Jockey Shun Hamanaka rode the mare Sekito Biest to victory in the GIII Fuchu Fillies' Stakes on June 21, 2024 [1].
The win marks Hamanaka's first graded-stakes victory of the year and represents a repeat win for the horse in this specific event [1, 2].
The race took place at the Tokyo Racecourse on a turf track spanning 1,800 meters [2]. Sekito Biest, a four-year-old filly [3], entered the race as the fifth favorite [2].
From the start, the mare broke well and established an early lead. She maintained this lead through the final straight to secure the win [3]. Hamanaka, 37, said the success was due to the horse's internal drive [1].
"It was the mental strength of this horse that allowed her to run like that," Hamanaka said [3].
The victory underscores the horse's dominance in the Fuchu Fillies' Stakes, a feat achieved by few mares in the race's history.
“"It was the mental strength of this horse that allowed her to run like that,"”
The repeat victory for Sekito Biest establishes the mare as a specialist at the 1,800-meter distance at Tokyo Racecourse. For Hamanaka, the win breaks a graded-stakes drought for the 2024 season, potentially shifting his momentum and standing within the competitive Japanese jockey circuit.
