Tag: Japan

All-Star Cast For Takarazuka Kinen

Hanshin Racecourse is the site of Sunday's fan-voted G1 Takarazuka Kinen over the metric 11-furlong trip, with the winner earning a fees-paid berth in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland Race Course the first weekend of November. And with scarcely an exception, 18 of Japan's best middle-distance horses–with formlines from all over the world–are set to face the starter.

A logical case can be made for perhaps as many as nine runners Sunday afternoon, including reigning Horse of the Year Efforia (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}), who looks to bounce back from a lacklustre ninth as the $1.50 (1-2) favourite when making his 4-year-old debut in the G1 Osaka Hai at this venue back in April. In finishing four lengths adrift of the upset-minded Potager (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), the Carrot Farm colourbearer was suffering the second defeat of his career, the first coming when pipped by this year's G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic hero Shahryar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the 2021 G1 Tokyo Yushun. Blinkers go on and his latest fast work–with the new equipment–made something of a statement.

“His preparation has gone well, and he's probably in better shape than he was for his last race,” said trainer Yuichi Shikato. “He has been more switched on wearing blinkers in training, and running in between two other horses. It was too bad about his last race, so I want to see the real Efforia this time, and hope that he can show what a talented horse he is and give his best showing in the race.”

 

 

 

Leaving votegetter Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) (by a shade less than 3000 votes over Efforia) made all when winning last year's G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) by five lengths and, since finishing fifth to Efforia in the G1 Arima Kinen in December, led throughout to win the G2 Nikkei Sho (2500m) in March and the 3200-metre G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) May 1, where he had the talented G2 Qatar Prix Foy hero Deep Bond (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) some seven lengths behind in second. Titleholder's pint-sized older half-sister Melody Lane (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) is one of three females in Sunday's test.

 

 

 

Two graduates of this year's Dubai World Cup program could make things tough up front for Titleholder. Authority (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) was one of four winners for Christophe Lemaire on Saudi Cup night when leading them a merry chase in the G3 Neom Turf Cup over an extended 10 furlongs and set the pace in the Sheema before being overhauled late by Shahryar and the fast-finishing Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) took his rivals past every pole to annex the G2 Nakayama Kinen (1800m) by 2 1/2 lengths Feb. 27 and most recently shared the spoils with Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G1 Dubai Turf. The 5-year-old is a bit of a question mark at Hanshin and over this distance.

Stay Foolish (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}) is another with imposing Middle East form, having accounted for Sonnyboyliston (Ire) (Power {GB}) in the G3 Longines Red Sea Cup in Riyadh in February before repeating the dose–albeit from slightly off the speed–in the G2 Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan Mar. 26.

Also not without a chance are the consistent Hishi Iguazu (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), second to Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in December's G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup and a running-on fourth in the Osaka Hai; and 2020 Filly Triple Crown heroine Daring Tact (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}), who was a respectable sixth to multiple champion Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune) first off a 15-month absence in last month's G1 Victoria Mile.

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Champagne Room’s First Foal Goes For Two Straight in Japan

In this continuing series, Alan Carasso takes a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are a pair of fillies by American Pharoah for this Saturday running at Hakodate and Hanshin Racecourses. Notable American-breds entered for action Sunday will appear in Saturday's TDN:

Saturday, June 18, 2022
3rd-HAK, ¥9,900,000 ($75k), Maiden, 3yo, 1000m
GLUTTON LASSIE (f, 3, American Pharoah–Brassy Lassie, by City Zip) was crunched into 7-10 favoritism for a 1400-meter Tokyo maiden last Nov. 20, but never landed a serious blow in seventh and makes her return to the races over the minimum trip Saturday. A $40K Keeneland September yearling, the February-foaled bay was knocked down for $350K at last year's OBS March Sale after breezing an eighth of a mile in :10 flat. Glutton Lassie is the only live foal to date for her dam, a half-sister to 2015 GIII Jefferson Cup S. winner Saham (Lemon Drop Kid). The filly's stakes-winning third dam Ticket to Houston (Houston) produced GSW/MGISP Runway Model (Petionville), the dam of four-time 'TDN Rising Star' Grade I winner and current Gainesway stallion McKinzie (Street Sense). B-Fleur de Lis Stable & Ashford Stud (KY)

