Mad Cool Strikes For Breakthrough Grade 1 Victory In Takamatsunomiya Kinen

Just missing by a nose in second in the Sprinters Stakes (G1) last fall, Irish-bred Mad Cool was sent to post sixth favorite in this year’s US$2,612,000 Takamatsunomiya Kinen (G1) and landed his first top-level victory Sunday at Chukyo Racecourse in Japan. 

The Takamatsunomiya Kinen is one of Japan's two championship events for sprinters along with the Sprinters Stakes.

Amidst drizzling rain, Mad Cool broke sharply to come out to the front, soon joined by Victor The Winner and Win Carnelian from the outside, and raced close to the pace while hugging the rails in second or third. 

Still keeping the inside route turning for home, the powerful gray inherited the lead as the pacesetter weakened at the uphill stretch and continued to pull away while chased by fast-closing Namura Clair from behind to hold off that foe by a head. Australian-bred Victor The Winner was third, three lengths back.

Time for the 1,200 meters (about six furlongs) was 1:09.9 on turf rated as yielding.

“I am so glad to have won this race after our narrow defeat last fall (in the Sprinters Stakes)," jockey Ryusei Sakai said. "He broke well and we were in an ideal position, right behind the pace, throughout the trip. 

"The plan to stay in the inside for our attack at the stretch also worked to our advantage and he held on well to deter the chase from behind at the end. I’ve been riding this horse from early in his career and the connections had been eyeing this race from the beginning, but he still has room for improvement so I look forward to his future as well."

Second pick Namura Clair was rated in midpack while saving ground along the rails early. The Mikki Isle mare steadily advanced approaching the final turn, stayed along the rails as the field shifted out for better footing on the outside, crept closer to the eventual winner racing in front approaching the uphill stretch and closed in on that foe with the fastest finishing speed up to the wire, just missing. 

Fifth favorite Victor The Winner was quick out of the gate, disputed the lead with Win Carnelian close behind on his outside, dictated the pace into the stretch, struggled to find another gear going the uphill and outrun by the Mad Cool and Namura Clair in the last furlong but held on well to finish a good length in front of the rest of the field. 

“The race went as planned with a quick jump and he got into a good position and today he was even more fresh than he was in Hong Kong," jockey Ka Chun Leung said. "The track was soft and he fought a little bit because it was his first time racing in Japan, so it was not 100 percent for him, but he ran very well. When he was asked going uphill in the last 350 meters, he struggled a little bit and he was one paced from there under pressure but I am so proud of him to have run such a good race in Japan.” 

Race favorite Lugal broke sharply and stayed close to the pace between rivals in fourth or fifth but failed to show much after shifting out turning for home and faded to 10th.

Mad Cool, a 5-year-old gray horse by Dark Angel, is campaigned by Sunday Racing Co. Ltd. and was bred by Moyglare Stud Farm Ltd. from the Indian Ridge mare Mad About You.