2025 Yushun Himba: Group 1 Review
Venue: Tokyo Racecourse
Distance: 2400m
Value: ¥326,500,000 (US$2,262,835)
German rider Andrasch Starke joined an illustrious group of foreign jockeys to have won a Japanese Group 1 feature this year, taking the G1 Yushun Himba (2400m) – the Japanese Oaks – aboard Kamunyak at Tokyo on Sunday.
It was Starke’s first Japanese Group 1 win after almost three decades of trying to break through at the highest level.
Yasuo Tomomichi-trained Kamunyak became the first filly since Uberleben in 2021 to come through a different formline other than Japan’s 1000 Guineas, the G1 Oka Sho (1600m), fending off G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (1600m) winner Arma Veloce to score by a head.
The Winner
Kamunyak means “blessed one” in the Samburu language of northern Kenya and she was certainly blessed with a terrific ride from Starke from gate 15.
Owned by Makoto Kaneto, who raced both Kamunyak’s sire Black Tide and his breed-shaping brother Deep Impact, Kamunyak was bred by Teruya Yoshida’s Shadai Farm. Her third dam Dance Partner won the Yushun Himba in 1995.
Kamunyak won over 2000m on debut but looked outpaced in two stakes starts over a mile. When she returned to 2000m at her last start, though, she relished every step of the trip to win the G2 Flora Stakes.
She became just the second filly to complete the Flora Stakes – Yushun Himba double, joining Saint Emilion. Ironically, the Yoshida-bred Saint Emilion dead-heated with Apapane, who was owned by Kaneto.
The Jockey
Starke has won big races all over the world – in addition to multiple Group 1 wins in Germany and Italy, the rider landed the G1 Singapore Airlines International Cup on Epalo in 2004, as well as the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in 2011 and the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 2012, both aboard German champion Danedream.
However, he was yet to win at the highest level after 24 previous Grade 1 rides in Japan, dating back to Caitano’s fourth in the 1997 Japan Cup.
Kamunyak finally gave him that breakthrough and, in doing so, Starke became the first foreign rider on a short-term JRA contract to take the Yushun Himba since Kent Desormeaux in 2001. The American jockey, who won on Lady Pastel, was the only rider to achieve the feat until Sunday.
Starke also became the oldest Yushun Himba-winning jockey ever.
His victory means that six of the nine international Grade 1 races that have been run in Japan this year have been won by foreign jockeys on a short-term contract: Rachel King (February Stakes), Joao Moreira (Takamatsunomiya Kinen, Oka Sho, Satsuki Sho), Damian Lane (Tenno Sho Spring) and Starke. Add in Christophe Lemaire, who won last weekend’s Victoria Mile, and it means that only Kazuo Yokoyama (Osaka Hai) and Kohei Matsuyama (NHK Mile Cup) have flown the flag for the home team this year.
The Trainer
Tomomichi had won the G1 Tokyo Yushun – the Japanese Derby – on three occasions with Makahiki, Wagnerian and Do Deuce. However, the fillies’ equivalent had evaded him; he finished second with Verxina in 2012 and Harper in 2023, who were a long way behind champion fillies Gentildonna and Liberty Island respectively, but his best filly Vivlos never ran in the race.
Tomomichi has never been afraid to travel his horses and it wouldn’t surprise to see him take Kamunyak abroad at some point, perhaps for next year’s Sheema Classic in Dubai.
The Beaten Brigade
Did Mirai Iwata misjudge the finish on Arma Veloce? It did seem as though he momentarily stopped riding three strides from the line. Either way, it was an unfortunate end to what was an otherwise top ride from Iwata and Arma Veloce is proving the measuring stick for all other fillies in this year’s crop.
Trainer Teruhiko Chida has had his licence for 14 years but had not had a Grade 1 placegetter until Sunday. Not only did his outsider Tagano Abby pick up third, but his other runner Paradis Reine finished fourth. It may not have been a victory, but it will go down as Chida’s greatest effort as a trainer so far.
Third favourite Lynx Tip was the best-backed runner late. She was disappointed for a run on a couple of occasions and also looks as though she will be suited back to 2000m for the Shuka Sho.
Favourite Embroidery overraced and struggled to pick up, finishing ninth. Her future surely lies over shorter trips.
The Quotes
Andrasch Starke (jockey, Kamunyak, 1st): “It was always a dream for me to win a G1 race here in Japan. I’ve tried many times, three weeks ago I got so close with Byzantine Dream in the Tenno Sho and I didn’t know if it would happen. I came here today though and I knew I had a good ride, it was a competitive race with 18 runners so you never know what can happen. Today, my dream came true in Japan. I can’t quite believe it.
“Importantly, she was very relaxed today. The pace was not so fast heading into the last corner and so I went to the outside just before the home stretch and she responded very well. She’s an amazing horse, she won five weeks ago and today we got to see her true ability.”
Yasuo Tomomichi (trainer, Kamunyak, 1st): “This spring, it felt like she just barely made it in time for the Oaks. I believe she’ll continue to improve as we head through summer and into autumn, so while nothing is certain yet, I think our primary goal will be the Shuka Sho. After that, I expect she will handle longer distances, so I hope she can perform well in Grade 1 races over 2000 meters and beyond.”
Makoto Kaneko (owner, Kamunyak, 1st): “I didn’t think she would win. Even for someone like me who’s used to winning, I got unusually excited at the finish. He (Starke) may have been all smiles, but when we talked, I could tell he was fully motivated. I hadn’t been consciously thinking about her sire, Black Tide, at first, but when she won, he came to mind. He’s Deep Impact’s older brother, and I purchased both of them at the sales. I feel like I was really lucky.”
Teruya Yoshida (breeder, Kamunyak, 1st): “Kamunyak was a quality horse from the very beginning. Because we saw Kitasan Black, we decided to pair Black Tide with a mare by Sakura Bakushin O. She was put up for sale as a yearling, and even though she was a filly, she had an impressively powerful frame. Despite being a granddaughter of Bakushin O, she actually prefers longer. Running her in the Artemis Stakes was a mistake. Starke rides long distances very well.
“Kamunyak’s two-year-old brother is by Kizuna and is currently with the Shizuya Kato stable. This year’s foal (out of Kamunyak’s dam Dance Amiga) is a filly by Epiphaneia. We bred her to Contrail this season, but we don’t yet know whether she’s in foal.”
Mirai Iwata (jockey, Arma Veloce, 2nd): “I was able to secure the ideal position and I think we were able to race from a good spot. The result was the only disappointing part, but the winning horse was strong. I hope she makes a comeback in the autumn.”
Mirco Demuro (jockey, Lynx Tip, 5th): “She is a one-paced horse and when the pace slowed down, I elected to try and move on her early. She came fifth on ability alone and we didn’t see her at her very best. She is very good.”
Christophe Lemaire (jockey, Embroidery, 9th): “She was pulling hard all the way until the home straight and just couldn’t settle at all. On a track like this, she wasn’t able to quicken. She finally settled when the other horses started to accelerate. Especially under today’s track conditions, I think shorter distances would suit her better.”
The Future
Kamunyak and Arma Veloce will likely clash again in the G1 Shuka Sho (2000m) on October 19. Seven of the last 10 Yushun Himba winners have gone on to contest that year’s G1 Japan Cup, again over the Tokyo 2400m, in November; that appears a likely path for Kamunyak. ∎
