Review: Yasuda Kinen 2018
Frankel Colt Causes Upset In 2018 Yasuda Kinen
Yoshito Yahagi trained-Mozu Ascot won this year’s Yasuda Kinen. It was the Frankel colt's first Gr.1 victory and Yahagi’s first Yasuda Kinen victory. The colt won his first Gr.2 race, the Hanshin Cup in December 2017.
As the field broke at the top of the backstretch, Win Gagnant gunned for the lead from the farthest stall with Reine Minoru stalking the pace. Mozu Ascot made steady progress in mid-pack but was checked briefly before the far turn before settling on the rails up to the top of the straight.
Steadily chasing half of the field up the stretch hill and on the heels of Suave Richard, the four-year-old made most of the opening found just as the race favorite shifted outside with a furlong to go and charged strongly to the line catching the favorite and then Aerolithe in the final strides for a neck win.
Aerolithe, Gr.1 victor at the mile distance, broke well and raced a few lengths behind the leader in third up to early stretch. While picking off the tiring pace setter at the furlong pole, the four-year-old filly stretched well holding off the fast-closing favorite but surrendered the lead in the last strides to Mozu Ascot for second.
Western Express broke smoothly and positioned handily around fifth to sixth behind a brisk pace, turned smoothly into the straight with every chance to rally in the early stretch but was unable to sustain his bid and fell back to tenth while crossing the wire a second behind the record-tying winner.
Click Here To Watch yasuda kinen winner Mozu Ascot Race 2018
Full Finishing List With Trainer & Jockey:
1st Mozu Ascot (Y. Yahagi,C. Lemaire), 2nd Aerolithe (T. Kikuzawa,K. Tosaki), 3rd Suave Richard (,Y. Shono,M. Demuro), 4th Satono Ares (K. Fujisawa,M. Ebina), 5th Sungrazer (H. Asami,Y. Fukunaga), 6th Persian Knight (Y. Ikee,Y. Kawada), 7th Win Gagnant (M. Nishizono,A. Tsumura), 8th Lys Gracieux (Y. Yahagi,Y. Take), 9th Red Falx (T. Ozeki,H. Tanabe), 10th Western Express (J. Size,S. Clipperton), 11th Campbell Junior (N. Hori,S. Ishibashi), 12th Reine Minoru (M. Honda,R. Wada), 13th He's In Love (K. Fujioka,K. Fujioka), 14th Dashing Blaze (K. Yoshimura,H. Kitamura), 15th Real Steel (Y. Yahagi,Y. Iwata), 16th Black Moon (K. Nishiura,S. Akiyama)
Race Type & Condition:
Distance:1600 meters,(About 8 furlongs / 1 mile), Surface:Turf,Track:Left-handed, Qualification:3-y-o & Up, Thoroughbreds, Weight:3-y-o 54 kg \ 4-y-o & up 58kg, Purse:¥ 190,000,000 (as of 2015),1st: ¥ 100,000,000, Bonuses:$1,000,000 (¥115,000,000) bonus is given to any horse who wins two legs of the four-race Asian Mile Challenge, including the Yasuda Kinen.
Credit:HKJC Press Release