Odds-on-favourite Daring Tact won the Shuka Sho, the first Group 1 race to be held with a limited number of racing fans after the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan.
Daring Tact becomes the first to claim all three fillies’ Triple Crown races, including the Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) and the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) held in the spring.
She is the sixth filly to capture the fillies’ Triple Crown title following Mejiro Ramonu (1986), Still In Love (2003), Apapane (2010), Gentildonna (2012) and Almond Eye (2018), but the first in JRA history to do so undefeated.
The Epiphaneia filly has accomplished this feat prior to Contrail, also an undefeated colt, who will be aiming to capture the Triple Crown title in the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) next week.
The Japan Cup (Group 1, 2,400m) on November 29 is listed as one of the possible races for her next start.
G1 Oka Sho 🏆
— TVG (@TVG) October 18, 2020
G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) 🏆
G1 Shuka Sho 🏆
DARING TACT (Epiphaneia) became the first filly to sweep the Japanese Triple Tiara whilst remaining undefeated.
デアリングタクト pic.twitter.com/YAcvl1CpiB
Both trainer Haruki Sugiyama and jockey Kohei Matsuyama celebrated their fourth JRA-Group 1 victory - their most recent being the Yushun Himba with the same filly.
Daring Tact jumped out from stall 13 and travelled wide towards the back, while Maltese Diosa set a relatively slow pace. Gradually making headway in the back straight, the winner continued to take a wide route turning the last bend and, once entering the straight, swung into gear, hit the front 200 meters out then exerted her powerful late charge to win the race by a comfortable length and a quarter.
“The filly seemed a bit nervous at the paddock but she broke well and we were able to race in good position and in good rhythm. There was some pressure as we were aiming for the first undefeated Triple Crown filly in JRA history, but I’m delightful to be able to accomplish this remarkable feat. I want to thank the filly and offer her my congratulations. She has developed into a bold filly and I hope that she will remain undefeated,” said winning rider, Matsuyama.
Magic Castle settled in midfield, and finding herself positioned behind Daring Tact when facing the home stretch, stalked behind the favourite with impressive speed to finish second.
Soft Fruit, although being forced to travel in the rear due to a slow break and turning the last two corners the widest, unleashed an explosive late charge, which marked the fastest last three furlongs of the field, and closed in on Magic Castle in the last 100 meters, while duelling with Pallas Athena to finish three quarters of a length behind the runner-up.
