In a photo finish, Vodka is toast of Tokyo with a victory in the Japan Cup

Vodka is toast of Tokyo with Japan Cup victory

TOKYO — Vodka has become the latest female to win a big horse race with a narrow victory in the $5.9 million Japan Cup.

The 5-year-old mare held off Oken Bruce Lee by a nose before a cheering crowd of more than 98,000 at Tokyo Race Course on Sunday.

Vodka is Japan’s reigning Horse of the Year and had come up short in the last two Japan Cups before her breakthrough victory in 1½-mile race on the turf.

Vodka’s win follows several top efforts by female stars against male horses, such as Zenyatta’s victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and Rachel Alexandra’s wins in the Preakness and the Woodward.

Vodka was the favorite in the field of 18. Two-time Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Conduit was fourth.

The winner earned $2.8 million and boosted her career earnings to $13 million.