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Kane Hekili wins Japan Cup (dirt) a second time

By Tom Krish | 09 Dec 2008 |


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It is a remarkable story and it is worth narrating. Kane Hekili, a colt bred in Japan, was a three year-old in 2005. Entrusted to Yutaka Take, Kane Hekili justified favouritism in the Japan Cup (dirt) at Tokyo Racecourse in November 2005. After another win in February 2006 in Japan, Kane Hekili headed to Dubai for a tilt at the World Cup. He was a well-beaten fourth in that race won by Electrocutionist. After that Dubai disappointment, Kane Hekili did not race until November of this year. He had a prep race on November 8 with the Japan Cup (dirt) in his sights.

On Sunday, now a six year-old, Kane Hekili was in the lineup for the Japan Cup (dirt) at Hanshin Racecourse near Osaka. It was a race over 1800 metres. Hanshin is a right handed track. Christophe Lemaire, a name that ought to ring a bell with fans in India, was aboard Kane Hekili. Vermilion, who had taken over the mantle of Japan’s best dirt horse, was the 12-10 choice in the field of fifteen that had two American representatives. Mast Track, a third American runner, was a late withdrawal. Frosty Giant had Cornelio Velasquez aboard and Edgar Prado was the jockey for Tin Cup Chalice, a New York-bred known for his propensity for leaving and racing on the front end.

There were 48,766 fans in attendance and they were treated to an exciting contest. I watched the race in Chicago on TVG, a racing channel based in the US. Local post time was about 3 45 P M on Sunday in Japan.

Tin Cup Chalice showed the way. Vermilion and Kane Hekili raced in striking range. The field came into the final turn and Tin Cup Chalice was under serious pressure. Vermilion began his bid on the outside. Meisho Samson, another Japan-based runner, was making up ground and loomed large. Jockey Lemaire, benefitting from a ground-saving trip, had moved into the mix with 300 metres left. Hanshin has a short run-in. Finding room on the inside, Lemaire and Kane Hekili angled out to race past Tin Cup Chalice who could not find more. One may have thought that the winner had been spotted. The last word in the Japan Cup (dirt) script had not been written. Lemaire was hard at work and was trying to cling to the fast-dminishing advantage. Meisho Samson and Vermilion were gaining with every stride. It was a three-way photo and the announcer (an Australian who catered to English-speaking audiences) called Kane Hekili the winner and the photo confirmed it.

It was a second victory in the Japan Cup (dirt) for Kane Hekili who returned 980 yen on a 100 yen ticket. The winning margin was a head. Meisho Samson was the bridesmaid. A neck away in third was Vermilion. The time was 1 49.2 on a fast track. Kane Hekili’s sire is Fuji Kiseki. The dam is Life Out There by Deputy Minister. Kane Hekili’s earnings stand at 611,624,700 yen. 

A sum of 16,129,982,200 was bet on the Japan Cup. The handle for the 12-race card was 24, 053,088,400 yen. In Japan, to use a typical gambling expression, fans bet with both hands.

Christophe Lemaire inherited the mount on Kane Hekili when Yutaka Take was hurt in a spill. I tried to reach jockey Lemaire but could not. Lemaire won the Q E Cup, the first race in the four-event Autumn Festival.

Casino Drive, a high profile flop in the BC Classic, finished sixth after racing prominently. Frosty Giant was 12th and Tin Cup Chalice faded to be 13th.

 Let us now focus on what happened in America. At Hollywood Park on Sunday, Champs Elysees, ridden by Jose Valdivia, proved the best in the Grade I Hollywood Turf Cup. Jockey Valdivia was the replacement rider when Julien Leparoux, the intended jockey, could not fulfil his commitment. Champs Elysees, by Danehill out of Hasili by Kahyasi, is trained by Robert Frankel. The 2400-metre race on the grass was run in 2 27.71. As the favorite, Champs Elysees paid $5.60. Champs Elysees is owned by Juddmonte Farms.

Champs Elysees, second to Sunriver in the Hollywood Turf Cup a year ago, stayed inside. Improving along the fence, Champs Elysees found himself in second place turning for home. With a burst of speed that turned out to be a winning move, Champs Elysees shot to the front. Obrigado ran on without hope to be second.  

Jockey Valdivia talked about how lucky he was. “How many times do you get to pick a horse that’s 9-5 in the morning line? Even though this was my first time riding him, I have worked him many times in the morning. I got to save ground all the way around. I felt like Street Sense in the Kentucky Derby.”

Trainer Robert Frankel pointed out a special trait of his trainee. “He waits on horses. Today, I was afraid that he may have made the lead too soon but when that horse (Obrigado) got to him, he went on again.”

