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Race ID:3875.5014 Local racegoers crowded the grandstand in spite of the wet conditions as nine older horses took to the track to compete in the 1st<\/SUP> Edition of the $1.2M Grade II The Nakayama Handicap \u00a0<\/SPAN>over nine furlongs of \u201cgood\u201d turf in Japan.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>A highly competitive field paraded to the post featuring morning line favourite RODE ME HARD(KY) 40oz<\/I><\/B> <\/I>but on paper the race was a wide open affair.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>As the gates sprung wide, jockey C. Roser took his mount THEATRICAL\u00a0 <\/SPAN>TRAILER(IRE) coolk2<\/I><\/B> \u00a0<\/SPAN>directly to the front hotly pursued by both BOWLED SHANE(IRE) cozzene99<\/I><\/B> <\/I>and PROSPETARIAT(IRE)\u00a0 <\/SPAN>xssessive<\/I><\/B>. \u00a0<\/SPAN>Nostrils apart at the opening quarter, Roser continued to pressure THEATRICAL TRAILER (IRE) for more speed in an attempt to run away from the two on his heels.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>A much different race that he faced just last weekend here in Japan as he navigated Hoosier Miner(KY) to victory from off the pace in the $2M Grade I February Stakes.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>On the run down the backstretch, only eight lengths seperated first from second last as only MILLVIEW EMBLEM(JP) wyndaway3<\/I><\/B> in trouble and having thrown in the towel.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>As the horses entered the far turn, jockey Roser asked the leader to open up and like hitting a switch off he went, now on top by four at the top of the lane.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>With powerful strides, THEATRICAL TRAILER(IRE) held fast his dominant position throughout the stretch without competition and finishing ahead by three.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>RODE ME HARD(KY) 40oz<\/I><\/B> was stalking throughout and did his best to stay with the eventual winner he simply could not cut into that lead and finished a solid second, three lengths in front of ALL RIGHT(KY) peeps10<\/I><\/B> who was the best of the rest staggering home in third.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>\u00a0\u00a0<\/SPAN>\u00a0<\/SPAN>\u00a0<\/SPAN>\u00a0\u00a0<\/SPAN>\u00a0\u00a0<\/SPAN>\u00a0<\/SPAN>\u00a0<\/SPAN> Actor <\/I>Bruce Willis<\/B> of Die Hard Fame presented the Nakayama Gold Cup to the winning connections coolk2<\/I><\/B> who was quoted as saying \u2026 \u201cIt was a thrill to meet Bruce but I\u2019d much rather have had a peck from his Ex Demi Moore\u201d. GRADED HANDICAPS<\/SPAN><\/U><\/B>:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Hladun said \u2026 PP 1:\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>116882\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>THEATRICAL TRAILER(IRE)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>\u00a0<\/SPAN>\u00a0<\/SPAN>coolk2<\/I>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>(6\/1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>\u00a0\u00a0<\/SPAN>RANK:\u00a0 <\/SPAN>70 \u201cThis five year old son of Theatrical comes into this race off of a win in the Grade II Sanders Stakes at today\u2019s distance of nine furlongs.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>A monumental race in his career given that it was his first graded stakes attempt and put on a incredible show to boot with a 112 speed figure in wiring the field.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>With seven wins in fourteen career starts and coming off of two consecutive stakes wins, he\u2019s a dangerous dude right now as he\u2019s fresh and fast.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>A major player here.\u201d \u201cHe\u2019s been kicking the stall door down all week.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>I\u2019m expecting a huge effort here<\/SPAN><\/I>\u201d\u00a0 <\/SPAN>coolk2<\/I><\/B>\u00a0 <\/SPAN> PP 4:\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>73252\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>RODE ME HARDER(KY)\u00a0 <\/SPAN>\u00a0\u00a0<\/SPAN>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/SPAN>40oz<\/I>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>(3\/1)\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/SPAN>RANK:\u00a0 <\/SPAN>45 \u201cThis four year old son of Rahy has won his last three races over the turf and ten of seventeen overall.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>He comes out of the Grade III Strange Brew Turf Handicap where he crushed the field at today\u2019s distance winning going away by over two lengths.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>A monster performance, he ran the nine furlongs in 1:46:4 with a 116 speed figure.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>A repeat of that effort takes this going away!\u201d \u201cThat was a monster effort in his last.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>My only concern going into this one is the bounce factor. He\u2019s been eating hardy all week so I think he\u2019s primed for another stellar outing\u201d <\/SPAN><\/I>\u00a0<\/SPAN>40oz<\/I><\/B> PP 9:\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>113468\u00a0 <\/SPAN>ALL RIGHT(KY)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>peeps10<\/I>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>(9\/2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/SPAN>RANK:\u00a0 <\/SPAN> \u201cThis five year old son of Mingun is a veteran of thirty one career starts and comes into this race off two consecutive wins in non-graded stakes company.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>His latest came in the Well Resume Special over nine and half furlongs in Surrey.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Sitting in mid-pack, eight lengths off the pace, he unleashed a furious stretch run in which he collared the leaders deep in the lane and won by a measured quarter length.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>An excellent ride by the bugboy R. Whisper, he has been good for awhile now and would not be a surprise here.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>A contender.\u201d \u201cHis last two were just wonderful. He proved he could do it either way \u2026 that is win on the lead or come from behind.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>We\u2019ll see how the race sets up but I\u2019ll leave it up to the jock\u201d<\/SPAN><\/I>\u00a0 <\/SPAN>peeps10<\/I><\/B> MEDIA QUOTES<\/SPAN><\/U><\/B>: \u201cThis horse is a monster right now.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>That\u2019s two Grade II\u2019s in a row and three overall.\u00a0 <\/SPAN>If there\u2019s a better turf horse out there right now, I want to meet him.
<\/SPAN>Grade II The Nakayama Handicap <\/SPAN><\/B>
$1,200,000, All horses 4 Year Olds and Up
One Mile and one eighth (9 F) \u00a0<\/SPAN>
Track:\u00a0 <\/SPAN>Turf Good
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