News about Lucky Lilac's foal:
With Keita Tosaki in the saddle, Lucky Sparkle (a 2-year-old colt) is scheduled to make his debut next week (the 28th) in the 1800m turf race at Fukushima. Sired by Epiphaneia, he is out of the legendary mare Lucky Lilac, who claimed four G1 victories, including consecutive wins in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup in 2019 and 2020. For fans who supported his mother, this will undoubtedly be a highly anticipated debut.
This anticipation stems from the fact that her first foal, sired by Rey de Oro, was unable to become a racehorse, and the following year, when bred to Epiphaneia, she did not conceive. Lucky Sparkle is the very embodiment of "third time's the charm." Trainer Mikio Matsunaga, who also managed his mother, noted, "We've ended up two years behind her contemporary Almond Eye, and a year behind Chrono Genesis, who is a year younger, but her foal is finally going to run for us."
When asked about the colt's potential, Matsunaga commented, "He is a good-looking horse, and judging by his movements in training, I believe his ability is high. However, he takes after Epiphaneia more than his mother, and I can sense the difficulty with the bit [mouth sensitivity] that is common among Epiphaneia's progeny. The riders seem to have a hard time with him, too." Hearing only this comment, one might get the impression that while his ability is high, it is still uncertain which way things will go.
That is exactly why it was necessary to speak with Assistant Trainer Maruuchi, who is in charge of Lucky Sparkle after having also handled his mother. When immediately asked about the purported issues with the colt's mouth, he explained, "It's incredibly demanding, but it's not because he leans on the bit in a weird way. He does get on the bit at times, but it's not like he pulls to the right or left... so there's no difficulty in that specific regard."
So, what exactly is so demanding? It comes down to controlling his power—a trait he shares with his mother, Lucky Lilac. Or perhaps it should be called the "education" on how to run, which is necessary precisely because he is at this stage of development.
"It's too late to teach them once they become older horses and gain even more strength. Precisely because he is at this 2-year-old stage, before he has fully matured, we need to teach him the fundamentals."
The focus is on the speed just before shifting into top gear. In terms of lap times on the woodchip course, this means continuously maintaining a 13-second furlong pace. Assistant Trainer Maruuchi says he is highly conscious of riding while controlling this aspect. Indeed, in the workout two weeks prior on Wednesday (the 10th), the colt clocked 80.8 - 65.8 - 51.8 - 37.7 - 11.8 seconds over 6 furlongs on the woodchip course. On Sunday (the 14th), also on the woodchip, he recorded 78.3 - 64.7 - 51.0 - 37.4 - 12.2 seconds. These menus closely match their intended plan. So, why is this specific training necessary?
"Continuing to run at this speed is strenuous for the horse. We want him to run correctly even in those tough situations. When he extends his stride, he needs to take the bit firmly, and when his head comes back, he needs to run in a neutral position. I want to teach him that. I believe that by mastering this, he will become an all-around horse whose running form won't break down, even in the faster-paced reality of actual turf races."
They are not looking for visually impressive finishes where he beats his training partner, nor are they chasing temptingly fast times in the final furlong. Last week's workout, where he finished behind his partner, was a prime example of this philosophy.
"While going at our own pace, we caught up to the horse in front. We were just maintaining our pace, and the other horse, carrying momentum, pulled ahead. That's all it was. If we did similar training [and pushed him], I'm sure he could produce fast times. But that is not what we are looking for."
From the very beginning, his mother, Lucky Lilac, "was different from other horses." Assistant Trainer Maruuchi says he feels that exact same quality in her son.
"He has undeniable quality. That's a certainty, so we want to guide him in a way that allows him to bring it out. He is a horse with excellent footwork, and even from those lap times, his body can drop down further. I think a wider, more spacious course would suit him better."
The battle begins in the summer at Michinoku (Fukushima), with an eye firmly set toward Fuchu (Tokyo) next spring. We await his debut with great anticipation.
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