Gentildonna reinforced her superiority over Japan’s three year-old fillies with a runaway victory in the G1 Japanese Oaks on Sunday.

Gentildonna (3f Deep Impact – Donna Blini by Bertolini) collected the major share of the purse worth the equivalent of AUD 2.90 million for prominent owner-breeder Katsumi Yoshida.  She defeated Verxina (Deep Impact) by a half-length in the Japanese 1000 Guineas (1600m) last month and extended the margin to five lengths over 2400m.

“She had a fever before the Oka Sho (1000 Guineas) but we had no problems maintaining her condition between races,” trainer Sei Ishizaka said.  “It all came together for the Yushun Himba.  We did what we needed to do and I expected her to run a good race.”

Gentildonna’s dam Donna Blini won the G1 Cheveley Park Stakes and G2 Cherry Hinton Stakes at Newmarket in 2005.  Yoshida paid 500,000 guineas for the mare at the 2006 Tattersalls December Sale.

Her sire Deep Impact stands at the Yoshida family’s Shadai Stallion Station.  He completed the 2005 Japanese Triple Crown and is destined to assume the mantle of champion stallion from his own sire Sunday Silence who held the title for 13 years.

Katsumi Yoshida purchased a 50% share in Australian G1 winning filly Mosheen earlier this year.  When she is finished racing, Mosheen will be sent to Japan and mated with Deep Impact.

GENTILDONNA