Japan
Three-Year-Old Museum Mile Powers Past Rivals to Claim 2025 Arima Kinen
Museum Mile wins this year’s Arima Kinen (The Grand Prix) at Nakayama.
Third favorite Museum Mile claimed his second G1 title by dominating the year-end "All-Star" Grand Prix, the Arima Kinen. The son of Leontes marked two wins in his two-year-old debut year and concluded the season with a second in the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes (G1, 1,600m). This year, he kicked off with a fourth-place finish before capturing the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, G1, 2,000m), then finished sixth in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1, 2,400m). His autumn campaign began with a graded win in the St. Lite Kinen (G2, 2,200m) in September, followed by a 3/4-length second in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1, 2,000m), his first start against older foes in early November. Trainer Daisuke Takayanagi claimed his fourth JRA-G1 title following his win in the Satsuki Sho with the colt, while jockey Cristian Demuro, who narrowly missed last year's Arima Kinen with Shahryar by a nose, registered his seventh JRA-G1 victory, following his Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes win with Cavallerizzo just a week earlier.
A bit slow out of gate four, Museum Mile settled toward the rear, around 11th-12th from the front. The son of Leontes shadowed Danon Decile for most of the trip, swung wide around the final two corners and unleashed a powerful late charge behind the second pick with a time-tied fastest last-three-furlong drive. The three-year-old dark bay passed his rivals one by one, outrunning the last two frontrunners—Danon Decile and then Cosmo Kuranda—in the final strides to reach the wire a half-length in front to claim his Arima Kinen title.
"I'm really happy to win the race on the last day of racing of this year. It was a revenge from last year. Last year, Regaleira cut my dream and this year, I brought it back. I just followed Danon Decile all the way—he opened the way for us in the last stretch—and when we came outside, I knew we could beat him. The horse likes the Nakayama track, so it was a big advantage for us. I'm very happy to win the Arima Kinen on its 70th anniversary," commented Cristian Demuro.
Coming into the race with 1-4-1 out of eight starts at Nakayama, twelfth choice Cosmo Kuranda chased the pace in second or third after briefly rallying for the lead early and took command at the top of the stretch. The Al Ain colt sustained the bid and maintained the lead but was denied by the winner just before the wire, finishing a half-length behind in second while holding off the rest of the field by a neck.
Posted second pick again this year, Danon Decile broke smoothly from gate nine and traveled wide in ninth. The four-year-old son of Epiphaneia improved his position while sweeping wide around the final corners and produced an impressive burst of speed down the lane but was overtaken by the fast-closing Museum Mile in the last 50 meters and finished a neck behind Cosmo Kuranda in third.
Race favorite Regaleira was forced to race toward the rear, around 14th, after a poor break. Meeting traffic entering the lane, the defending champion found a narrow opening between horses in the last 100 meters and exerted her strong late kick—the fastest last three furlongs, tied with the winner—but was too late to catch the top three and finished half a length behind Danon Decile in fourth.
Other Horses:
5th: (7) Sunrise Zipangu—positioned near rear, launched 3rd fastest late drive, belatedly
6th: (16) Tastiera—settled in 3rd early, entered lane in good striking position, ran gamely until
100m out
7th: (3) Justin Palace—trailed in rear, advanced while circling wide, passed tired rivals
8th: (1) Excite Bio—hugged rails around 10th, rounded wide in last corners, needed more
9th: (12) Meiner Emperor—raced around 7th, advanced to 4th in backstretch, lacked needed kick
10th: (8) Chevalier Rose—traveled around 12th, even paced
11th: (13) Admire Terra—sat in 4th, advanced after 3rd corner, failed to sustain bid
12th: (15) Elton Barows—ran around 7th on rails, showed little at stretch
13th: (6) Meisho Tabaru—tracked leader in 2nd or 3rd early, led at 2nd corner, faded in last 200m
14th: (2) Shin Emperor—saved ground around 5th, blocked behind horses at stretch
15th: (14) Arata—took economic trip around 12th, no factor
16th: (11) Mystery Way—rallied for lead to set pace, faded after 3rd corner
Check out the latest Singapore News