Each youth and historical past had been served at Tokyo Racecourse Oct. 31 as Efforia grew to become the primary 3-year-old to win the Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1) since 2002 and jockey Takeshi Yokoyama accomplished a three-generation run of using victories within the prestigious race.
The Japanese followers additionally had been nicely served as Contrail used a late rush to edge Gran Alegria for second, giving the three favorites all the top placings.
Efforia’s victory could mark the emergence of a new star in Japan. With retirements looming for some of the older generation, the Epiphaneia colt has a clear path to make his mark in this year’s remaining grade 1 races and carry one Japan’s ever-growing presence on the international scene.
The Tenno Sho victory seemed easy enough for the colt, bred by Northern Farm out of the Heart’s Cry mare Katies Heart. And it took some of the sting out of a narrow defeat in his previous start, the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby-G1), where he missed by just a nose to Shahryar after leading in the stretch.
The stretch run of the Tenno Sho came down to the favorites with Efforia this time playing the role of chaser as the field climbed the incline toward the finish after Gran Alegria emerged to take the lead 200 meters out.
Yokoyama then requested Efforia and obtained the fast acceleration when he wanted it to attract even and take a slim lead. Race favourite Contrail, a 4-year-old son of Deep Influence who swept the 2020 Japanese Triple Crown, additionally was discovering his finest stride and edged Gran Alegria by a neck for second however fell 1 size shy of catching the winner.
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“I cried with pleasure for the primary time in my life, as I used to be very upset with the results of the Derby,” Yokoyama stated. “He is an excellent starter and a intelligent racer so I made a decision to consider in his means and journey him with out pondering an excessive amount of.
“We had been capable of race in a super place and I did not insist on the internal course as I knew that he can deal with it even when we needed to flip just a little wider.”
Takeshi Yokoyama celebrates aboard Efforia after successful the Tenno Sho Autumn
Yokoyama accomplished a grandfather-father-son Tenno Sho triple. His grandfather and former jockey Tomio gained the race in 1969 and father and lively jockey Norihiro in 2009. He additionally made it back-to-back grade 1 wins after taking the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger-G1) every week earlier aboard Titleholder.
Efforia was the one 3-year-old within the area, which included solely two horses who had contested the race in earlier years. Though no 3-year-old had gained the two,000-meter (about 1 1/4 miles) occasion since Symboli Kris S in 2002, Efforia was made second-favorite by the attentive Japanese punters.
Yokoyama acknowledged the gradual return of followers to the Japanese racecourses as COVID-19 pandemic restrictions are regularly loosened.
“Whereas the COVID-19 disaster continues to be lingering,” he stated, “the variety of spectators is regularly growing and I’m grateful that we had been capable of win the race in entrance of many followers.”
Efforia, educated by Yuichi Shikato for house owners Carrot Farm, was undefeated as he lined up for the Yushun Himba over the identical course Could 30 with a win within the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas-G1) within the begin earlier than that.
Shikato stated earlier than the race that, disappointing because it was, the defeat took a few of the stress off him going into the Tenno Sho.
“Right here, he is a challenger and that feels fairly totally different from the Derby. All of us, myself, the jockey and the horse can chill out right here a bit,” the coach stated.
The stress will likely be again on as Shikato and the house owners ponder whether or not to ship Efforia on to the Japan Cup (G1) Nov. 28 and/or the season’s climax, the Arima Kinen (G1) Dec. 28.
