Going to Sky and the everlasting Yutaka Take left Lovcen without a Triple Crown in Japan
The son of Contrail won the Kikuka Sho (G1) by a nose over 3,000 meters at Kyoto, frustrating the coronation of the heavy favorite, who finished 14th. The legendary jockey achieved his sixth victory in the race, setting a historical record
KYOTO, Japan (Special for Turf Diario).— The dream of a new Japanese Triple Crown ended unexpectedly this Sunday in Kyoto. While all eyes were on Lovcen (World Premiere), who was seeking to complete the feat after capturing the Satsuki Sho (G1) and the Tokyo Yushun (G1), Going to Sky (Contrail) surfaced to claim the Kikuka Sho (G1-3000 m, turf) and add another golden page to the extraordinary career of Yutaka Take.
At 57 years old, the legendary Japanese rider showed once again that his talent remains intact. With a flawless ride,managing his mount's stamina and finding room at just the right moment, he piloted the colt trained by Yuki Uehara to a razor-thin victory by a nose over Basse Terre (Kitasan Black), with Danon History (Epiphaneia), ridden by Christophe Lemaire, finishing third a length behind.
The race unfolded in unique fashion. King Glory (Danon Premium) set out determined to stretch the field, opening up a lead of nearly 20 lengths at a pace that was bound to prove unsustainable over such a grueling distance. Meanwhile,Going to Sky traveled comfortably in mid-pack along the rails, saving ground and awaiting his opportunity.
When the pacesetter began to tire on the final turn, Yutaka Take found a seam to advance through rivals. Once in the stretch, his partner responded with enormous energy, taking command about 100 meters from the wire and barely holding off the formidable late charge of Basse Terre, who was closing from deep off the pace. The final time was 3m4s50/100 on firm ground.
The flip side was Lovcen, who arrived with five victories in six starts and overwhelming public support. The favorite,ridden by Kohei Matsuyama, broke poorly, settled well back, and although he attempted to move wide before entering the stretch, ultimately faded to finish 14th in the 18-runner field. A massive disappointment for a colt that seemed destined to join the most elite group in Japanese racing history.
For Going to Sky, however, arrived the most important triumph of his campaign. The Field Racing representative had won the Aoba Sho (G2), finished fourth in the Japanese Derby, and returned with a sixth-place finish in the St. Lite Kinen (G2), a run that hardly suggested top contender status.
His trainer, Yuki Uehara, 36, who has operated his own stable since 2023, secured his first G1 victory. Prior to the race, he had placed complete trust in Yutaka Take, convinced that his experience could prove decisive in such a demanding contest.
And he was not mistaken. “I know him well and had given a lot of thought to how I should ride him. He settled perfectly along the rails and responded when I asked for the effort,” explained the jockey, who also admitted feeling he could win with about 200 meters remaining.
For Yutaka Take, it was his sixth triumph in the Kikuka Sho, an all-time record, and his 87th G1 win on the Japan Racing Association circuit. His first had arrived in 1988 aboard Super Creek (No Attention), a full 38 years ago. He also won the classic with Dance in the Dark (Sunday Silence), Air Shakur (Sunday Silence), Deep Impact (Sunday Silence), and World Premiere (Deep Impact).
Bred by Chiyoda Farm Shizunai, Going to Sky is a son of Contrail, winner of the 2020 Japanese Triple Crown, and Goin to the Window, a daughter of the American stallion Tapit. With his success, he also delivered the first G1 winner as a sire for Contrail, heir to a formidable sire line that includes Deep Impact and Sunday Silence.
The Triple Crown remained vacant, but Kyoto witnessed a historic day nonetheless. Going to Sky earned his place among the greats, and Yutaka Take reminded the world once more why he is a living legend of global horse racing.
