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A full sister to new Arrowfield Stud sire Real Steel stormed to a record-breaking victory in the $A3 million Yushun Himba – Japan’s premier classic race for fillies - in Tokyo on Sunday.
Real Steel and his younger sister Loves Only You are by Japan’s super sire Deep Impact from Loves Only Me and descend from the great race mare and genuine “blue hen” Miesque.
Loves Only You joins recent champions Almond Eye, Soul Stirring and Gentildonna as winners of the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks).
Loves Only You came into the Oaks unbeaten in three starts, including a three length win in last month’s Listed Hanshin Wasurenagusa Sho. She missed the traditional lead-up in the G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas).
However she left no doubts about her brilliance and stamina in the Oaks when she burst through to challenge another Deep Impact filly Curren Bouquetd’or 100m from the post,
Her winning time of 2:22.8 was 0.8 seconds faster than two-time Horse of the Year Gentildonna when she won the Oaks in 2012.
Bred by Katsumi Yoshida’s Northern Farm, and raced by DMM Dream Club Co. Ltd, Loves Only You is the third Deep Impact stakeswinner from Loves Only Me (Storm Cat) after G1 winner Real Steel and Listed winner Prodigal Son.
A debut winner at two, Real Steel capped a stellar career with a win in the G1 Dubai Turf at Meydan on Dubai World Cup night in 2016.
Loves Only Me also has an unraced 2YO filly by Deep Impact, Japan’s champion sire seven times.
Real Steel and Loves Only Me are closely related to French Derby winner Study Of Man, by Deep Impact from a Storm Cat daughter of Miesque.
Other major international performers on their shared pedigree page include multiple G1 winner and champion sire Kingmambo, champion 3YO fillies Alpha Centauri and East Of The Moon, champion 2YO filly Rumplestiltskin and Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Karakontie.