Gold Actor Lands First G1 Title and Four-Race Winning Streak in the Arima Kinen Eighth pick Gold Actor captured his first G1 title and extended his winning streak to four in the year-end Arima Kinen. The Screen Hero colt made his debut in November of his two-year-old season and broke his maiden in his first start the following year. Though failing to make the three-year-old spring classics, Gold Actor marked two consecutive wins in August and finished a respectable third in the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger). Returning from an eight-month break in July this year, the four-year-old dark bay won three consecutive races including his first grade-race win in the Copa Republica Argentina before coming into this race. This win marked the first G1 title for trainer Tadashige Nakagawa who opened his stable in 2006 and also for jockey Hayato Yoshida who debuted in 2004.

Gold Actor broke sharply from stall seven and led briefly before allowing the two three-year-olds, Kitasan Black and Lia Fail, to set the pace in first and second, respectively, while hugging the rails in fourth or fifth. The field traveled at a slow pace, covering the first 1,000 meter in 1:02.4 and the front runners were maintaining their positions while the rest crept closer for the attack turning for home. Gold Actor, while advancing to third along the rails with Gold Ship on his outside, didn’t miss his chance to angle out slightly as the race favorite failed to increase his speed to secure a clear run coming into the home straight and steadily increased his stride in the last 200 meters, hitting the front with 50 meters to go then held off a strong charge from Sounds of Earth for a neck win. “It was my first time riding this colt at Nakayama but I knew that this course would suit him and having picked a good draw, I was able to ride him as I had imagined. We made a rather early move so I was praying that he would stay to the finish. He’s a smart horse and I knew that he had the ability to perform at this (G1) level. I, as a jockey, took up this career to become a G1 winner and I am happy that my efforts to this day finally paid off,” commented Hayato Yoshida on his first G1 victory. Sounds of Earth was positioned nicely outside Gold Actor up to the third corner and at the heels of the winner into the homestretch then lost some ground going wide but showed impressive speed in the closing stages to just miss by a neck. Kitasan Black broke smoothly to take command to set a slow pace for most of the trip. Still with more to give after the final turn, the three-year-old gave a remarkable performance in his first challenge against his seniors to stay on gamely then gave way grudgingly with just 50 meters to go. Breaking from a wide stall, the 2012 victor and race favorite Gold Ship who was hoping for a G1 win to end his career in racing was eased back in the rear end of the 16-horse field and made headway from the middle of the backstretch to close in on the leaders, reaching the first three runners rounding the third corner, but the front runners had plenty left in the tank after a slow-paced trip and the gray six-year-old was unable to launch a serious threat in the final stages while finishing a close eighth. After the final race of the day, many of the 120,000-plus race fans that showed up to witness Gold Ship’s final run stayed on for his retirement ceremony to show their appreciation for the gray’s achievements during his career that was met with a roller coaster of emotions but whose outstanding ability was never in doubt.

Other Horses: 4th: (16) Marialite—traveled wide in 4-5th, entered lane behind leader in 2nd, held well for second then overtaken before wire 5th: (4) Lovely Day—rated 6th, quickened along rail at stretch but lacked needed kick 6th: (10) Tosen Reve—traveled 3rd from rear, closed willingly chasing leaders through tight spot in late-stretch 7th: (5) Admire Deus—ran wide and in 7th, dug in gamely in mid-stretch, tagged favorite in final strides 9th: (8) One and Only—raced along rail in latter half of field, showed effort but lacked final kick 10th: (13) Rouge Buck—reserved in mid-pack, chased favorite down stretch, unable to threaten 11th: (6) Albert—unhurried in 2nd from rear, edged up from 3rd corner, lacked needed response 12th: (3) Last Impact—traveled two-wide in mid-division, made mild bid at upper stretch, even-paced 13th: (2) Hit the Target—saved ground in mid-pack, kept on rails throughout, never reached contention 14th: (14) Derby Fizz—sat 4th to 5th from rear, angled out wide rounding last turn, showed little 15th: (1) Ocean Blue—hugged rails in 4th to 5th from rear, entered stretch last, never fired 16th: (12) Lia Fail—broke smoothly, chased pace in 2nd to 3rd, retreated from 3rd corner