The Group 1 Yasuda Kinen (1600m) is the defining race for milers in Japan, and it is also the final leg of the Asian Mile Challenge.
And race favorite Lord Kanaloa claimed this year’s Yasuda Kinen in his first attempt at the mile distance.
The King Kamehameha 5YO sat off the pace three wide, then stormed down the middle of the track to overhaul front-runner Garbo with half a furlong to go while holding off a determined charge by Shonan Mighty for a neck victory. Danon Shark was another three-quarters of a length away for third.
The time was a fast 1:31.50 with the last 600m in 33.3 secs.
Lord Kanaloa broke the course record in winning Japan’s Group 1 Sprinters Stakes (1200m) at Nakayama last September, before backing up for another Group 1 win in the Hong Kong International Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin.
Lord Kanaloa has now stretched his brilliance to 1600m and It was Lord Kanaloa’s fourth Group 1 victory and seventh stakes win and extend his winning streak to five races.
By Owens Wong
