Rounding out the four Grade 1 races that make up the JRA's Japan Autumn International Series, the Champions Cup will be held at Chukyo Racecourse near Nagoya on Sunday, December 1.
Run on dirt over 1,800 meters at the left-handed track, this year marks the 25th running of the race.
Originally called the Japan Cup Dirt, it's been an international race since its inaugural year when it was run at Tokyo in the year 2000. The distance of the race then was 2,100 meters. It was later run at Hanshin from 2008 until 2013. After that, the venue was changed to Chukyo, and it then became known as the Champions Cup.
It's a race for 3-year-olds and up. There have been a total of 29 runners from overseas so far, with American entrant Fleetstreet Dancer the only foreign winner back in 2003. The last runner from abroad was Pavel in 2018. And although six American horses were nominated to run this year, none of them will make the trip to Japan for this Sunday's race.
That leaves the big race at the mercy of some of the best dirt horses currently running in Japan. There have been 20 final nominations for a maximum 16-runner field. Notable winners of the race in recent years include Le Vent Se Leve (2018), Chrysoberyl (2019) and T O Keynes (2021). The first two mentioned won as 3-year-olds, and Chrysoberyl holds the record time for the race, which is 1 minute, 48.5 seconds. Le Vent Se Leve is now making a bit of a name for himself as a stallion.
Key Facts About the Champions Cup
In the last 10 years, first favorites have only won three times. And in that same period, 5-year-olds have won four times. Weights are set at 56 kg for 3-year-olds, while 4-year-olds and above carry 58 kg, with a 2-kg allowance for fillies and mares. This year's winner's check is ¥120 million JPY (about $800,000 USD).
One recent JRA dirt race leading into Sunday's race was the Grade 3 Miyako Stakes, run over 1,800 meters at Kyoto on November 3.
Post time for the Grade 1 Champions Cup is 3:30 PM, and it will be Race 11 on the 12-race card at Chukyo.
Here's a look at some of the horses expected to take on the race:
Before Retirement, Lemon Pop Running to Defend Champions Cup Title
Lemon Pop, the 2023 winner of the race and winner of the same year's JRA award for the Best Dirt Horse, is back for another shot on Sunday. He will be aiming to become just the second horse in the history of the race to win in consecutive years. Transcend accomplished the feat in 2010 and 2011.
"After the Nambu Hai, the horse went to the Darley Midway Farm for a break, and came back to the stable on November 5," assistant trainer Hiroyuki Yamazaki said recently. "His first work since returning was on the woodchip course. It'll be his last race before retiring, and being the horse that won the first Grade 1 for the stable, we all hope he'll show his best this time too."
Crown Pride Chasing More Success on Dirt
Crown Pride, a 5-year-old Reach the Crown progeny, has a good record in dirt races. That includes successfully defending his title in his most recent race, the Grade 3 Korea Cup on September 8, with an overwhelming victory. He was a bit disappointing in the 2023 Champions Cup when he finished 11th, but trainer Koichi Shintani hopes things will be different this time.
"His result in the [2023] race wasn't so good," commented Shintani. "I think he was a bit tired after the race in Korea, so this year we've taken measures to make sure this isn't the case. There's a good feeling about him right now, and the gate he draws, and the start he gets, will be two of the main points this time."
Wilson Tesoro Looks to Maintain Winning Form
Coming off a strong win in the JBC Classic over 2,000 meters at Saga on November 4, the Kitasan Black-sired Wilson Tesoro will hope to go one better in Sunday's Champions Cup, after finishing second last year.
"The horse was in good condition for his last race, and we can now look to this next one with him," trainer Hitoshi Kotegawa said of the 5-year-old.
"Jockey Yuga Kawada got everything right in his last run, and I was pleased with the win. The horse was tired after the 20-hour journey back from the course, but it wasn't long before we had him running again as usual."
Kawada once again takes the ride on Wilson Tesoro.
Read the rest of this article about the Champions Cup and the Japanese horses in contention on JRA News.
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Author: JRA News
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