The six running of the JAPAN CUP DIRT welcomed three foreign contenders-LAVA MAN and TAP DAY from the United States and ECCENTRIC from Great Britain. Contenders from Japan included last year`s winner and third place finisher, TIME PARADOX and GENE CRISIS respectively.

Top favorite KANE HEKILI won out a blanket finish to claim his third GI win in record time of 2:08.0, giving his jockey Yutaka Take his 200th win this year for three successive seasons, with more than a month to renew his personal and the JRA`s record of 214 wins of last year. Take also set a new JRA record with sixth GI win in a single season.

The race broke off with UTOPIA, SEEKING THE DIA and ADJUDI MITSUO rallying for the early lead. With UTOPIA eventually taking the lead to set the pace, ADJUDI MITSUO stalked the leader on the outside while SEEKING THE DIA followed in third by the rail. KANE HEKILI broke well and settled in midfield around 8th to 9th position with STAR KING MAN racing upside him on the inside. Turning wide around the last corner, Take steered the 3-year-old colt to the outside and closed in on SEEKING THE DIA who had taken the lead 400 meters out. Joined by STAR KING MAN also charging forward from the inside, the three horses rallied neck-to-neck-neck in the last furlong with KANE HEKILI reaching the wire a nod in front of SEEKING THE DIA and STAR KING MAN another neck behind for the share.

Sixth pick LAVA MAN mounted by Corey Nakatani broke well and settled around 5th position by the rail but lacked speed in the homestretch to finish 11th. "The horse scraped the frog of his left front hoof in the backstretch and lost his drive," commented C. Nakatani.

Ninth favorite TAP DAY partnered with Eibar Coa ran off the pace and was unable to accelerate in the homestretch to finish 13th. "The horse was in great condition and I was looking forward to the race so it`s too bad he couldn`t do better. I think a firmer ground would suit him better," said E. Coa.

Fifteenth choice ECCENTRIC ridden by Darryll Holland traveled three wide in midfield, attempted to improve position but fell back and finished last. "The horse didn`t respond at all throughout the race," commented D. Holland.

5. TIME PARADOX- broke well, traveled outside a rival in 6th, showed good charge but couldn`t reach leaders. 3. SUNRISE BACCHUS- hugged rail 5th from rear, edged up in homestretch to 5th place finish. 1. SHIROKITA GOD RUN- trailed in rear along the rail, accelerated to 6th place in homestretch. 11. SAQALAT- steadied in midfield, improved position around last corner but dropped back to 7th. 4. UTOPIA- led the pack inside, tired at mid-stretch. 9. HIGHER GAME- poor start, traveled in rear pack, improved position in homestretch. 14. AJUDI MITSUO- chased leader 2 wide, faded after last corner to finish 10th. 13. GENE CRISIS- delayed at start, traveled 3 wide rearward, failed to threaten. 12. PERSONAL RUSH- traveled within pace but tired after 4th corner. 16. HISHI ATLAS- bumped at start.

Mirco Demuro, who was scheduled to ride SHIROKITA GOD RUN, injured his right thigh during the third race and was replaced by Yutaka Yoshida for the Japan Cup Dirt. Davy Bonilla will replace him in tomorrow`s Japan Cup race.