Tag: Japanese runners

Derma Sotogake Drills; Thursday Oaks Schedule Quickens

Three GI Kentucky Derby hopefuls, as well as a GI Kentucky Oaks potential entrant, worked Wednesday morning over a fast surface at Churchill Downs, the track said in a release on Wednesday.

Hiroyuki Asanuma's G2 UAE Derby winner Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) drilled five furlongs in 1:01.40 and was partnered with Lion Race Horse Co. Ltd.'s Continuar (Jpn) (Drefong), who worked a half-mile in :50.

Shortly after those breezes during the 7:30-7:45 training window for Derby and Oaks horses, R.T. Racing Stable and Cypress Creek Equine's Sun Thunder (Into Mischief) worked a half-mile on his own in :48.60 with jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. aboard.

“He pretty much just clipped 12s the whole way around,” Hernandez said. “They added blinkers to him this morning, and that seems to make him want to go forward, and kind of get into things a little earlier than he did before the blinkers. He finished in 48 and 3 [-fifths], with a good gallop out.”

Richard Bahde's Taxed (Collected), the runner-up in the GIII Fantasy S. and No. 15 on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard, worked a half-mile in :47.60 under jockey Rafael Bejarano.

Derma Sotogake and Continuar's Work

The pair of Japanese workmates drilled continuing through five furlongs, with Continuar completing a half-mile.

Breaking off at the half-mile pole, Continuar was 3 lengths in front under Kazunari Yoshida. By the head of the stretch, Derma Sotogake had drawn even under Masatoshi Segawa and was clear at the wire.

Fractions for Derma Sotogake were :25.80, :37.20, :48.60 and 1:01.40. Continuar was clocked in :13.40, :26.40, :50 and out five furlongs in 1:04.40.

Both horses will walk in the Quarantine Barn on Thursday.

Kate Hunter, the Japan Racing Association representative for the Kentucky Derby, said that both riders were happy with the works with Segawa pleased with the response in the stretch from Derma Sotogake.

Yoshito Yahagi, trainer of Continuar, is scheduled to arrive in Louisville on Monday with Hidetaka Otonashi, trainer of Derma Sotogake, due in the following day.

Thursday Schedule

One Derby work is scheduled for Thursday morning and that is Wild On Ice (Tapizar). Jockey Ken Tohill is flying to Louisville this afternoon and will be aboard for the work for trainer Joel Marr.

The Kentucky Oaks work schedule Thursday is much heavier with nine breezes slated.

Trainer Brad Cox is expected to work his trio of Wet Paint (Blame), Botanical (Medaglia d'Oro) and The Alys Look (Connect). Trainer Todd Pletcher has his duo of Gambling Girl (Dialed In) and Julia Shining (Curlin) scheduled to breeze along with Southlawn (Pioneerof the Nile) for Norm Casse, Flying Connection (Nyquist) for Todd Fincher, Wonder Wheel (Into Mischief) for Mark Casse and possibly Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) for Brendan Walsh.

The post Derma Sotogake Drills; Thursday Oaks Schedule Quickens appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Big Stars Twinkle As Entries Taken For Dubai World Cup Meeting

Defending G1 Dubai World Cup hero Country Grammer (Tonalist) is one of over 1,600 entries, including 892 individual horses from 21 countries, entered in the $30.5-million Dubai World Cup night card.

The featured event, sponsored by Emirates Airline, attracted 171 entries. Of the 24 Group or Grade 1 winners besides the Zedan Racing-owned and Bob Baffert-trained Country Grammer, is the duo's three-time Grade I winner Taiba (Gun Runner).

Joining them could be a pair of longshot headliners from last year; namely, GI Kentucky Derby champ Rich Strike (Keen Ice) and upset G1 Saudi Cup victor Emblem Road (Quality Road). Japan continues their well-documented rise on the international racing stage, and 2022 G1 Dubai Turf dead-heater Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) holds a Dubai World Cup nomination this time.

As for the rest of the card, the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic nominations includes Japanese stars like the 2022 winner Shahryar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), as well as Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}), the highest-rated 3-year-old in the world last year. Standing in their way is Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby who has entered Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), winner of the 2022 GI Breeders' Cup Turf.

Speaking of the Dubai Turf, sponsored by DP World, the other half of the dead heat from last year in Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) returns, while newcomer Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) made the list. They could be facing rookie international shipper and reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro). Meanwhile, the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen could pit the Steve Asmussen trainee Gunite (Gun Runner) against RRR Racing's local hero Switzerland (Speightstown).

Grass sprinting noms in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint, sponsored by Azizi Developments, are led by the well-travelled Artorius (Aus) (Flying Artie {Aus}) who could make the journey from Down Under. Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien's three wins in the G2 UAE Derby make him a logical frontrunner, especially as he has nominated GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Victoria Road (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}).

The G2 Dubai Gold Cup, sponsored by Al Tayer Motors, could signal the return of 2021 winner and G1 Gold Cup hero Subjectivist (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}). While the rundown of entries for the G2 Godolphin Mile, sponsored by Nakheel, is marked by defending champion Bathrat Leon (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), as well as Japanese challengers like Lauda Sion (Jpn) (Real Impact {Jpn}) and Derma Louvre (Jpn) (Pyro), plus Americans hopefuls like Pioneer Of Medina (Pioneerof the Nile) and White Abarrio (Race Day).

“We are delighted by the strength and depth of entries for this year's Dubai World Cup meeting,” said Stephanie Cooley, International Manager for the Club. “To have horses from more than 20 countries considering the trip shows the meeting's continued global appeal.”

Invitations for the meeting are set to go out during February. Click here, for the full list of the nominations.

 

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Marche Lorraine Prevails Over Dunbar Road By A Whisker To Steal Distaff

If Breeders' Cup viewers thought the finish of the Sprint, which featured a ding-dong battle between Aloha West and Dr. Schivel, was a nail-biter, Breeders' Cup Distaffers demonstrated we hadn't seen anything yet.

Top betting choices and hot early pacesetters Private Mission, Malathaat, and Shedaresthedevil were overcome midstretch by an arsenal of closers, including Marche Lorraine (JPN) and Dunbar Road scrapping in the final strides. It was Marche Lorraine, who had sat well off the pace early in the 1 1/8-mile contest, who fought her way through under British champion jockey Oisin Murphy, edging Dunbar Road by the narrowest of noses in the photo finish.

The race gave Japanese shippers their second victory of the day, after Loves Only You took the Filly and Mare Turf earlier in the afternoon, also running for trainer Yoshito Yahgi.

Letruska, who had been the heavy 8-5 favorite, had room to run but faded going into the final turn, finishing up tenth.

Malathaat hung on for third in another photo finish over Clariere.

Off at odds of 45-1, Marche Lorraine paid $101.80, $41.00, and $18.80.

Early fractions were blistering at :21.84, :44.97, 1:09.70, and 1:35.28, with a final time of 1:47.67.

U. Carrot Farm owns Marche Lorraine, who was bred in Japan by Northern Farm. The 5-year-old mare is the daughter of Orfevre and French Deputy mare Vite Marcher. She came to the race off a win in the Breeders' Gold Cup Stakes on Aug. 12 at Mombetsu. Earlier this year, she won both the nine-furlong Tck Jo-O Hai and the eleven-furlong Empress Hai. Marche Lorraine has found success on both turf and dirt, and has excelled on a variety of track conditions in her dirt races.

More information will be added as it becomes available.

The post Marche Lorraine Prevails Over Dunbar Road By A Whisker To Steal Distaff appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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