Godolphin’s Kentucky-bred Lemon Pop wired his rivals in the Champions Cup (G1) on Sunday, Dec. 3, at Chukyo Racecourse in Japan, becoming just the fourth horse in history to win both of Japan’s top-level dirt events in the same year after also winning the February S. (G1) earlier in the season.
Quick out of the gate from the widest post in the field of 15, Lemon Pop assumed command early. The 5-year-old son of Lemon Drop Kid maintained a clear lead into the stretch and held off all challengers to score by 1 ¼ lengths in the end. Lemon Pop completed the 1,800 meters (about 1 1/8 miles) in 1:50.6.
The Champions Cup was formerly run under the name of the Japan Cup Dirt (G1) until 2013. Seventeen of the past 22 winners of the Champions Cup have been named Japan Racing Association’s Best Dirt Horse. Bred in Kentucky by Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Tait, Lemon Pop is trained by Hiroyasu Tanaka. Lemon Pop was a $70,000 weanling purchase at the 2018 Keeneland November Sale where he was purchased by Harry Sweeney’s Paca Paca Farm out of the Blandford Bloodstock consignment. Sweeney is president of Godolphin in Japan.
The $20-million Saudi Cup (G1) going 1,800 meters on Feb. 24, 2024 at King Abdulaziz Racecourse is among the early-season targets next year for Lemon Pop, who is now an earner of more than $3.5 million.