Posts Tagged ‘deep sky’

Teruya Yoshida’s Screen Hero pulled off a huge upset in the 2,400-meter Japan Cup at Tokyo Racecourse on Sunday, taking the lead in the final 100 meters and holding off a fast-closing Deep Sky, winner of this year’s Japanese Derby. The 4-year-old filly Vodka, winner of the Japanese Derby of 2007 and the wagering favorite in the North American pool, was third. A third Japanese Derby winner, Meisho Samson, battled for the lead into midstretch but faded late.

A 4-year-old son of the Silver Hawk stallion Grass Wonder out of Running Heroine, by Sunday Silence, Screen Hero was bred in Japan by his owner’s Shadai Farm. He is trained by Yuichi Shikato and was ridden by Italian jockey Mirco Demuro, who one day earlier was issued a 30-day license to ride in Japan. Demuro has ridden at Japan Racing Association tracks on a temporary license every year since 1999.

The win was the fifth in 17 starts for Screen Hero and his first in a Grade 1 race. He was coming off a victory in the Grade 2 Copa Republica Argentino over the same Tokyo grass course. Click here to see past performances for the race.

Screen Hero covered the distance (about 1 ½ miles) in 2:25.50 and paid $122.80 to win in the North American pools. The race was televised in North America by TVG.

There were no North American horses in the race following the scratch by trainer Neil Drysdale of Canadian International winner Marsh Side due to a fever.

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