Stars On Earth (Jpn) | Horse Racing Free Tips

Songline Sings Winning Tune in Victoria Mile

Last year after earning a spot in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile via her win in June's G1 Yasuda Kinen over this course–a Breeders' Cup Challenge qualifying event–Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna) was headed to America before a throat issue found after a fifth-place finish in September's G2 Centaur S. sent her to the sidelines for five months. Back in action on the G1 Saudi Cup undercard in February, she was a distant 10th in the G3 1351 Turf Sprint at King Abdulaziz Racetrack, a race she won in 2022, and sent back to Japan to regroup. The time away certainly helped as the now 5-year-old mare earned a second career Group 1 victory here.

Despite the rainy day Sunday, the Tokyo turf remained good to firm, which suited the winner, who was fifth in this race a year ago. After the clean break from post position six, 7-1 fourth chance Songline was content to settle mid-pack and nearest the rail in the early going, a dozen lengths off the pace set by Lotus Land (Point of Entry) all the way up the backstretch and around the bend. As the pacesetter led the field into the stretch, Songline still had a half-dozen lengths to make up, and with a gaping hole available along the rail, slipped through with 400 metres to run, which left only Lotus Land and defending champion and 4-1 chance Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune)to get by. In deep stretch, the winner continued her rally, digging in to get by a determined Sodashi to her outside within the final few jumps and post the head victory, the top two successfully holding off the late challenge from 5-2 favorite Stars on Earth (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) at the wire.

“Though we had to race further back and inward than planned, we were able to race in good position while eyeing the race favorites,” jockey Keita Tosaki said. “The track was a little heavy due to the rain but she responded strongly in the straight. It was a close race, but I was pretty sure we crossed the wire in front. I knew that Songline has a strong ability so I'm really happy we were able to win the race.”

With the win, Songline reserved her spot in the gate for this year's GI Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita Nov. 4. Additionally, the top three finishers here earned automatic berths in the G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp at ParisLongchamp as well as the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville, both set to be contested in late summer.

Pedigree Notes:
Young stallion Kizuna has sired 12 group winners and two Group 1 winners–Songline and the 2021 G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup winner Akai Ito (Jpn). Songline is the first and most successful foal out of his dam, who won four races from 23 starts and is a half-sister to two-time Japanese group winner Jeune Ecole (Jpn) (Kurofune). Some other notable names appearing in Songline's female family include group winners Renforcer (Jpn) (Symboli Kris S), Northern River (Jpn) (Agnes Tachyon {Jpn}) and Deirdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}). Luminous Parade also produced a 2-year-old colt named Sonic Parade (Jpn) (Real Impact {Jpn}) and a yearling full brother to Songline.

Sunday, Tokyo, Japan
VICTORIA MILE-G1, ¥252,980,000, Tokyo, 5-14, 4yo/up, f&m, 1600mT, 1:32.20, gd/fm.
1–SONGLINE (Jpn), 123, m, 5, Kizuna (Jpn)
1st Dam: Luminous Parade (Jpn), by Symboli Kris S
2nd Dam: Luminous Point(Jpn), by Agnes Tachyon (Jpn)
3rd Dam: Soninke (GB), by Machiavellian
O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-Toru Hayashi;
J-Keita Tosaki; ¥133,486,000. Lifetime: MGSW, 14-6-2-1,
¥477,526,000. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free
Equineline.com pedigree.
2–Sodashi (Jpn), 123, m, 5, by Kurofune–Buchiko (Jpn), by King
Kamehameha (Jpn). O-Makoto Kaneko Holdings; B-Northern
Farm (Jpn); ¥52,996,000.
3–Stars on Earth (Jpn), 123, f, 4, Duramente (Jpn)–Southern
Stars (GB), by Smart Strike. O-Shadai Race Horse; B-Shadai
Farm (Jpn); ¥33,498,000.
Margins: HD, 3/4, 1; Odds: 6.60, 3.60, 1.50.
Also ran: Divina (Jpn), Sound Vivace (Jpn), Lotus Land, Namur (Jpn), Namura Clair (Jpn), Stellaria (Jpn), Rouge Stiria (Jpn), Andvaranaut (Jpn), Stunning Rose (Jpn), Sublime Anthem (Jpn), La La Christine (Jpn), Izu Jo no Kiseki (Jpn), Kurino Premium (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart and Video.

The post Songline Sings Winning Tune in Victoria Mile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Kitasan Black’s Equinox Named 2022 Japanese Horse Of The Year

Dual Group 1 winner Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) followed in his sire's footsteps and claimed the 2022 Japanese Horse of the Year crown with 282/288 votes, according to published reports. The son of G3 Mermaid S. heroine Chateau Blanche (Jpn) (King Halo {Jpn}) raced for trainer Tetsuyama Kimura in the colours of Silk Racing Company, Ltd.

Also named the Japanese Champion 3-Year-Old Male with 285/288 votes, the Northern Farm-bred was second in both the G1 Japanese 2000 Guineas and G1 Japanese Derby, but added his name to the roll of honour of the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) and G1 Arima Kinen in the second half of the year. Kitasan Black, who stands at Shadai Stallion Station, was a two-time Japanese Horse of the Year in 2016/2017.