In the same Hollywood Park card, the Grade III Native Diver Stakes was run. Joel Rosario steered Slew’s Tizzy to a length and a half win in the 1800-metre race on the cushion track. Dismissed at 7-1, Slew’s Tizzy ran the race in 1 46.78.

Doug O’Neill, trainer of Slew’s Tizzy, said, “Slew’s Tizzy had a lot of trouble in the BC Mile. He was training very well. Joel Roasrio gave him, a great ride.”

Jockey Joel Rosario had five winners on Saturday at Hollywood Park. He was scheduled to fly to Puerto Rico Friday afternoon. He postponed his departure until Saturday evening and what a Saturday it turned out to be!

Hollywood Park’s Sunday feature was the $150,000 Bayakoa handicap. Jockey Jon Court rode Briecat, a 13-1 chance, to a start to finish win in the 1700-metre race on the cushion surface. A Vladimir Cerin trainee, Briecat won by two and one quarter lengths in a time of 1 40.38.

Trainer Cerin emphasized the mental attitude of his ward. “She was the only three year-old in the race. She keeps getting better and better. She was winning three in a row. When they win a couple in a row, their mind changes. They become confident.”

Trainer Steve Asmussen, the top American trainer, added a glittering prize to his cap on Friday. The event was the Grade III Boyd Gaming’s Delta Princess Stakes run at Delta Downs. Jockey Shaun Bridgmohan was aboard Four Gifts, a 7-1 chance, who won the $300,000 winner’s share. C S Silk, the even money favourite, was the runner-up.

Wild Again was supplemented to the 1984 BC Classic (inaugural year) at a cost of $360,000. The BC races were held at Hollywood Park. In a stretch-long three way battle for supremacy, Wild Again, in the hands of Pat Day, beat back challenges from Gate Dancer and Slew of Gold. There was considerable bumping in the final furlong and the inquiry sign was put up promptly. An inquiry that almost lasted 10 minutes did not prompt the judges to change the finish order.

An Icecapade colt out of Bushel-N-Park, Wild Again, 28, was euthanized last Friday at the Three Chimneys Farm where he had stood. Infirmities caused by age was the reason given. Wild Again was sold for $35,000 as a yearling. He sired eight millionaires. There were four champions and 84 stakes winners. Wild Again was pensioned in October 2004.

Sandy Hatfield, Manager at Three Chimneys, spoke eloquently about Wild Again. “The combination of athleticism, bloodlines and personality made him one-in-a-million kind of horse. Until the end, he was happy, healthy and energetic and above all, a gentleman.”

Here are two news items from Australia. Bauer, trained by Luca Cumani, finished second in last month’s Melbourne Cup. An investigation was launched to determine if trainer Cumani had violated Australian racing rules by using shock wave therapy treatment for Bauer. The rules say that a horse should not race for seven days after the treatment. Bauer’s Melbourne Cup race came in four days. It was determined that Cumani relied on the advice given by a Racing Victoria-approved veterinarian and therefore, no transgression was committed.

At Ascot (Perth) in Australia, the Group I Kingston Town Classic was won by Niconero. The winning rider was Brad Rawiller. The 1800-metre race gave jockey Brad Rawiller his tenth win at the highest level. The race was worth $400,000.

Betfair, the betting exchange company, will sponsor the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. It is a shot in the arm for the Berkshire-based race track. The prize money has been increased to one million pounds. Betfait will have a separate area for its customers. Betfair and Sony are now the leading sponsors at Ascot.

On Saturday, there were two Scoop 6 winners in England. The dividend was 128,350 pounds. The two winners will have a crack at the 1,639,524-pound bonus fund this Saturday. There were seven tickets going into the last leg, Two punters picked Kilbeggan Blade, a Tony McCoy mount. Jockey McCoy was winning his fourth race at Sandown.

Finally, here’s a heart-warming story from America. In November 2007, jockey E J Perrodin, a long-time rider in the Louisiana circuit, had 2,987 winners. A pre-race accident resulted in a broken pelvis. Jockey Perrodin was sidelined indefinitely. Fellow jockeys organized a ‘benefit crawfish boil’ to raise funds to defray Perrodin’s medical expenses. On Friday, December 5, Perrodin, who had returned to the races recently, recorded the 3,000th win of his career at the Fair Grounds. He’s Royal Due, ridden by Perrodin, went from last to first to give him his watershed victory.  Perrodin has ridden 64 stakes winners at the Fair Grounds.

Jockey Perrodin spoke with emotion. “If there was any place I wanted to reach this milestone, I wanted it to be right here at the Fair Grounds.”

The next big race day is at Sha Tin in Hong Kong on Sunday, December 14. Four Group I races will be run.

Sources: TV reports, Racing Post and Blood Horse