8th-HSN, ¥14,670,000 ($111k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 1800m
CORDON ROUGE (f, 3, American Pharoah–Champagne Room, by Broken Vow) just failed at odds-on going this distance on Chukyo debut Mar. 13, but got it right last time, carrying the visiting Damian Lane to a popular four-length graduation at that same track and trip (see below, SC 10). The bay is the first foal from her dam, who secured an Eclipse Award with a victory in the 2016 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Champagne Room's Japan-based 3-year-old half-brother Fidele (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) was third at Group 3 level last term and is listed-placed this season. B-Northern Farm (KY)

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Irish And Japanese Racing To Mark Platinum Jubilee

To mark The Queen's Platinum Jubilee, Leopardstown's King George V Cup has been reinstated and will be the feature race at the meeting of Thursday, June 2, which coincides the start of a four-day Jubilee bank holiday weekend in Britain. 

The British Embassy in Ireland has worked in partnership with Leopardstown Racecourse, the British Irish Chamber of Commerce and Kmend to revive the race which was initially run in 1911 following the presentation of a specially commissioned trophy by King George V at Leopardstown during his visit to Ireland. The race was first reinstated as a 1m4f listed contest for 3-year-olds in 2013, replacing the Nijinsky S.

Paul Johnston, the British Ambassador to Ireland, said, “The King George V Cup epitomises the deep and enduring UK-Ireland connections in horse racing and equestrianism. The shared passion for horses and racing between Ireland and the UK has been a feature of many Royal visits to Ireland over the years – from King George V's attendance at Leopardstown in 1911, through Her Majesty The Queen's visit to the National Stud in 2011 and HRH the Duchess of Cornwall's visit to Henry de Bromhead's stables and meeting with Rachael Blackmore this year. It's wonderful to see the King George V Cup being run again in Leopardstown for the first time since the pandemic, and particularly fitting on the day that the UK begins celebrating Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee.” 

 In Japan, the Jubilee is also being commemorated via a number of racing events. The Japan Racing Association (JRA) has announced that the G3 Epsom Cup, run on June 12, and the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup on Nov. 13 will each carry Platinum Jubilee in their title. On the day of each race the JRA will also be hosting activities relating to the United Kingdom, including a Derby-themed talk show. 

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Top Class Pedigrees on Offer as Entries for Two-Day Sale Announced by JRHA

Progeny of the 1,000 Guineas winner Homecoming Queen (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), Irish 1,000 Guineas scorer Jet Setting (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) and American Oaks heroine Spanish Queen (Tribal Rule) feature among the high-class offerings at the two-day Japan Racing Horse Association Select Sale on July 11 and 12. 

Japanese-breds have starred on the international stage in recent times, highlighted by the success of Marche Lorraine (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) and Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), both trained by Yoshito Yahagi, who made history by becoming the first Japanese-trained winners at the Breeders' Cup last season. 

The strength of Japanese racing was further highlighted by an impressive haul of five wins at the Dubai World Cup meeting at Meydan back in March and some of the best bred yearlings and foals the country has to offer will go under the hammer next month.

The sale will be kick-started by 243 yearlings, of which there are sons and daughters of Frankel (GB), Gun Runner, Heart's Cry (Jpn), Lord Kanaloa (Jpn), Mind Your Biscuits, Omaha Beach, Saxon Warrior (Jpn) and Thunder Snow (Ire) on July 11. 

There are 241 foals listed for the following day, with progeny by top-notch stallions Al Ain (Jpn), American Pharoah, Caravaggio, City of Light, Duramente (Jpn), Justify, Karakontie (Jpn), Kizuna (Jpn), McKinzie, Nadal, No Nay Never and Nyquist on offer.

Homecoming Queen was a brilliant winner of the 1,000 Guineas in 2012 and is already a proven producer of talent with her daughter Shale (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) winning the Group 1 Moyglare Stud S. at the Curragh in 2020. Jet Setting famously took the scalp of Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) when winning the Irish 1,000 Guineas in 2016 while Spanish Queen gained her American Oaks win in 2015. 

The catalogue is available online at www.jrha-selectsale.com and print copies will be sent out by June 4. The JRHA will have Covid-19 safety protocols in place for the live two-day sale. For more information, email lem00454@nifty.ne.jp.

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