) Daiwa Maggiore—saved ground in 6th, met traffic 300m out, lost momentum
18th: (9) Red Arion—trailed in rear, no factor