FROM: Media & Publicity Department,
THE JAPAN RACING ASSOCIATION (JRA)DATE: November 26, 2023

SUBJECT: RESULT OF THE 43RD JAPAN CUP (G1)
The Japan Cup, in its 43rd year, continues to attract some of the top turf horses from around theworld—67 runners from North America, 154 from Europe, 26 from Oceania and five from Asia—while anumber of runners have made this race their starting point towards further international success infollowing years.
Last year, Vela Azul claimed his first G1 title in this race which was his sixth start after switching to turf
racing. In second was Shahryar (JPN, by Deep Impact) and Weltreisende (JPN, by Dream Journey) was
behind that in third. Grand Glory (GB, by Olympic Glory) crossed the wire in sixth with fellow Frenchrunners Onesto (IRE, by Frankel) and Simca Mille (IRE, by Tamayuz) following in seventh and 15th,
respectively, while Tunnes (GER, by Guiliani) from Germany was ninth.
This year, the Japan Cup welcomed France’s Iresine who claimed the Prix Ganay (G1, 2,100m) in Aprilfollowing his victory in the Prix Royal-Oak (G1, 3,100m) last year and came into the race from his fifthgroup-place victory in the Prix du Conseil de Paris (G2, 2,200m, Oct.15).
The home team taking on the challenge included Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1, 2,000m; Oct.29) runners:
2022 Horse of the Year Equinox (1st), who extended his G1-winning streak to five while defending his
Tenno Sho (Autumn) title; Danon Beluga (4th), runner-up in the Dubai Turf (G1, 1,800m) in March; andDo Deuce (7th), victor of last year’s Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1, 2,400m).
Two contenders coming off their All Comers (G2, 2,200m, Sep.24) starts were three-time G1 winner
Titleholder (2nd) and Chestnut Coat (15th), former JRA-based horse who is now based at NAR Hyogo.
Kyoto Daishoten (G2, 2,400m, Oct.9) finishers entered included Deep Bond (3rd), who registered threeconsecutive runner-up efforts in the Tenno Sho (Spring) (G1, 3,200m); Vela Azul (7th), who aimed todefend his Japan Cup title; and Impress (12th), third-place finisher in the Niigata Kinen (G3, 2,000m) in
September.
Three-year-olds who were in their first challenges against older foes were Liberty Island, who won the
Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas, G1, 1,600m), the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks, G1, 2,400m) and the
Shuka Sho (G1, 2,000m, Oct.15) to become the seventh Triple Crown filly, along with Shonan Bashitto,
fifth-place finisher in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, G1, 2,000m) who came off an 11th in the
Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger, G1, 3,000m, Oct.22).
Also among the field were Panthalassa, winner of the 2022 Dubai Turf and the 2023 Saudi Cup (G1, dirt,
1,800m) who made his comeback in this race from a 10th-place finish in the Dubai World Cup (G1, dirt,
2,000m. Mar.25); Stars on Earth, champion of the 2022 Oka Sho and the Yushun Himba who passed up
the Tenno Sho (Autumn) with a leg problem; Studley and Forward Again, who finished second andsixth, respectively, in the Cepheus Stakes (2,000m, Sep.16); Win Erfolg, whose latest win was partneredwith Nanako Fujita who marked a milestone this year in becoming the first JRA-based female jockey toride in the Japan Cup; Trust Kenshin who was 13th in last year’s edition; and Kurino Megami Ace,another NAR Hyogo-based filly.
The 43rd Japan Cup (G1) in association with LONGINES – Japan Autumn International –3-year-olds & up, 2,400 meters (about 12 furlongs), turf, left-handed
Sunday, November 26, 2023
Tokyo Racecourse
12th Race
Post Time: 15:40
Total prize money: ¥ 1,085,000,000 (about US$ 8,282,443 <US$1=¥131>)3-y-o: 56 kg (about 124 lbs), 4-y-o & up: 58 kg (about 128 lbs)
2 kg allowance for Fillies & Mares, 2 kg allowance for Southern Hemisphere-bred born in 2020
Course Record: 2:20.6
Race Record: 2:20.6 [Almond Eye (JPN), 2018]

