French-based Karakontie scored a breakthrough victory in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile in 2014, becoming the first horse bred in Japan to win a championship day race. There is yet to be a Breeders' Cup victory by a horse trained in Japan, though Japanese horsemen have successfully sent runners to Europe, Dubai, Hong Kong, Australia and the U.S. for Grade 1 triumphs.
In this week's edition of the Friday Show, Kate Hunter – Breeders' Cup field representative in Japan – joins Ray Paulick and bloodstock editor Joe Nevills to talk about the seven Japanese horses expected to participate this year – the largest group ever. (An eighth Japanese runner, Jasper Krone, has been withdrawn.)
Hunter points out that Hideyuki Mori, arguably the most internationally minded Japanese trainer, is leading by example, having sent over the most horses and demonstrating – while yet to win a Breeders' Cup race – that it is well worth trying. Mori has been testing the international waters all the way back to 1995, when he sent Ski Captain from Japan for a run in the Kentucky Derby. Mori will have four entered this year.
Is the year for a Japanese victory? “If you consider that horse racing is a numbers game, we've got the numbers this year,” Hunter said. “I hope it goes in our favor.”
Watch this week's Friday Show, presented by Woodbine, below:
The post The Friday Show Presented By Woodbine: Japan’s Strength In Numbers appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
