In a huge upset, young jockey Hiroyasu Tanaka provided a bold front-running display on outsider Queen Spumante, which saw the 5-year-old mare hold on to win the 34th running of the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup.

65,000 fans turned out today to see the champion 3-year-old filly Buena Vista take on a great field of fillies and mares, including the French trained Shalanaya, but as the field crossed the line, the fans were left in complete shock.

After starting well, Tanaka took the 11th favorite Queen Spumante to the lead, and although T M Precure – the 12th favorite – quickly followed, the two leaders did not spend much energy in the early stages of the 2,200-meter race. The fancied runners settled well in the pack, with Shalanaya and second favorite Broad Street in midfield positions, while Buena Vista had just three horses behind her in the early stages. Very little change in the order happened during the race, but Queen Spumante and T M Precure gradually increased their lead, and as the field passed the 1,000m pole, they had opened up to hold a break of almost 100 meters to the third horse, the winner of the race last year – 4-year-old Little Amapola.

The crowd started to worry at the 800-meter mark, and Katsumi Ando on Buena Vista also showed his concern – taking off from the back of the field to be vying for third place coming into the final straight. But Queen Spumante and T M Precure were still well ahead in the straight, and at the 200-meter mark, it was clear that Queen Spumante had shaken off the challenge of T M Precure, and that she would hold on to win. T M Precure was tiring, and Buena Vista was giving her all, as she absolutely flew in the final stages, but on the line, Queen Spumante had 1 1/2 lengths to spare and T M Precure just held on for second place, with Buena Vista missing by a neck for third. Shalanaya finished fourth, another 3 1/2 lengths back ahead of 4-year-old mare Meisho Beluga, and 2nd favorite Broad Street.

Buena Vista was brave in defeat, but the day belonged to Hiroyasu Tanaka and his mount Queen Spumante. Today’s victory was the first win at the highest level for Tanaka, a 23-year-old in his fourth year as a jockey.

Tears were flowing even before he had pulled Queen Spumante up. Brining her career record to 6-for-21, Queen Spumante, by Jungle Pocket out of the Sakura Yutaka O mare Sembon Zakura, was bred by Shadai Farm and is owned by Green Farm. She is trained by Shigeyuki Kojima, the Miho Training Center-based trainer who also shocked the Kyoto Racecourse crowd last year in winning the Shuka Sho with – as fate would have it – 11th favorite Black Emblem.