Starke Makes History with Yushun Himba Strike Aboard Kamunyak

[Wandering Eyes]

German-born Andrasch Starke became the oldest winning jockey in the history of the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) as the 51-year-old partnered Kamunyak to a last-gasp victory in the second leg of the Japanese Triple Tiara at Tokyo on Sunday.

It was a first Group 1 success on Japanese soil for Starke, who has been crowned Germany's champion jockey on 10 occasions and is perhaps best known internationally for his association with the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes heroine Danedream.

Maintaining the partnership with Kamunyak after her first black-type win in last month's G2 Flora Stakes, Starke had his mount settled in midfield through the first part of the contest, before making a wide sweeping move into the straight. The daughter of Black Tide began to uncoil an impressive run from there, drawing even with Arma Veloce 200 metres out and then digging deep to get the verdict by a head. Arma Veloce, runner-up in the G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1,000 Guineas) six weeks earlier, had to settle for minor honours once again, with longshot Tagano Abby taking third ahead of Paradis Reine. Race favourite Embroidery was only ninth as she tried to follow up her Oka Sho triumph in the hands of Christophe Lemaire.

“For me, it has been a dream to win a Group 1 race in Japan and I have no words–my dream came true,” said an elated Starke, who was recruited for the ride by trainer Yasuo Tomomichi and owners Kaneko Makoto Holdings Co. Ltd. “The pace was not so fast in the second half of the race and, before the homestretch, I moved to the outside where she responded very well. She's an amazing horse–she just won four weeks ago. It was important that she was very relaxed today. She put in a sound performance and her ability was amazing.”

Kamunyak made a successful debut at Chukyo in August last year, before finishing sixth in the G3 Artemis Stakes at Tokyo in late-October. Prior to her victory in the Flora Stakes, she reappeared as a three-year-old with a fourth-place finish in the Listed Elfin Stakes at Kyoto in February.

 

【Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) (G1), 2400m, Tokyo, JRA】

Kamunyak won the Yushun Himba !#JRA #horseracing #YushunHimba #JapaneseOaks #Kamunyak pic.twitter.com/2CtdoLPG2R

— HorseRacingInJapan (@HorseRacing_JPN) May 25, 2025

 

Pedigree Notes

Kamunyak is not the only Japanese Oaks winner in the family as her third dam, Dance Partner, was successful at Tokyo herself back in 1995. Remarkably, she was one of three champions by Sunday Silence out of the unraced Nijinsky mare Dancing Key. Like Dance Partner, Dance In The Mood was crowned Japan's champion three-year-old filly and champion older mare, while another sibling, Dance In The Dark, enjoyed a successful career at stud after being named Japan's champion three-year-old colt.

One of four winners from five runners out of the Listed-placed Dance Amiga, Kamunyak is a half-sister to the G3 Lord Derby Challenge Trophy third Keep Calm by Lord Kanaloa. Second dam Dance All Night, who was placed at Group 3 level herself, is a half-sister to the G2 Nakayama Kinen winner and sire Federalist, as well as the G3 Niigata Kinen third Longing Dancer.

 

Sunday, Tokyo, Japan
YUSHUN HIMBA (JAPANESE OAKS)-G1, ¥330,230,000, Tokyo, 5-25, 3yo, f, 2400mT, 2:25.70, fm.
1–KAMUNYAK (JPN), 121, f, 3, by Black Tide (Jpn)
      1st Dam: Dance Amiga (Jpn) (SP-Jpn, $1,045,040), by Sakura Bakushin O (Jpn)
      2nd Dam: Dance All Night (Jpn), by El Condor Pasa
      3rd Dam: Dance Partner (Jpn), by Sunday Silence
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (¥70,000,000 Ylg '23 JRAJUL). O-Makoto
Kaneko Holdings; B-Shadai Farm (Jpn); T-Yasuo Tomomichi;
J-Andrasch Starke; ¥180,961,000. Lifetime Record: 5-3-0-0,
¥244,421,000. *1/2 to Keep Calm (Jpn (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}),
GSP-Jpn, $642,912. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Arma Veloce (Jpn), 121, f, 3, Harbinger (GB)–Rakuami (Jpn),
by Daiwa Major (Jpn). (¥30,000,000 Wlg '22 JRHJUL). O-TO
RACING; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥68,846,000.
3–Tagano Abby (Jpn), 121, f, 3, Animal Kingdom–Tagano Tairin
(Jpn), by I'll Have Another. 1ST BLACK TYPE. 1ST GROUP
BLACK TYPE. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Ryoji Yagi;
B-Niikappu Tagano Farm (Jpn); ¥42,423,000.
Margins: HD, 1 1/4, NK. Odds: 14.30, 3.40, 49.00.
Also Ran: Paradis Reine (Jpn), Lynx Tip (Jpn), Will Survive (Jpn), Brown Ratchet (Jpn), Kelly Fled Ask (Jpn), Embroidery (Jpn), Erika Express (Jpn), Taisei Princesse (Jpn), Ai Sansan (Jpn), Vip Daisy (Jpn), Reve de l'Opera (Jpn), Saturday Sunrise (Jpn), Lesedrama (Jpn), Savonlinna (Jpn), Go So Far (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart & video.

The post Starke Makes History with Yushun Himba Strike Aboard Kamunyak appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

View the full article