King makes history at Nakayama
Rachel King made history at yesterday’s Nakayama meeting as she became the first foreign female rider to win a JRA Graded race on the flat when she steered Chuck Nate to victory in the Grade 2 American Jockey Club Cup.
Trained by Noriyuki Hori and raced by Kaneko Makoto, the six-year-old went into the Grade 2 yesterday having been narrowly denied his first victory at stakes level in the Copa Republica Argentina (Gr 2, 2500m) on November 5.
After having a significant amount of ground to make up with 200 metres to travel, Chuck Nate showed bravery in spades, responding to King’s urgings to slowly pick off his rivals up the straight.
He joined Boccherini (King Kamehameha) with 50 metres left to travel and kept finding to eventually get up in the shadow of the winning post to beat that rival, who is also owned by Kaneko Makoto, by a nose. Chrominance (Lord Kanaloa) came home a further length and a quarter away in third.
“It’s a great feeling,” said King. “Happy to be here and competing in these good races, but to get a winner is even more special, especially for Mr Hori who has been a huge supporter of me since I came here.
“Just to get my horse comfortable on a very testing track. He got into a great rhythm, travelled beautifully. They probably quickened a little bit sharply for him at the top of the straight, but he’s a true stayer.
“Many thanks to the continued support and he helped get me home today in a nice race.”
The Grade 2 win capped off a double for King on the day, with the jockey having ridden Gabby’s Sister (Apollo Kingdom) to victory in the opening event on yesterday’s Nakayama card.