Lord Kanaloa Filly Wins Japan Cup

Tara Madgwick - Monday November 26
To sire a Japan Cup winner from your first crop is a fairytale start to a stud career for a Japanese sire and it's a feat achieved by former champion sprinter miler Lord Kanaloa, whose outstanding three year-old filly Almond Eye took out the prestigious 2400 metre contest on Sunday.

Almond Eye - JRATrained by Sakae Kunieda and ridden by Christophe- Patrice Lemaire, Almond Eye scored a dominant length and three quarter win in the brilliantly fast time of 2.20.06, breaking the Tokyo course record.

She is only the second three-year-old filly to win the Cup and, like previous champion filly Gentildonna in 2012, did so after capturing the Triple Crown with wins in the Shuka Sho, Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) and the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) earlier in the season.

Almond Eye has the overall record of six wins and a second from seven starts.

She comes with a big female pedigree and is the best of seven winners from stakes-winning Sunday Silence mare Fusaichi Pandora, a grand-daughter of influential North American matriarch Sex Appeal, the dam of triple Group I winner El Gran Senor and Group I winner Try My Best, the sire of champion sire Last Tycoon (IRE).

Almond Eye is the best offspring to date for Lord Kanaloa, who was the Champion Japanese First Season Sire in 2017.

By the Kingmambo stallion King Kamehameha, Lord Kanaloa has four Australian yearlings bred by Arrowfield and partners, one of which is entered for Magic Millions. Lot 266 is a bay colt from Japanese winner Vaslissa, a half-sister to Japanese stakes-winner Tricolore Bleu from English Group III winner Penkenna Princess.


Advertisment
More Reading...
Lord Kanaloa's Tagaloa Eyes Off The Magic Millions 2yo Classic
Lord Kanaloa’s champion daughter Almond Eye will not make the trip to Sha Tin for the Hong Kong Cup after spiking a temperature however Lord Kanaloa’s 2yo son Tagaloa did make it to Moonee Valley on Saturday to open his winning account in the Strath Haven Preston Plate (1000m).
Cambridge Stud News
It’s been the spring that keeps giving for Cambridge Stud and it’s not over yet.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Castelvecchio has gone from nowhere to somewhere during the course of this spring with three stakes-winners putting his name in lights and he had a promising three year-old colt salute at Hawkesbury on Thursday that has now won two of three starts.
$2,000 Gavelhouse Bargain Keeps on Winning!
The Grey Goose continued to belie her purchase price last start when recording her fifth win at Wingatui, bringing her career earnings to more than $225,000.
City of Troy Crowned 2024 Cartier European Horse of the Year
Outstanding Justify colt City of Troy was crowned Horse of the Year at the 2024 Cartier awards on Wednesday night in London at a star studded ceremony at the Dorchester Hotel.
Blockbuster Sale as NZB Ready to Run Records Tumble
Expectations were exceeded at Karaka with tremendous results witnessed across two days of selling at NZB’S 2024 Ready to Run Sale, confirming the demand for proven racetrack results and quality New Zealand-prepared horses.
$1.3million Snitzel Colt Ready to Fire on Debut for Te Akau
Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson are confident they have the young firepower to make an early impression in the first of the black type features at Pukekohe Park on Saturday.
Magic Millions 2025 Magazine Online
The 2025 Magic Millions magazine is now online with a great mix of gallery images, editorial and vendor profilies.
Pinhook Winners 2024 NZB Ready to Run – Churchill Colt the Star
A record breaking NZB Ready to Run Sale this week at Karaka delivered plenty of pinhook success with 18 two year-olds selling for $300,000 or more above their yearling purchase price, so let’s take a look at some of the best of them.
Almond Eye Makes the Dubai Turf Her Own
The Japanese love to showcase their best on the world stage and they don’t come much better than Almond Eye.