Japan Cup | Horse Racing Free Tips

York On Top Of The World

York's G1 Juddmonte International S. didn't just provide the world's best 130-rated performance of 2020 for Ghaiyyath (Ire) but, with its stellar back-up cast of seven-time Group 1 winner Magical (Ire), the G1 St James's Palace S. winner Lord North (Ire) and 2000 Guineas hero Kameko, the race was also judged to be the Longines World's Best Horse Race last year on ratings.

Along with announcing the World's Best Racehorse Rankings on Tuesday, Longines and the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) also published the list of top 100 Group 1 and Grade 1 races of the year. It is the first time that the Juddmonte International has achieved this accolade and its rating of 125.25 was derived from the average rating of the first four finishers in the race.

William Derby, chief executive and clerk of the course at York Racecourse, said, “This is a huge honour and a thrill. It's what we're all about at York Racecourse in terms of trying to attract the very best horses and jockeys to race on the Knavesmire. We're thrilled to be named number one against all the wonderful races around the global sport of horseracing.”

He continued, “We're incredibly grateful to Longines and the IFHA for compiling these ratings, ranking every [Group/Grade 1] race around the world based on the first four horses home. To come top of that pile is a huge honour. We're delighted and grateful for their support, and that of the connections of every horse, and Juddmonte Farms, without whom we wouldn't be able to stage such a magnificent race for everyone to enjoy.”

The QIPCO Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown, in which Magical turned the tables on Ghaiyyath, was the second highest-rated race in the world last year on 124.75, with Armory (Ire) and subsequent Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass (Fr) completing the first four.

With Japan's darling of the racecourse, Almond Eye (Jpn) set to make her swansong, the Japan Cup of 2020 was always going to be special, not least because the field also featured the two best 3-year-olds in the country, Triple Crown winner Contrail (Jpn) and Triple Tiara winner Daring Tact (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}). The star trio crossed the line in that order in Tokyo, with Curren Bouquetd'or (Jpn) (Dee Impact {Jpn}) in fourth to make the Japan Cup the third top race of the year on 124.50.

Japan had two races in the top five, the other being the Tenno Sho, which was joint-fourth with the Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland on 123.75. Also making the top ten were the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown, Tokyo's Yasuda Kinen, the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville, the QIPCO Champion S. at Ascot, and the Arima Kinen, run at Nakayama.

Churchill Downs staged both the highest-rated race in the world for fillies only, the Kentucky Oaks (119.25), won by Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil), and the highest-rated race reserved for 3-year-olds, the Kentucky Derby (121.25), won by subsequent Breeders' Cup Classic hero Authentic.

Among the 11 countries in the list of top Group/Grade 1 races run at 40 different racecourses, Australia, with 25, was the world leader, followed by Britain (18), Japan (14), America (13), France (9), Hong Kong (9), South Africa (6), Ireland (4), Germany (3), Argentina (1), and New Zealand (1). The 2020 list of top races stretches to 103 contests owing to a six-way tie for the 98th spot.

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Almond Eye Japan’s HOTY For Second Time In Three Years

Silk Racing Co. Ltd.’s Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), who was retired from racing following a second victory in the G1 Japan Cup last November, was named the recipient of the Horse of the Year award for the second time in the last three years Wednesday. She easily outpointed Triple Crown winners and unanimous champions Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Daring Tact (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}), while champion sprinter/miler elect Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) garnered a single vote for HOTY. Almond Eye, who was also the champion of her generation at three in 2018, was also named champion older filly or mare.

Programmed for a defence of her title in the G1 Dubai Turf last March, Almond Eye returned to Japan following the cancellation of the multi-million dollar race meeting in late March and instead made her 5-year-old debut in the G1 Victoria Mile, where–facing her own sex for the first time since completing the Fillies Triple Crown in the 2018 G1 Shuka Sho–she proved an easy winner, stopping the timer in 1:30.6. Runner-up to Gran Alegria in the G1 Yasuda Kinen in June, Almond Eye defeated champion older male Fierement (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) to win the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) for the second year in a row and handed Contrail his first career defeat when concluding her career victoriously in the Nov. 29 Japan Cup.

