Race favorite Kane Hekili crushed the competition with a 3-length win of the year's first Grade I race February Stakes on Sunday at Fuchu.
Kane Hekili (right) races to victory at the year's first Grade I race February Stakes in Tokyo.
Despite coming off a nearly three-month hiatus, Kane Hekili romped to victory in the 16-strong, 1,600-meter dirt event, his first race since his nose win of the Japan Cup Dirt last November.
His time was 1 minute 34.9 seconds.
As in the Japan Cup Dirt, the Storm Cat-sired Seeking the Dia, race second pick, was once again runnerup, though by a far wider margin. Longshot Utopia took third place a head behind and helped send what would have been an otherwise lackluster return at the windows up over 200-fold on the trifecta.
Kane Hekili, ridden by Yutaka Take, pulled off an exemplary start and traveled easily toward the rear as the race unfolded at a fast pace. Gaining the top with 200 meters to go, Kane Hekili went uncontested and largely without urging to the wire.
The Fuji Kiseki-sired 4-year-old is next headed to Dubai at the end of March to once again take on an international crowd, though on foreign ground for the first time.
Both trainer Katsuhiiko Sumii and Take expressed some concern over the difference in the surface. Sumii also admitted he was somewhat worried as to how his colt would weather the long trip and handling in transit at Hong Kong.
With the win of the February Stakes, Kane Hekili -- whose name means "spirit of thunder" in Hawaiian -- has 8 wins in 12 starts.
The 94 million yen prize boosted total earnings for owner Makoto Kaneko to more than 418 million yen.