Safety factor: 18 runners

Going: Good to Firm

FP

BK

PP

Horse
Jockey112

Equinox (JPN)
Christophe Lemaire

2

1

1

Liberty Island (JPN)
Yuga Kawada

3

8

17

Stars on Earth (JPN)
William Buick

4

3

5

Do Deuce (JPN)
Keita Tosaki

5

2

3

Titleholder (JPN)
Kazuo Yokoyama

6

5

10

Danon Beluga (JPN)
Joao Moreira

7

5

9

Vela Azul (JPN)
Hollie Doyle

8

2

4

Studley (JPN)Tom Marquand

9

4

7

Iresine (FR)*Marie Velon

S&A
Color
Wgt

C4
br.
58.0
F3
b.
54.0
F4
d.b.
56.0
C4
b.
58.0
H5
b.
58.0
C4
b.
58.0
H6
bl.
58.0
H5
b.
58.0
G6
d.b.
58.0

10

7

14

Deep Bond (JPN)
Ryuji Wada

11

7

15

Shonan Bashitto (JPN)
Mirco Demuro

H6
br.
58.0
C3
b.
56.0

12

4

8

Panthalassa (JPN)
Yutaka Yoshida

H6
b.
58.0

13

8

16

Impress (JPN)
Kosei Miura

14

3

6

Forward Again (JPN)
Hiroto Mayuzumi

15

8

18

Win Erfolg (JPN)
Nanako Fujita

16

6

11

Trust Kenshin (JPN)
Kiwamu Ogino

17

6

12

Chestnut Coat (JPN)
Hironobu Tanabe

18

7

13

Kurino Megami Ace (JPN)
Tomohiro Yoshimura

C4
d.b.
58.0
G6
d.b.
58.0
H6
b.
58.0
H8
b.
58.0
H9
ch.
58.0
F4
ch.
56.0

Weather: Cloudy

Odds
(Fav)

Margin(L3F)

1.3

2:21.8(1)(33.5)

3.7

4

(2)

(33.9)

26.6

1

(5)

(34.0)

13.2

3/4

(3)

(33.7)

19.2

2

(4)

(35.0)

32.5

1

(6)

(33.8)

99.7

Neck

(9)

(33.8)

547.0

Neck

(13)

(34.2)

111.2

1-1/2

(10)

(34.2)

83.8

1/2

(8)

(34.7)

513.1

1

(12)

(34.8)

46.4

1-1/4

(7)

(38.7)

666.1

7

(14)

(35.0)

866.4

3/4

(16)

(35.3)

430.8

5

(11)

(35.1)

871.9

2

(17)

(36.4)

827.0

2-1/2

(15)

(36.4)

878.1

5

(18)

(38.2)

Sire
Dam(Dam’s Sire)

Owner
BreederTrainer

Kitasan Black
Chateau Blanche(King Halo)
Duramente
Yankee Rose
(All American)
Duramente
Southern Stars(Smart Strike)
Heart's Cry
Dust and Diamonds(Vindication)
Duramente
Mowen(Motivator)
Heart's Cry
Coasted(Tizway)
Eishin Flash
Vela Blanca(Kurofune)
Harbinger
Win Floraison(Fuji Kiseki)

Silk Racing Co., Ltd.
Northern Farm
Tetsuya Kimura
Sunday Racing Co., Ltd.
Northern Racing
Mitsumasa Nakauchida
Shadai Race Horse Co., Ltd.
Shadai Farm
Mizuki Takayanagi
Kieffers Co., Ltd.
Northern Farm
Yasuo Tomomichi
Hiroshi Yamada
Okada Stud
Toru Kurita
Danox Co., Ltd.
Northern Farm
Noriyuki Hori
Carrot Farm Co., Ltd.
Northern Farm
Kunihiko Watanabe
Silk Racing Co., Ltd.
Northern Farm
Yutaka Okumura
Bertrand Milliere
P. Joyaux& Bnne ML.Van Dedem
Jean-Pierre GauvinShinji Maeda
Murata Bokujo
Ryuji Okubo
Tetsuhide Kunimoto
Northern Racing
Naosuke Sugai
Hiroo Race Co., Ltd.
PANGLOSS Y.K.,
Toshihiro Hirosaki et al.
Yoshito Yahagi
Koji Maeda
Shadai Farm
Shozo Sasaki
Koji Asakawa
Nobuta Bokujo
Eiji Nakano
Naoyuki Naridomi
Cosmo View Farm
Yasuhiro Nemoto
Richiko Suganami
Kinya Murakami
Fumimasa Takahashi
Takuya Fujita
Shimokobe Farm
Ikko Tanaka
Yae Kurimoto
Nissei Bokujo
Mitsuru Ishibashi

