Up With the Birds Targeting Japan Cup

Sam-Son Farms’ Up With the Birds (Stormy Atlantic), the reigning Canadian Horse of the Year, is expected to make his next appearance in the $5.2-million G1 Japan Cup at Tokyo Racecourse Nov. 30. 

“That’s the plan as we speak,” explained trainer Malcolm Pierce. “He’s invited and we’re just starting to put the paperwork in order, because it’s a big process. It’s an honor [to be invited]. It’s a trip of a lifetime.” 

The 4-year-old is one of four nominees from North America and one of 23 international entries (click here for the entire list). 

Winner of the 2013 Breeders’ S. and runner-up in the Queen’s Plate, Up With the Birds invaded from Canada to take Belmont’s GI Jamaica H. and was named the Sovereign Award-winning 3-year-old male in addition to Horse of the Year. The bay was impressive in annexing the GII Nijinsky S. at Woodbine and was a decent fourth in the GI Arlington Million prior to a runner-up effort over yielding Belmont turf in the GII Knickerbocker S. Oct. 11. 

“He came out of the Knickerbocker really well,” Pierce added. “He came out of it 100%. He got himself so far back.” 

Should he run, it would not be the first time Sam-Son silks appeared in the Japan Cup. Chief Bearhart (Chief’s Crown), who had won the GI Breeders’ Cup Turf in 1997, ventured to Tokyo for the Japan Cup the following fall and finished fourth, beaten five lengths to El Condor Pasa (Kingmambo). 

“Timing-wise, it gives him a good six weeks [between races],” Pierce continued. “It’s going to be a lot of travel. I think it’s 15 hours for the horses on a plane. They have to stop and refuel. He’s got to get from here to either Chicago or New York to fly to Japan. And if we want to spend a week at the track [before the race], which is what I’d like to do, in order to get a final workout over the track, I think they’re talking about us leaving here on Nov. 15–15 days before the race. But it would be the trip of a lifetime.”