WATCH: Almond Eye wins the 2020 Japan Cup en route to HOTY honours

Gran Alegria put together a Horse of the Year-worthy campaign herself, defeating males in the G1 Sprinters’ S. (1200m) in October, the strength of which was amplified when that race’s runner-up Danon Smash (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) returned to land the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint. Gran Alegria closed a three-for-four season in the G1 Mile Championship, besting the classy Indy Champ (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}) with an irresistible late flourish. All but one of the 283 votes were cast for Gran Alegria (one was cast for Almond Eye).

Contrail was untouchable versus his age group, completing the Triple Crown with a hard-fought success in the G1 Kikuka Sho before finding only Almond Eye too strong in the Japan Cup. Fierement, whose retirement was announced Wednesday, made three trips to the post in 2020, winning the G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) over 3000 metres in May and was last seen finishing a close third to ‘Special Award’ winner Chrono Genesis (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}) in the G1 Arima Kinen. Deep Impact’s three champions for 2020 take his total to 21 in his illustrious career.

Daring Tact’s campaign very much mirrored that of Contrail, as she was untouchable in the Filly Triple Crown series before finishing third in the Japan Cup.

Danon the Kid (Jpn) (Just a Way {Jpn}) and the white filly Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune) locked up the 2-year-old male and female divisions, respectively, with victories in the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S. and G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, while Chuwa Wizard (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) was given the nod as the country’s top dirt horse following his win in the G1 Champions Cup last month.

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Chrysoberyl, Cafe Pharoah Chasing Saudi Cup Slot In Japan’s Champions Cup

After a thrilling Japan Cup last Sunday, this week will see some of Japan's top dirt horses take on the Grade 1 Champions Cup at Chukyo Racecourse on Sunday, Dec. 6. The race offers a guaranteed slot in February's $20 million Saudi Cup in the UAE.

There are 18 nominations for a maximum 16-runner field this time around. The race is for 3-year-olds and up and is run over 1,800 meters (approximately nine furlongs) on the dirt track at Chukyo.

The now 4-year-old colt Chrysoberyl not only won last year, but shaved 1.6 seconds off the previous race record time, which had been equaled by three horses in consecutive years, namely Sound True (2016), Gold Dream (2017), and Le Vent Se Leve (2018). Chrysoberyl will be back for another go at the race this year, as well as an attempt to beat his own time of 1:48.50. This year's winner's check is JPY100 million (just under US$1 million).

Here's a look at some of the top dirt horses expected to take on the race:

Chrysoberyl – Last year's winner, the colt by Gold Allure will take some pegging back this time as well. The only loss to his name came when he raced in Saudi Arabia in February this year. Otherwise he has a perfect record of eight wins in all his other eight races, where he has started favorite six times, and has produced some impressive wins, including his latest race, the JBC Classic at Oi in November over 2,000 meters.

Assistant trainer Kenichi Shono said: “It was a strong win last time in the JBC Classic, and his responses were really very good. He had some time at the farm after that and came back to the stable on the 14th, and since returning he's looked in good order.”

The horse's regular jockey, Yuga Kawada, looks set to take the ride again.

Cafe Pharoah – The American bred 3-year-old colt by American Pharoah has loomed large on the dirt scene recently, with just one loss from his five-race career to date. He was a short-priced favorite last time when he won the Grade 3 Sirius Stakes over 1,900 meters at Chukyo in October.

Trainer Noriyuki Hori said: “His prize money total has turned out to be enough to get him into this race without a run in the Musashino Stakes, so given this situation, he's been at the stable since his last race. We're able to prepare him for a run here and he's trained well up to now.” J

ockey Christophe Lemaire, who notched four G1 victories in November alone, will be in the saddle seeking another one here.

Arctos – It will be just the second start in a JRA Grade 1 race for the 5-year-old, after he finished ninth in this year's February Stakes. He was able to turn the tables, however, on the latter race's winner when he beat Mozu Ascot in his latest race, the Mile Championship Nambu Hai at Morioka over 1,600 meters in October, which he won narrowly.

“After his last race, he went to the farm. He might get a bit stiffer in winter, but he's in very good condition, as he showed in his last race, and with the power he's got, he should be fine taking on the 1,800 meters this time,” said trainer Toru Kurita.

Arctos has eight wins from seventeen starts.

Sunrise Nova – The 6-year-old has a good race record in his thirty starts, finishing in the first three eighteen times, which have included ten wins. He was sixth in the Champions Cup in 2018, and he's tuned up for this year's race with a strong win in the Grade 3 Tokyo Chunichi Sports Hai Musashino Stakes at Tokyo in November.