ManduroInanga(Oasis Dream)
KizunaZephyranthes(King Halo)Silver State
Guillem(Medaglia d'Oro)
Lord Kanaloa
Miss Pemberley(Montjeu)
KizunaBeatrice(Dr Fong)
Rose Kingdom
A Shin Shiner(Grass Wonder)
Gold Ship
Success Strain(Tikkanen)
Heart's Cry
Aphelandra(El Condor Pasa)
Heart's Cry
White Veil
(Kurofune)
Espoir City
Kurino Bandaisan(French Deputy)

FP: Final Position / BK: Bracket Number / PP: Post Position / S&A: Sex & Age / Wgt: Weight (kg) / L3F: Time of Last 3 Furlongs (600m)
Color: b.=bay / bl.=black / br.=brown / ch.=chestnut / d.b.=dark bay / d.ch.=dark chestnut / g.=gray / w.=white
NOTE 1: *Foreign contender

NOTE 2: Figures quoted under Odds are shown in form of decimal odds (single unit is ¥100), and Fav indicates the order of favorites.

Turnover for the Race alone: ¥ 26,058,995,600

Turnover for the Day: ¥ 37,285,557,900

Attendance: 85,866

Pay-off (for ¥100)
Win
Place

No.2

¥ 130

No.2

¥ 110

No.1

¥ 110

No.17

¥ 210

Bracket Quinella
Quinella Place

1-1

¥ 180

Quinella

1-2

¥ 180

1-2

¥ 130

Exacta

2-1

¥ 260

2-17

¥ 310

Trio

1-2-17

¥ 600

1-17

¥ 440

Trifecta

2-1-17¥ 1,130

Winner= 10 starts: 8 wins & 2 seconds / Added & stakes money: ¥ 503,864,000 / Career earnings: ¥ 2,215,446,100

Equinox Overwhelms in Japan Cup
Equinox was a class above in this year’s Japan cup, easily beating a stellar field which included eight G1champions from Japan and abroad. Billed as a showdown between the brown colt and this year’s Triple
Tiara victor Liberty Island, the highest rated horse in the world prevailed while extending his G1
winning streak to six, becoming the third horse in JRA history to do so following T. M. Opera O (2000 ~2001) and Lord Kanaola (2012 ~ 2013). Following the footsteps of his sire Kitasan Black who won theJapan Cup in 2016, Equinox has marked a milestone with this victory in becoming the first horse ever toexceed 2 billion yen in earnings (JPY 2,215,446,100). The colt has given his trainer Tetsuya Kimura his
seventh JRA-G1 title—his latest being with the colt in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) last month—whilejockey Christophe Lemaire, who notched the Queen Elizabeth II Cup with Brede Weg two weeks earlier,scored his 49th overall JRA-G1 win and is now tied with Yutaka Take in landing four Japan Cup titles(Vodka in 2009, Almond Eye in 2018 and 2020), more than any other jockey so far.
The full field of 18 started in front of the packed stands and, as expected, Panthalassa rushed to the front,
setting a rapid pace that timed 57.6 seconds in the first 1,000 meters, widening an unmeasurable lead in
the backstretch while three-time G1 winner Titleholder followed in second and Equinox a length behindin third. By the last corner, Panthalassa had gradually squandered his huge lead but was still about 100
meters ahead of the others in early stretch when the hot favorite unleashed his signature stretch drive. The
top-rated horse in the world easily caught Titleholder 400 meters out and then inherited the lead from theused-up pacesetter just before the 200-meter marker to cruise to an incredible four-length victory.
Trainer Tetsuya Kimura:“Equinox was able to come into the race in good condition. He was aggressive from the start and was
relaxed during the race despite the fast pace of the frontrunner. With Equinox extending his G1 winningstreak for over a year, the pressure was so great before the Japan Cup that I felt relieved when he won therace. He is a very well-balanced horse—shape of his hooves, bone structure and firm muscle—everythingis perfectly balanced. It’s a miraculous combination. So, we try to maintain this balance when we train
him.”
Jockey Christophe Lemaire:“I felt happy and relieved. Many emotions came to my mind because it was an unbelievable race.
Horseracing fans and lovers were able to see something very special. He is a top horse and can adapt toany kind of race or surface. When we came back in front of the huge happy crowd who witnessed the race,
I became very emotional. As a professional jockey for many years, I work hard to ride to perfection, so
today was very special. Equinox is easy to ride—he knows his job very well and he doesn’t use too muchenergy—so riding a horse like him is a pleasure and I felt very privileged to be in the saddle of such afantastic horse.”

