Epiphaneia's Daring Tact Captures Japanese 1000 Guineas

Mark Smith - Monday April 13

Second favourite Daring Tact kept her record at a perfect three for three when coming from near the tail of the field to overpower last season’s Champion 2yo Filly Resistencia in Sunday’s Group 1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas)  (1600m) at Hanshin.

A first winner in the race for rider Kohei Matsuyama and trainer Haruki Sugiyama, the daughter of first season sire Epiphaneia came with a barnstorming finish to defeat the Group 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies heroine Resistencia (Daiwa Major) by one and a half lengths with Smile Kana (Deep Impact) a further one and three-quarter lengths back in third.Daring Tact - image JRA

?I concentrated on her rhythm more than where to position her today," Matsuyama said.

"We were far behind the leaders and desperate in catching up but she responded beautifully and stretched incredibly all the way to the line. I’m not worried about the added distance in the coming Japanese Oaks but she does have issues to work on such as being relaxed. I’m praying that the day we can race in front of the crowd again will come soon."

Run in testing conditions before empty stands, the Oka Sho is the first classic of the season in Japan.

The winner of her only start at two, Daring Tact prepped for the Oka Sho with a win in the Listed Elfin Stakes (1600m) at Kyoto on February 8.

She is the first-named foal of the once-raced King Kamehameha mare Daring Bird who is a daughter of the talented Sunday Silence mare Daring Heart whose four wins included the Group III Tokyo Fuchu Himba Stakes and a pair of Listed races.

Daring Bird has a 2yo full-sister to Daring Tact named Maono Zenith and a yearling filly also by Epiphaneia. She was covered by Drefong (USA) last year.

Epiphaneia was runner-up to Logotype in the 2013 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) and to Katzuna in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) before breaking through on a heavy track in the Kickuka Sho (Japanese St Leger).

The following year the son of Symboli Kris S defeated Just A Way in the Group 1 Japan Cup.

Epiphaneia is out of the 2005 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) winner Cesario who created a bit of history when winning the 2005 Grade 1 American Oaks Invitational at Hollywood Park.

Cesario (Special Week) is also the dam of the Group 1 Nakayama Hopeful Stakes and Group 1 Satsuki Sho winner Saturnalia (Lord Kanaloa) and the Champion 2YO Colt in Japan in 2015, the Group 1 Hanshin Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes winner Leontes (King Kamehameha).

Cesario’s dam Kirov Premiere (GB) spent the last decade of her life at Arrowfield Stud.

Her daughter Kirovskaya (French Deputy) is the dam of Group III winner Irithea while another daughter, the stakes-placed Savannah's Choice (Redoute's Choice) is the dam of Spendthrift Farm’s talented I Am Invincible stallion Overshare, winner of the MRC Zedative Stakes, who covered 150 mares last spring.

 

Advertisment
More Reading...
Storm Boy Headed to Ireland
Coolmore have today announced via Twitter that top class Justify (USA) colt Storm Boy will be continuing his racing career in Ireland in 2025 under the care of Aidan O’Brien.
Sires With Winners - Monday November 4
Here is the full list of 21 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
Two heats at the Rosehill trials on Monday morning over 900m and the quickest of those was won by an expensive son of Golden Slipper winning first season sire Farnan.
Antrim Coast to Fly Flag for The Oaks Stud
The well-renowned colours of The Oaks Stud will feature across two feature Trans-Tasman meetings this week, kicking off with Antrim Coast lining up in the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) on Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.
Tycoon Star Makes Winning Debut in G3 Maribyrnong Plate
Tycoon Star looked like the consummate professional when making a winning career debut in the Group III Darley Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) to kickstart Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.
Kiwi Bred Grey Wins Subzero for OTI at Flemington
New Zealand-bred gelding Cloudland proved a handful for James McDonald at Flemington on Tuesday, but the champion jockey was in a forgiving mood after they had claimed top honours in the Subzero Handicap.
Coolmore Set Justify Fee for 2025
Coolmore have announced the US fee for Justify in 2025 with the undefeated Triple Crown winner priced at $US250,000 to head  their roster of 16 stallions at Ashford Stud in Kentucky.
Magic Nick Strikes Again – Fastnet Rock x Galileo
The Fastnet Rock x Galileo nick has been on fire in Melbourne this spring producing Cox Plate winner Via Sistina (IRE) and leading Melbourne Cup contender Buckaroo (GB) and it struck again overnight in the UK with a brand new stakes-winner in Military Academy, who captured the Listed Floodlit Stakes (1m4f) at Kempton.
Cup Day Stakes-Winner for So You Think
The Listed VRC TAB Trophy (1800m) for three year-olds on Cup Day at Flemington drew a competitive field of up and comers with So You Think gelding Opening Address stamping himself as a bright prospect for the future with a stylish victory.
Melbourne Cup Pedigree Analysis - Do It Yourself
Breednet has produced a great page with click through to five generation pedigrees for all the Melbourne Cup runners, so for amateur pedigree buffs looking to have a Cup flutter based pedigree here’s your chance  to DIY it!