Regaleira nips Shahryar in Arima Kinen

The Arima Kinen (G1) often has served as a swan song for Japan’s best but the tables turned in the Dec. 22 renewal as Do Deuce missed his star turn and 3-year-olds, headed by the filly Regaleira, took three of the top six placings.

With Japan Cup (G1) winner and solid favorite Do Deuce scratched two days before the race, the outcome was left very much in doubt with nine Grade 1 champions in the starting gate, including the winners of two of this year’s Japanese Classics and the second- and third-place finishers from the Nov. 2 Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1T), Rousham Park  and Shahryar .

Youth prevailed, although barely, as Regaleira, a 3-year-old filly by Suave Richard , battled to the wire with Shahryar before getting the nod by a nose. Both were bred by Northern Farm and carried the red, black, and yellow colors of Sunday Racing.