Japan-trained horses monopolized the scene yet again as they swept the top spots in the Japan Cup at Tokyo Racecourse on Sunday, the second day of the year's biggest international racing event here. It was the fourth-straight Japan Cup victory for the home team, a first in the event's 21-year history.
Leading the sweep of the 2,400-meter turf race by a nose was Nippon Derby winner Jungle Pocket, who became not only the first native-bred 3-year-old to notch the Grade 1 race but did so competing against some of the best Japanese horses currently racing, including runnerup T.M. Opera O, Horse of the Year in 2000 and winner of last year's Japan Cup. The big names rolled across the finish line like movie star credits, with Narita Top Road in third place 3 1/2 lengths later, followed by Stay Gold in fourth place and Meisho Doto in fifth. Jungle Pocket's winning time was 2 minutes 23.8 seconds.
Helping to retain some of the race's international flavor was the winning jockey, French ace Olivier Peslier. Having secured the ride after winning the favor of owner Yomoji Saito, Peslier returned the honor with an aggressive ride that put Jungle Pocket ahead of all but T.M. Opera O with 200 meters left in the race. From there the two dueled down the long Tokyo stretch to the cheers of over 115,000 fans until Jungle Pocket succeeded in passing the seven-time G1 winner with but two strides to go.