Assistant trainer Kenichi Shono said, “He got to run his own race last time and showed good finishing speed. It's the best way for him to race, if he can save things until the end and then get switched for a late run down the outside.”

Trainer Hidetaka Otonashi looks like being doubly represented in the race, for as well as Sunrise Nova, he also trains Chrysoberyl. The trainer has thirteen JRA Grade 1 wins, and the latter gave him his only Champions Cup victory last year.

Chuwa Wizard – Another runner whose consistency is certainly his top salespoint, the 5-year-old by King Kamehameha has only been unplaced once in seventeen starts, and has nine wins to his name. He finished fourth in last year's Champions Cup. He had his first race since June at Oi last month, when he finished third to Chrysoberyl in the JBC Classic. Trainer Ryuji Okubo was pleased with his latest race.

“It was his first race in a while last time, and I thought he might need the run, but he ran smoothly, and with an aggressive first up race, I think it leads him nicely into this one,” said the trainer.

Gold Dream – If there's one horse to be a flag-bearer for dirt racing in Japan over the past five years, it would be Gold Dream. The Northern Farm bred 7-year-old won the Champions Cup in 2017, and ran second in the race last year, as well as having very good overall race results. He finished just sixth in the Mile Championship Nambu Hai last time, but trainer Osamu Hirata believes he's capable of better.

“Last time out, the rain made it a quick race, and he couldn't finish any closer than he did. In the meantime, he's been working well on the woodchip course with two other horses and seems very well, not showing his age at all,” said Hirata.

Clincher – The 6-year-old by Deep Sky is better known as a turf performer, and it's on that surface that he's competed in seven JRA Grade 1 races, as well as being a 2018 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe representative for Japan. He's been taking on dirt races since the beginning of this year, and after a good win in the Grade 3 Miyako Stakes last time, he comes into the reckoning here.

“It was a perfect win last time when he showed his power, and the jockey must also take credit for it. The horse has been tuning up nicely in training and he'll put in some strong work before the race,” commented trainer Hiroshi Miyamoto.

Jockey Kosei Miura looks set to get the big race ride.

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D J Stable, Green Group’s Len Green Talks Making the Horse Business Profitable On Writers’ Room

It’s no secret that the horse business is a tough one if your primary goal is to make money. But your chances are better the more experience and expertise you accrue, and The Green Group’s Len Green has decades of both. Wednesday, the tax, accounting and consulting firm’s founder and principal of successful racing outfit D J Stable joined the TDN Writers’ Room presented by Keeneland to impart his advice on turning a profit in racing, discuss what tax changes could be coming down the pike with a new presidential administration in 2021 and reminisce on some of his favorite memories in racing.

“One, you really have to learn about setting [your horse investment] up so it looks, sounds and smells like a business,” Green said when asked for his advice for new owners. “Instead of writing checks out of your own regular checking account, which has personal deductions on it, etc., set up an LLC. It gives you protection in terms of liability, but it also gives you the appearance that you’re running it as a business. Two, you have to have some strategy. Three, you’ve got to keep on changing that strategy every couple of years.”

Elaborating on the last point, Green talked about making the eventual move from strictly racing claiming horses to the substantial owning and breeding program he now oversees, one that included champion 2-year-old filly Jaywalk (Cross Traffic) in 2018.

“You get used to a particular pattern of doing business and it really takes a shock sometimes to get you out of your comfort zone,” he said. “Our comfort zone was winning races. It was great, winning 30% of the time, but you were losing the horse because if the horse won for $25,000 our trainer would drop it down to 20. It would win at 20, but by that point, someone would claim the horse from you, and that horse may have originally cost you 100 [thousand]. His theory was, you run it where it belongs, which is correct, but that’s a great pattern to lose money with. So at a certain point in time, we said, ‘Hey, let’s get out of this claiming game. It’s too difficult to make money.'”

Elsewhere in the show, the writers reacted to an intriguing weekend of racing across the globe and, in the West Point Thoroughbreds news segment, lamented the slap-on-wrist punishments trainers continue to receive despite overall positive movement on drug issues in the sport. Click here to watch the podcast; click here for the audio-only version.

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