The severity of the blow to the Japanese breeding industry with the premature loss of King Kamehameha (Jpn)'s son Duramente (Jpn) continues to deepen, as no less than three of his progeny were named year end champions for 2022. A champion 3-year-old in his native land in 2015 and the Japanese Champion First-Season Sire in 2020, the dual Classic winner was fifth on the year-end sire tables in Japan.

Leading the charge for their Kingmambo sire line was Japanese Champion Older Male Titleholder (Jpn), who rattled off a trio of wins starting with the G2 Nikkei Sho in March, and then made Hanshin his playground with a brace of Group 1 wins in May and June, with the Tenno Sho (Spring) going his way followed by the Takarazuka Kinen, the former over two miles, the other over 11 furlongs. Nabbing 280 of the 288-vote total, the Okada Stud-bred Toru Kurita trainee carried the Hiroshi Yamada silks in 2022.

A Classic winner, just like Titleholder, Shadai Race Horse Company's Stars On Earth (Jpn) was named the Japanese Champion 3-Year-Old Filly (286/288 votes) for a five-race campaign last year. Second in a pair of Group 3s in January and February, she clawed out a nose victory in the G1 Japanese 1000 Guineas and added the G1 Japanese Oaks in quick succession in the spring for trainer Mizuki Takayanagi. Bred by Shadai Farm, the February foal was an unlucky third when trying for the Japanese Triple Tiara in October. Her German female family stood her in good stead in 2022, as her second dam is champion Stacelita (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}), the winner of five top-level races overall. Stacelita, in turn, is the dam of 2016 Japanese Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Soul Stirring (Jpn) (Frankel {GB}), who would go on to take the G1 Japanese Oaks.

Duramente's 2-year-old daughter Liberty Island (Jpn) was awarded the Japanese Champion 2-Year-Old Filly title. The G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies victress was also second in the G3 Artemis S. after winning her debut. Bred by Northern Racing and raced by Sunday Racing Company, the Mitsumasa Nakauchida charge is the only horse of 2022 to be a unanimous champion with 288 votes. Liberty Island's dam, the All American (Aus) mare Yankee Rose (Aus), thrived at both two and three and was named champion Down Under both years, as well as taking second in the G1 Golden Slipper to boot.

The title of Japanese Champion 2-Year-Old Male went to the three-for-three Dolce More (Jpn), who is by another son of King Kamehameha in Rulership (Jpn). Trained by Naosuke Sugai for Three H Racing Company, Ltd., the son of the Classic-winning Ayusan (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) took both the Oct. 8 G3 Saudi Arabia and the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S. in December. Bred by Shimokobe Farm, he accrued 279 of the 288 votes.

Third in Equinox's G1 Arima Kinen, G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup winner Geraldina (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn})'s 2022 track record was deemed enough to defeat the white wondermare Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune) in the year-end category for top distaffer, with 239 votes to Sodashi's 32. Placed in another two group races during a busy campaign, the then-4-year-old is another Sunday Racing colourbearer after Liberty Island. Bred by Northern Racing, the mare is out of two-time Japanese Horse of the Year and superstar Gentildonna (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and is trained by Takashi Saito.

Crack miler Serifos (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}–Sea Front {Fr}, by Le Havre {Ire}) made headlines as the victor of Hanshin's G1 Mile Championship in November after an earlier tally in the G2 Fuji S., and those two wins, on the back of a pair of fourths in the G1 NHK Mile Cup in May and the G1 Yasuda Kinen a month later, were enough to see him wear the champion sprinter laurels for G1 Racing Company and trainer Mitsumasa Nakauchida (156/288). Bred by Oiwake Farm, the 4-year-old is the second foal of the Listed Prix Maurice Zilber heroine Sea Front, who also ran third in a French Group 3 and was sold for €135,000 to Haruya Yoshida at the 2016 Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale. The late Le Havre's daughters have also thrown additional Japanese Group 2 winner Des Ailes (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Excelling on dirt, just like his American Triple Crown-winning sire American Pharoah, Café Pharoah claimed all bar four votes to be named the Japanese Champion Dirt Horse. Seen in action three times last term for trainer Toru Kurita, the Koichi Nishikawa-owned bay won his second consecutive G1 February S., as well as the Listed Mile Championship Nambu Hai in October. The 6-year-old is a product of the breeding programme of the late Paul Pompa, and was selected as a juvenile out of the OBS March Sale for $475,000 in 2019. His dam, Mary's Follies (More Than Ready), made $500,000 when bought by BBA Ireland in foal to Curlin at the 2021 Keeneland January Sale; while his Animal Kingdom half-sister Regal Glory–picked up by Peter Brant's White Birch Farm for $925,000 at the same sale–has continued to embellish her race record and is now a three-time Grade I winner on grass.

