Arima Kinen (The Grand Prix) - The Locks Picks the Winners

Sunday is Christmas and Santa will be bringing all good little boys and girls presents.  Over Christmas Eve night it will be already Christmas in Nakayama, Japan which is the site of the Japanese Grand Prix which is almost more power packed than the Japan Cup.   Orfevre (オルフェーヴル), Hiruno D'Amour, Earnestly (アーネストリー) are added from the Japan Cup field to round out the entries.   Orvevre hasn't raced since capturing the Japanese Triple Crown.  Hiruno D'Amour is back in Japan after racing in the L'Arc and Earnestly after winning a couple of graded stakes over the summer is back from a lack-luster Tenno Sho.  


So Christmas will be celebrated not only with Santa-san and eating Kentucky Fried Chicken but with some high quality horse racing. 


The Locks are....


I am going to take a stand against the favorite 2-1 Orvevre, the winner of the Japanese Triple Crown.  Orvevre has yet to race against older horses.  And the 3yos that last raced in the Japan Cup didn't fare very well. Win Variation (ウインバリアシオン ) could only manage a 5th place showing in the Japan Cup after growing tired in the stretch.  Win Variation probably is the 2nd best 3yo this year with place showings behind Orvevre in the Japanese Derby and Japanese St. Leger.  


Tosen Jordan is the winner of the Tenno Sho winner also was runner up in the Japan Cup.   Has 3 wins out of 4 tries on the Nakayama course...only loss was last year in this same race...but last year set pace and tired in stretch...probably wont repeat strategy this year.


Buena Vista is coming off victory in the Japan Cup and is such a consistent horse ,17 1st or 2nd place showings out of 22 tries including a 2nd in this race in last 2 years.


Hiruno D'Amour is a horse that is capable of winning this race and at 40-1, I give it a shot.  Has a 2nd place finish as 6th favorite in a Grade 1 at Nakayama before.   Has had time coming back from France and running in the L'Arc to be fit for this race.


 Victoire Pisa also is capable of winning this race....actually any race in the world after winning the Dubai World Cup but fitness is in question as seen by poor showing in Japan Cup.  But can't get past fact that has raced 4 times at Nakayama and has won 4 times....including winning this race last year.  


◎ Tosen Jordanトーセンジョーダン 16-1 
○ Buena Vista ブエナビスタ  4.3-1
▲Hiruno D'Amourヒルノダムール 41-1
△ Victoire Pisaヴィクトワールピサ 12.6-1


Lets win and exacta saver on Tosen Jordan.
Lets box the 4 horse in exactas and trifectas


Good luck....and most of all Merry Christmas!!!