Chosan, coming off a victory in September and sent to post eighth favorite in his bid to challenge defending champion Daiwa Major (Sunday Silence) in this year’s Mainichi Okan, landed his first grade-race victory in spectacular style. Traveling mid-field through most of the journey, the son of Dance in the Dark angled out after the turn for home, exerted an explosive turn of foot along the outside, and secured his victory in the last 100 meters.

All broke well with Kongo Rikishio (Stravinsky) quickly taking the lead as expected with Stormy Café (Admire Vega) in pursuit on the inside. Race favorite and defending champion, Daiwa Major took advantage of the inside draw, saved ground not far behind the two leaders who set a considerably fast pace throughout the journey. Chosan and Agnes Ark (Agnes Tachyon) traveled side by in the latter part of the mid-division group.

Stormy Cafe drew away from the rest of the field by almost five lengths between the third and fourth corner before tiring at the stretch where Kongo Rikishio gave a good effort to stay on the inside.

Daiwa Major was the first out to mount a rally, with Bright Tomorrow (French Deputy) close at his heels on his outside, and gained a brief lead after the last furlong though soon outrun by Chosan who, after angling out at the turn for home, came flying up the outside route.

Chosan continued to accelerate, passing the finish in 1:44.2—breaking a race record that had not been broken for thirteen years.

Agnes Ark, after going wide at the last turn, was also quick to approach the leaders overtaking Daiwa Major in the last few stride for second place.

Manichi Okan History

The Manichi Okan, which is positioned as one of the trial races for the Tenno Sho Autumn (G1; 2,000 meters), also attracts a variety of miler and middle-distance grade-race winners aiming for other G1 mile races and races overseas that are held later in the year. The race has been opened to foreign-trained horses since 1996 and was acknowledged as an international Grade Two race in 2001.

Saeed Bin Suroor-trained Annus Mirabilis (by Warning, FRA) won the title for Godolphin in its inaugural year, but no foreign contender has participated in the race in recent years and none were nominated to run this year.

Last year’s race winner, Daiwa Major, who captured two successive G1s (the Tenno Sho Autumn, the Mile Championship) after his victory in the Mainichi Okan, was subsequently named JRA’s Best Sprinter/Miler of 2006.

The race record, 1:44.6, was set by Nehai Caeser (JPN, by Sakura Toko) in 1994.
(Source: JRA)