Iconic Japanese jumper Oju Chosan (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}–Shadow Silhouette {Jpn}, by Symboli Kris S.) was named champion steeplechaser for the fifth time (2016-2018, 21/22), but managed that feat by only a single vote at 138, as Nishino Daisy (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) earned 137. Aged 11 when racing to his title, the Naoyoshi Nagayama-bred represented Chosan Company and trainer Shoichiro Wada.

The post Kitasan Black’s Equinox Named 2022 Japanese Horse Of The Year appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Stunning Rose halts Triple Crown Bid in Shuka Sho

Stunning Rose (Jpn) (King Kamehmeha {Jpn}), runner-up in the G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks), thwarted Stars on Earth (Jpn)'s (Duramente {Jpn}) Triple Crown bid with a victory in third jewel of the sophomore fillies' Triple Crown in Kyoto's G1 Shuka Sho Sunday.

Breaking sharply, the third betting choice settled behind pacesetters Bright on Base (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) and Sound Vivace (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) in a two-wide fourth down the backstretch. Meanwhile, race favorite Stars of Earth missed a beat at the start and was pinched back, forcing her to work out a trip from near the back of the field in the early going. Enjoying a much smooth time of it, Stunning Rose made headway about 600 meters out, shifting out slightly for the stretch drive. Gradually overtaking the late-leading duo of Art House (Jpn) (Victoire Pisa {Jpn}) and Sound Vivace in early stretch, she collared them midstretch, edged clear and had enough in reserve to fend off the fast-charging duo of Namur (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) and the finally unencumbered Stars on Earth enroute to a 1/2-length victory.

“I am grateful to have been given the chance to ride this filly and want to thank the connections for that and having her ready for today,” said winning jockey Ryusei Sakai. “I was able to assess the filly's style the last timed I rode her and I was able to position her near [stalking] Art House during the trip. Her response at the straight was way much better than her last start and although I was aware of the horses coming strongly from

behind, I felt her power under me would carry us to the wire in front.”

Fifth in her sole start at two at Hanshin, the bay returned a winner in the Kobushi Sho in February before making it two straight in the G3 Flower Cup at Nakayama in March. Second best to Stars on Earth in May 22 Yushun Himba, she rebounded to take the G3 Shion S. Sept. 10.

Pedigree Notes
The Shuka Sho heroine is one of five winners for her dam Rosa Blanca, a half-sister to Japanese champion juvenile colt and G1 Japan Cup hero Rose Kingdom (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}). The Shuka Sho win gives Stunning Rose's sire, King Kamehameha, his 15 Group 1 winner.

Sunday, Kyoto, Japan
SHUKA SHO-G1, ¥214,800,000, Kyoto, 10-16, 3yo, f, 2000mT, 1:58.60, fm.
1–STUNNING ROSE (JPN), 121, f, 3, King Kamehameha (Jpn)
1st Dam: Rosa Blanca (Jpn), by Kurofune
2nd Dam: Rosebud (Jpn), by Sunday Silence
3rd Dam: Rose Colour (Jpn), by Shirley Heights (GB)
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm;
T-Tomokazu Takano; J-Ryusei Sakai; ¥113,360,000.
Lifetime Record: 10-5-2-1. Werk Nick Rating: A++.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Namur (Jpn), 121, f, 3, by Harbinger (GB)–Sambre et Meuse
(Jpn), by Daiwa Major (Jpn). O-Carrot Farm; B-Northern Farm;
¥44,960,000.
3–Stars on Earth (Jpn), 121, f, 3, Duramente (Jpn)–Southern
Stars (GB), by Smart Strike. O-Shadai Race Horse; B-Shadai
Farm; ¥28,840,000.
Margins: 1/2, 1/2, 1 1/2; Odds: 7.90, 4.60, 6.30.
Also Ran: Memory Raison (Jpn), Art House (Jpn), Eglantyne (Jpn), Sound Vivace (Jpn), Storia (Jpn), Presage Lift (Jpn), Lilac (Jpn), Win Eclair (Jpn), Water Navillera (Jpn), Erika Vita (Jpn), Love Pyro (Jpn), Tagano Finale (Jpn), Bright on Base (Jpn).
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Click for the JRA chart and video.

The post Stunning Rose halts Triple Crown Bid in Shuka Sho appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Japanese Dual Classic Heroine Stars On Earth Sustains an Injury to Her Right Foreleg

Japanese dual Classic winner Stars On Earth (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) has sustained an injury to her right foreleg and will be out until the autumn, www.tospo-keiba.jp reported on Saturday morning. Stars On Earth had been grazing in a paddock at the Yamamoto Training Centre when a slight swelling was observed in her right foreleg on May 25. After an X-ray of the limb was performed on Friday, a displaced bone fragment was discovered. The area will be re-examined at the Miura Training Centre next week.

The Shadai Race Horse colourbearer captured the G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) in April and added the G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) to her haul on May 22. A start in the third leg of the Japanese fillies' Triple Crown, the Oct. 16 G1 Shuka Sho at Hashin, has not been ruled out provided the filly heals in a timely manner.

The post Japanese Dual Classic Heroine Stars On Earth Sustains an Injury to Her Right Foreleg appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post