Following the win of star Frankel filly Soul Stirring in last week's Japanese Oaks, trainer Kazuo Fujisawa and jockey Christophe Lemaire teamed up again to land Sunday's $5.2 million Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) with Rey de Oro.
Before 115,000 fans at Tokyo racecourse, Lemaire made a midrace move on the son of King Kamehameha due to the unusually slow pace.
After looking to be struggling on the home turn, Rey de Oro found extra reserves of strength to close out a win over Suave Richard (Heart's Cry) by three-quarter of a length with the favourite Admirable (Deep Impact) one and a quarter lengths back in third. (photo JRA).
Undefeated in three starts last season, including the Group II Hopeful Stakes on Christmas Day, Rey de Oro prepped for the Derby with a fast-finishing fifth in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas).
A son of the two-time leading sire King Kamehameha (Kingmambo), Rey de Oro is the second foal and second stakes winner out of the 4-time winning Symboli Kris S mare La Dorada.
It is a family revered in Japan as La Dorada's dam Lady Blond (Seeking The Gold) won five of her six starts but more importantly is a half-sister to the legendary Deep Impact (Sunday Silence) the two-time Japanese Horse of the Year and perennial champion stallion.
Lady Blond is also a half-sister to stakes winner and leading stallion Black Tide (Sunday Silence) as well as stakes winner New Beginning (Agnes Tachyon) and the U.S. Grade III winner Veil of Avalon (Thunder Gulch).
The four stakes winners are out of the Group I Aral-Pokal winner and Epsom Oaks runner-up Wind in Her Hair (Alzao) herself a daughter of Burghclere (Busted) a three-quarter-sister to Height Of Fashion (the dam of 2000 Guineas and Derby winner Nashwan and multiple Group race winner Nayef) out of The Queen's French Oaks winner Highclere.
