Sixpence Looks Like a Million Yen Winning Yasuda Kinen

After some retirement defections, the June 7 Yasuda Kinen (G1T) at Tokyo Racecourse looked like a prime chance for an improving sort to step up and seize control of Japan's mile division. Sixpence (JPN) did just that, taking a much bigger step up than most expected. The Kizuna (JPN) 5-year-old had five previous group/grade 1 starts to his credit, one of them on dirt, but had never finished better than seventh in any of them. He started 2026 reporting ninth in the February Stakes (G1T) and seventh in the Yomiuri Miler's Cup (G2T). Perhaps it was the absence of last year's winner, Jantar Mantar (JPN), who instead contested the Champions Mile (G1) in Hong Kong, and one of this year's early favorites, Admire Zoom (JPN), who was withdrawn with a sore foot. Perhaps it was venerable jockey Yutaka Take accepting the mount for the first time. But, for whatever reason, Sixpence suddenly looked like a million yen in the Yasuda Kinen. Starting from the No. 4 gate, Sixpence quickly seized second position as World's End (JPN) shot out to a 3-length lead. They held that order into the long Tokyo stretch run with World's End tenaciously clinging to the lead to well inside the final 50 meters. Take brought Sixpence up outside the leader and got to even terms as the favorite, Gaia Force (JPN), closed fast on his outside. Sixpence won by a neck with World's End and Gaia Force in a dead heat for second and third. The race went in 1:32.1, well outside the course record 1:30.5. Luxor Café, who finished 12th in last year's Kentucky Derby (G1) and fifth in the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) in February, got his first chance on turf but was never involved and finished 11th. Take was a quick study with an unfamiliar mount. "I was called up at a short notice to ride the horse for the first time, but I'm relieved to have been able to get my job done, Take said. "I did my homework, contacting his previous riders and, of course, the trainer who told me that he was capable of maintaining good speed to the wire," Take said. "So my plan was to have him up front, even lead if necessary, and although the front runners were pretty tenacious in the final stretch with horses also coming from behind, Sixpence was very responsive." Take, who has been a heartthrob and folk hero in Japan for decades, became the nation's oldest group/grade 1-winning jockey at 57 years, 2 months and 24 days. The win was his 85th Japanese group/grade 1 and fourth in the Yasuda Kinen following Oguri Cap (JPN) in 1990, Heart Lake (JPN) in 1995 and Vodka (JPN) in 2009. Despite Sixpence's underwhelming performances in his earlier group/grade 1 efforts, Take gave the horse a vote of confidence going forward. "He has shown his true strength with a lot to look forward to in his coming races," the jockey said. If the owners of Carrot Farm, which is closely linked with winning breeder Northern Farm, share Take's faith in the horse's future, he could have travel plans. The first three finishers in the Yasuda Kinen qualified for the French group 1 mile races, the Prix Jacques le Marois (G1) Aug. 16 at Deauville and the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (G1) on Arc Trials day Sept. 16. Sixpence also earned a "Win and You're In" Challenge spot in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) at Keeneland on Halloween. Sixpence's dam, Finley'sluckycharm, by Twirling Candy, won 11 of 19 starts in top company from 2015 to 2018. The victories included the 2018 Madison Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland. She sold to Katsumi Yoshida at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Mixed Sale for $1.5 million.