2024 Champions Cup: Group 1 Review
Venue: Chukyo Racecourse
Distance: 1800m
Value: ¥259,200,000 (US$1,730,943)
The Champions Cup, formerly the Japan Cup Dirt, is a bit of a misnomer as it rarely produces a champion.
However, if any horse is deserving of the title, it is Lemon Pop, who joined Transcend as the only two-time winner of the race since it was established in 2000. It was a fitting victory at what would be his final start, with a retirement ceremony held for the Godolphin-owned six-year-old two hours after his win.
One of only two JRA Group 1 races on dirt, and one of only three Group 1 races on the surface in Japan, it brought together an eclectic group of horses including top-flight winners Lemon Pop, Peptide Nile and Dura Erede, NAR Grade 1 victors Mick Fire and Wilson Tesoro, two-time Korea Cup winner Crown Pride and Yasuda Kinen fourth Gaia Force.
THE RACE
Lemon Pop was first to break from gate two and immediately assumed the pace-setting role under minimal riding from Ryusei Sakai. February Stakes winner Peptide Nile applied pressure from barrier four, while Mitono O quickly got up outside Lemon Pop exiting the straight for the first time.
That led to a very brisk first 400m, recording 11.0s for the 1600m to 1400m split – the only 200m sectional below 12 seconds. Sakai attempted to slacken the tempo but it still remained solid throughout, even as the field bunched up.
It is to the winner’s credit that he managed to shake off Mitono O before kicking three lengths clear past the 200m. The last furlong was always going to be his litmus test given 1800m is at the upper limits of his stamina and, given the sustained pressure, that final 12 seconds must have felt an eternity to Sakai.
Wilson Tesoro sat midfield but was shuffled back on the home turn, requiring Yuga Kawada to shoulder out and then take a small opening in order to chase after Lemon Pop. That likely proved the difference between victory and defeat, especially after Lemon Pop was left vulnerable in front.
Meanwhile, Ryan Moore threaded the needle on Dura Erede, taking inside runs to bring him through strongly late.
THE WINNER
Few horses have managed to build a record quite like Lemon Pop at home. From 16 starts in Japan, he won 13 and was beaten a nose, a length, and a length and a quarter into second in his other three outings.
He won three JRA (i.e. international) Group 1 races – the Champions Cup twice as well as the February Stakes at a mile – while he also won three NAR Group 1 races, which are considered Listed races abroad – the Mile Championship Nambu Hai twice and the Sakitama Hai.
If there is one criticism of Lemon Pop, it is that he simply could not match his feats at home when taken abroad. Two starts away from Japan resulted in a 10th of 14 in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen (1200m) at Meydan last year and a 12th of 14, beaten 20 lengths, in the G1 Saudi Cup (1800m) this year.
THE WINNING JOCKEY
It has been a bit of a frustrating year for Ryusei Sakai, despite him adding the Champions Cup to his victory on Mad Cool in the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen (1200m).
He was a short head away from Kentucky Derby glory on Forever Young, also partnering the three-year-old into third in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, while he was third in the Tokyo Yushun and the Irish Champion Stakes and second in the Japan Cup on Shin Emperor.
But for these small margins, he could have had the most extraordinary year for any Japanese jockey ever.
Still, it was a cool, considered ride aboard Lemon Pop, which secured Sakai the right result on one of his favourite horses. And with Shin Emperor and Forever Young bound for the Middle East in early 2025, Sakai will get his chance to make it an unforgettable season.
THE STATISTIC
The trifecta of Lemon Pop, Wilson Tesoro and Dura Erede was exactly the same in both 2023 and 2024. This is the first time this has occurred in a JRA Group 1 race on the flat, although Oju Chosan, Up To Date and Le Pere Noel finished first, second and third in the G1 Nakayama Daishogai (4100m) over hurdles in 2016 and 2017.
It is a rare occurrence globally – the last recorded back-to-back trifecta at the highest level was in the G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) at Sha Tin in 2021 and 2022 with Wellington, Computer Patch and Sky Field.
The Champions Cup is the second repeat quinella at Group 1 level worldwide in 2024 after Romantic Warrior and Prognosis finished first and second in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2000m) for the second year in a row.
THE QUOTE
Ryusei Sakai (Lemon Pop, 1st): “It was his last race and I’m glad that he was able to end his career with the best result. I wanted to ride him as smoothly as possible and was ready for any challenge. I thought we had won but wasn’t quite sure because Wilson Tesoro came from behind with great speed, so I’m glad we were able to win. Lemon Pop is a strong horse, he has won six out of six G1-class races in Japan – there’s no other horse like him, and I’m proud to have been on his back.”
Harry Sweeney (owner representative, Lemon Pop, 1st): “What a race, what a horse and what a way to go. The banner on our promotional material for his new career as a stallion next year says simply, ‘Lemon Pop – Drink Him In!’. And that’s exactly what we should be doing as six-time G1-winning horses like him don’t come along very often. He has been a most consistent horse in Japan and he deserves his retirement ceremony today.
“It is always a risky decision to keep a six-year-old colt in training and we are relieved that it has worked out so well. He added three Group 1 titles to his curriculum vitae this year and will retire to stud as one of the best dirt horses ever to race in the JRA. Kudos to all involved.”
THE FUTURE
Lemon Pop will enter stallion duties at Darley Japan in Hokkaido, with a fee yet to be announced. Wilson Tesoro is likely to bypass the G1 Tokyo Daishoten (2000m) at the end of the month, a race in which he finished second to Ushba Tesoro last year, and instead aim for the G1 Saudi Cup (1800m) in February. The Tokyo Daishoten may beckon for Dura Erede as he seeks a second Group 1 to go with his shock G1 Hopeful Stakes (2000m) victory from 2022.
