KYOTO (Kyodo) Fourth-favorite Little Amapola pulled away with a late charge down the final stretch Sunday to win the Queen Elizabeth Cup in a race that saw jockey Yutaka Take fall from his mount in a bizarre accident out of the starting blocks.
Little Amapola, a 3-year-old filly, moved out of sixth place with a last-gasp burst on the final bend and crossed the line in 2 minutes, 12.1 seconds in the Grade One race for fillies and mares at Kyoto Racecourse.
Top-favorite Kawakami Princess came second 1 1/2 lengths behind while Bella Rheia was third. Little Amapola claimed prize money of ¥90 million for her first G-1 victory.
Take, who was riding third-favorite Portofino, lost his balance and took a spill out of the gate when his 3-year-old filly bucked forward while Cosmo Platina raced to the front to set the early pace.