Almond Eye is a perfect mare and doesn’t have any weak points. The others closing in on us didn’t worry me at all. The pace was just right for her and she responded well in the stretch. The turf condition near the rails was much better than last week so I don’t think the inner draw was a problem. She was relaxed in the gate, broke smoothly and was able to sit in a good position. She had an extra week this time and was tuned up beautifully. After winning the Victoria Mile in the spring, we had three weeks to get her prepared for the Yasuda Kinen in which she was second. “Since this was her final start, it was very special for me and I’m thrilled we were able to win. It would be great if I could be involved in training her colt or filly someday,” commented trainer Sakae Kunieda. She has given us so much excitement and joy and it has been fulfilling to be a part of her career. The victory is such a bonus, we couldn’t be happier. Since expectations of an eighth G1 title were enormous in her last Tenno Sho start, we did feel pressure but today, all we wanted was for her to come back safe and sound. The pace was ideal for Almond Eye and her response was totally different from that in the Tenno Sho (Autumn). We were worried about the rough going near the rails, but Christophe did a good job in finding a good path.

“She looked good since arriving at the racecourse-she has definitely matured mentally. Under confident handling by Christophe Lemaire, for the last time Almond Eye displayed her signature turn of foot to take command 150 meters out and drew away to triumph by 1-1/4 lengths. With Kiseki still up front, the others drifted out rounding the final turn, giving the star mare, who entered the lane in third, a clear path to launch her bid. Lemaire has also won four G1 titles in a row after the Tenno Sho (Autumn) win with the star mare this year, the Queen Elizabeth II Cup with Lucky Lilac and the Mile Championship with Gran Alegria which adds up to a total of eight G1 wins in a single year, a tie to his own 2018 record.īreaking smoothly from stall two, Almond Eye traveled in fourth to fifth on the rails in the backstretch while 2018 Japan Cup runner-up Kiseki set a strong pace outdistancing the rest of the field by a good 20 lengths. This Japan Cup victory is trainer Sakae Kunieda’s 19th JRA-G1 title while jockey Christophe Lemaire celebrates his 35th JRA-G1 and third Japan Cup victory-with Vodka (2009) and Almond Eye (2018). Topping Kitasan Black’s record, she has marked the most career earnings of JPY 1,915,263,900 as of today. The 2018 fillies’ Triple Crown winner boasts a JRA record of eight JRA-G1 victories and nine G1 triumphs overall when adding the 2019 Dubai Turf title to the list.

Race favorite Almond Eye claimed this year’s Japan Cup, the first race in history to feature three Triple Crown winners, while capping off a brilliant career.

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