Four Horses in Contention for Japan Horse of the Year

The minds of many horse racing journalists in Japan will face a dilemma unlike any other this season as they struggle to decide which horse most merits their vote for the coveted Japanese Horse of the Year. There are at least four horses who are eligible for the award, all of which have won three grade 1 stakes in 2020. Among those horses is Daring Tact (JPN), who completed an unbeaten sweep of the Triple Tiara for 3-year-old fillies when she took the Oka Sho (Japanese One Thousand Guineas, G1) at Hanshin Racecourse, the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks, G1) at Tokyo Racecourse, and the Shuka Sho (G1) at Kyoto Racecourse. Also on the ballot is Contrail (JPN), who became only the third unbeaten winner of Japanese Triple Crown when he took the Satsuki Sho (Japanese Two Thousand Guineas, G1) at Nakayama Racecourse, the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1) at Tokyo, and the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger, G1) at Kyoto. The only others to have achieved the same feat were Symboli Rudolf in 1984 and Deep Impact in 2005. In the category of older horses is Gran Alegria (JPN), who won the Yasuda Kinen (G1) at Tokyo, the Sprinters' Stakes (G1) at Nakayama, and the Mile Championship (G1) at Hanshin. In addition, the 4-year-old filly by Deep Impact finished second in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen (G1) at Chukyo Racecourse, where she was beaten by only a nose. Rounding out the favored horses is the incomparable Almond Eye (JPN), who captured the Victoria Mile (G1), the Tenno Sho Autumn (G1), and the Japan Cup (G1)—all of which were at Tokyo. While some say that Almond Eye must be Horse of the Year, as she has proven to be among the best racehorses in the category having defeated Contrail and Daring Tact in the Japan Cup—others say the title should lie with the winner of the Triple Crown. The Japan Racing Association awards, including Horse of the Year, will be announced Jan. 6.