The May 10 renewal of the NHK Mile Cup (G1T) featured 3-year-olds dropping back in distance, but it was Rodeo Drive, sticking with the formula of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” who came from the back of the field to win by a nose at Tokyo Racecourse.
All three of the Saturnalia colt’s previous starts were at the same 1,600-meter (about 1-mile) distance and produced two wins and a second. Others in the 18-horse field, notably 2025 2-year-old colt champion Cavallerizzo, had ventured out unsuccessfully in the 2,000-meter (about 1 1/4-mile) Satsuki Sho (Japanese Two Thousand Guineas, G1T).
Consistency prevailed.
With Damian Lane in the irons, Rodeo Drive was in no hurry to light the afterburners. As Yu Pharoah , the only American-bred in the field, led the way, Rodeo Drive had only a few behind him around the sweeping turn.
After Lane swung him wide for a clear run, it appeared he briefly was last at the 400-meter mark. Climbing the hill, he found his stride and quickly started passing rivals with Ask Ikigomi keeping company on his inside. As the finish loomed, the two were side by side with Rodeo Drive up in the final strides.
Rodeo Drive finished in 1:31.5 over good to firm turf, just 0.1 second shy of the race record set in 2010 but one second shy of the course record.
Ask Ikigomi, a Lord Kanaloa colt, entered with wins in both previous starts, including the Churchill Downs Cup (G3T) April 4. Both were at 1,600 meters. It was another 1 1/4 lengths to Admire Quads, who reported 15th in the Satsuki Sho.
Cavallerizzo saved ground while racing inside rivals but wasn’t able to mount a challenge in the final sprint and finished 12th.
Lane, who is riding on a temporary license, said the shape of the race played to Rodeo Drive’s strength.
“I’m happy with his speed,” Lane said. “His best (trait) is his closing speed. He was able to close off really strongly today and sustained a strong run to the finish.
“I’m relieved to get the best out of the horse. … He is improving all the time. Now he has performed very well at grade 1 level, I expect him to race at this level for some time.”
He could do so in any number of directions in terms of distance.
The 2024 Mile Cup winner, Jantar Mantar , went on to win both the Yasuda Kinen (G1T) at 1,600 meters and the Mile Championship (G1T) in 2025, earning divisional honors.
On the flip side, while Rodeo Drive has been tasked with the same distance through his short career, the Mile Cup needn’t define his potential as past winners have gone on to glory well into middle distance events.
King Kamehameha and Deep Sky , both used the race as a springboard to victory in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1T) at 2,400 meters (about 1 1/2 miles). El Condor Pasa won the Japan Cup (G1T) at the same trip and Kurofune won the Japan Cup Dirt (G1) at 2,100 meters (about 1 3/16 miles). Both King Kamehameha and El Condor Pasa were sired by Kingmambo.
Rodeo Drive was bred by Northern Racing and runs for Katsumi Yoshida. His dam, Beverly Hills, is by Snitzel . Tetsuhide Tsuji trains.
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AloJapan.com