Horse racing: Unbeaten Contrail wins Kikka-sho, Japanese triple crown
Nov 1, 2020 / Mainichi Japan
KYOTO (Kyodo) -- Top-favorite Contrail became Japanese racing's third undefeated triple crown winner Sunday, following in the footsteps of his sire, Deep Impact, by capturing the 81st running of the Kikka-sho, the last of the season's classic races.
With Yuichi Fukunaga in the saddle, Contrail made his move around the final turn of the 3,000-meter turf race at Kyoto Racecourse, bolting past the pack on the outside and staying ahead of fourth-favorite Aristoteles in the final stretch to win by a neck at the wire.
The 3-year-old colt by Deep Impact, the undefeated triple crown winner in 2005, crossed in a time of 3 minutes, 5.5 seconds to collect his fourth Grade 1 victory and seventh win in as many starts.
"It turned out to be a closer contest than I expected, but he did well to outrace (Aristoteles)," Fukunaga said. "The distance was a little long, so it is remarkable he was able to hang on and win."
"It's a terrific achievement for Deep Impact to have won the triple crown without having lost a race, but for his colt to do the same is an amazing feat."
Fifth-favorite Satono Flag finished third, 3-1/2 lengths behind Aristoteles.
Fukunaga also steered Contrail at the first two legs of the Japanese triple crown, the Satsuki-sho and Japanese Derby.
Yutaka Take rode World Premiere to his first G1 victory at last year's Kikka-sho while becoming the race's oldest-winning jockey.
コントレイルが菊花賞Ｖ、無敗三冠…父子２代は史上初
2020/10/25 読売新聞中央競馬の菊花賞（ＧＩ）が２５日、京都競馬場で行われ、福永祐一騎手（４３）が騎乗したコントレイル（牡３歳）が、デビューから７連勝で４月の皐月賞と５月の日本ダービーと合わせたクラシック三冠を達成した。無敗での制覇は１９８４年のシンボリルドルフ、２００５年の父・ディープインパクトに続き３頭目で、三冠馬は１１年のオルフェーヴル以来８頭目。父子２代の達成は史上初の快挙となった。
１８日の秋華賞ではデアリングタクト（
