Favored above 2010 Horse of the Year Buena Vista who was making her last appearance in the race following her Japan Cup victory, Orfevre turned in a solid performance in claiming this year’s Arima Kinen and standing atop some of the most recognized G1 winners of the season. The Stay Gold colt, who scored one win out of three starts as a two-year-old, was highly successful this season winning five in a row—among which three were the Triple Crown classics—before his first attempt against older G1 company in this race.

His fourth G1 victory of this season was the fifth for trainer Yasutoshi Ikee—the other G1 title being from Tosen Jordan who won the Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1)—which placed him on the JRA record of trainers with most G1 wins in a single season (record tie). Stablemate To the Glory, ridden by this year’s champion jockey, Yuichi Fukunaga, was third for the second year running while Tosen Jordan finished fifth under Craig Williams. Ikee also saddled Orfevre’s full brother, Dream Journey to victory in the same G1 event in 2009.

All broke smoothly as Earnestly sprinted forward from stall 12 to set the pace. Defending champion Victoire Pisa was close behind in second along the rails while Tosen Jordan was rated outside Buena Vista who saved ground and was forwardly placed than usual by Yasunari Iwata in third or fourth. Eishin Flash, Hiruno d’Amour, and Red Davis formed the following group with To the Glory, King Top Gun, Rose Kingdom, and Jaguar Mail alternating positions in mid-division. Orfevre and Rulership sat in the rear of the field that more or less bunched closed behind a very slow pace that timed 1:03.8 over the first 1,000 meters.

As the race continued at a less than moderate pace approaching the third corner, Kenichi Ikezoe maneuvered Orfevre towards the front along the outside, circling wide into the stretch while showing good acceleration to reach contention 200 meters out as Earnestly and Victoire Pisa, in turn, began to fall back from their early efforts. Eishin Flash, sensing the inexorable drive by the three-year-old chestnut, found another gear to rally briefly for about 100 meters but was unable to match the ever increasing strides of this year’s Triple Crown winner who pulled away for the 3/4-length victory. To the Glory also exerted a good turn of foot in the last 100 meters to quickly close in for third while Rulership scorched down the outside lane from way back, finishing a neck in front of Tosen Jordan in fourth.

Buena Vista was unsuccessful in displaying her usual late charge after traveling right behind the slow pace for most of the way and drowned out of the scene after the furlong pole. Most of the crowd stayed into the chilly evening to pay tribute to her remarkable racing achievements during her retirement ceremony which took place after the last race was over.

Comments by winning jockey, Kenichi Ikezoe: “The horse was calm entering the track for the post parade, so I knew he would do well. We fell behind a bit at the break and had to race further back on the inside than I had wanted to, but I was able to steer him to the outside in the backstretch. I moved him forward through the third corner, and the colt stretched really well outrunning his rivals in the final stretch. He’s still a young horse--he was born later than the horses of the same age group--but he is growing and getting better day by day.”

Comments from winning trainer Yasutoshi Ikee; “During the short break he was given after winning the Kikuka Sho, he was able to loosen up and relax. His conditioning went smoothly after returning to the Ritto Training Center and everything went well up to this race. He lost some weight when he arrived here, but I lost all doubts after seeing how he was with my own eyes. He was off slow and traveled on the rail, but the jockey was able to steer him out in the backstretch and I knew then that he would get the job done. As I’ve said before, we are aiming for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, but are also examining the possibilities of racing him in Dubai in March.”

OTHER HORSES:
6th: (3) Hiruno d'Amour-- saved ground in mid-field in backstretch, showed effort but failed to threaten
8th: (2) Victoire Pisa-- accelerated to 2nd from slow break, weakened from early effort in last 200m
9th: (13) Red Davis-- good start, 5th and 3-wide, lacked needed response in stretch
10th: (12) Earnestly-- set extremely slow pace, faded after giving way 200m out
11th: (11) Jaguar Mail-- near rear, improved position in mid-pack, met traffic turning for home
12th: (8) Rose Kingdom--never a factor
13th: (6) King Top Gun-- failed to reach contention
Scratched: (4) Pelusa— due to a stone bruise on his left-front hoof