Three-year-old Triple Crown filly Liberty Island took a ground-saving trip behind the eventual winner infourth. Although unable to match the speed of the winner, the second pick did not disappoint, displaying
her good turn of foot and pinned Titleholder 250 meters out then Panthalassa 150 meters to the wire forsecond place.
Fifth choice and 2022 Best Three-Year-Old Filly Stars on Earth was settled behind Equinox and rightnext to Liberty Island most of the way. After entering the stretch side by side, the two fillies rallied
briefly in early stretch but while unable to keep up with the eventual runner-up, Stars on Earth closed
tenaciously for third while holding off a late charge by Do Deuce.
French raider and tenth pick Iresine was a touch late out of the gate, traveled on the rails in mid-pack andshowed effort in the stretch but lacked the needed kick, unable to reach contention, to finish ninth.
Trainer Jean-Pierre Gauvin after the race:“I think Iresine ran a good race. The gate was different from France, so he couldn’t get a good start, andhe was unable to run in his usual style because the pace was too fast. However, Marie and I are satisfied
with his performance. I have no regrets about racing him in the Japan Cup, and I’m happy that he wasable to finish the race without any problem.”Jockey Marie Velon:“I’m very happy with Iresine. He gave his best. The race did not develop in his favor but he tried hard to
keep up with the fast pace and strived in the straight. Tokyo Racecourse is a wonderful racecourse.
Equinox was just spectacular.”Other horses:
4th: (5) Do Deuce—hugged rails around 6th, swung wide entering lane for clear path, chased leaders with
2nd fastest closing speed.
5th: (3) Titleholder—led the field in 2nd, outdistanced from frontrunner, ran persistently in stretch but
overtaken by rivals in last 400m.
6th: (10) Danon Beluga—reserved in 11th by rails, angled out at top stretch to make bid, passed rivals
with tied 3rd fastest final kick.
7th: (9) Vela Azul—ran 2-wide around 13th, switched to inside at lane, good effort with tied 3rd fastest
late drive.
8th: (4) Studley—eased back to 8th after good start, met brief traffic at top stretch, unable to improve
position.
10th: (14) Deep Bond—settled 2-wide in 6th, turned final corners wide, even paced at stretch.
11th: (15) Shonan Bashitto—traveled 3-wide in around 8th, never reached contention.
12th: (8) Panthalassa—surged out to take command as expected, widened gap, ran gamely until 200m
pole.
13th: (16) Impress—slow break, traveled 2nd from rear, passed tired rivals at stretch.
14th: (6) Forward Again—broke smoothly, settled toward rear, never fired.
15th: (18) Win Erfolg—trailed in rear, advanced after final corner.
16th: (11) Trust Kenshin—ran 3rd from rear after poor break, angled out to make bid but no factor.
17th: (12) Chestnut Coat—rated 3rd-4th from rear, never a threat.
18th: (13) Kurino Megami Ace—traveled 2-wide in 11th, weakened after final turn.
Fractional time (sec./furlong):

12.7 - 11.3 - 11.5 - 11.0 - 11.1 - 11.5 - 12.0 - 12.1 - 12.1 - 12.4 - 12.4 - 11.7

Last 4 furlongs: 48.6
Positions at each corner:

1st corner
2nd corner
3rd corner
4th corner

Last 3 furlongs: 36.5

8-3-2-(1,17)(5,14)(7,4,15)(10,13)9,6(11,12)-16-18
8=3-2-(1,17)(5,14)(7,4,15)-(10,13)-9-6(11,12)-16-18
8=3,2(1,17)(5,14)(4,15)7(10,13)9,6,11-(16,12)-18
8=3,2(1,17)(5,14,15)4,7(9,10)13,6(11,16)-12-18

NOTE 1: Underlined bold number indicates the winning horse.
NOTE 2: Horse numbers are indicated in the order of their positions at each corner, with the first position listed first. Two or more horses inside
the same parentheses indicate that they were positioned side by side. Hyphens between the horse numbers indicate that there isdistance between the former and the latter. The asterisk indicates a slight lead.