Damian Lane

In this continuing series, we take 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 the horses of interest for this Saturday running at Hanshin and Tokyo Racecourses. Sunday's horses of note will appear in the Saturday edition of the TDN: Saturday, June 13, 2026 6th-TOK, ¥14,880,000 ($92k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1400mT DEMIAN (c, 2, Flightline--Mira Alta, by Curlin) continues the coming-out party for his...

Trainer Tetsuhide Tsuji celebrated his first Group 1 success at Tokyo on Sunday when Rodeo Drive (Saturnalia) denied Ask Ikigomi (Lord Kanaloa) in a pulsating finish to the NHK Mile Cup. Damian Lane took his medicine in the early stages aboard race favourite Rodeo Drive, who had a tricky draw to navigate in stall 17 of 18. Racing towards the rear of the field for much of the contest, the son of Saturnalia still trailed the pacesetters by the best part of 10 lengths entering the straight, shadowing the every...

Godolphin homebred Snappy Dresser (Union Rags) remained unbeaten in three starts going 1400 meters at Tokyo Racecourse on Apr. 26, outslugging North Hill Farm's fellow U.S.-bred Rhatische (American Pharoah) by a decisive 1 1/2 lengths. A May 19 foal, Snappy Dresser graduated by 11 lengths at first asking over this course and distance back in October 2024 and most recently returned from a 13-month absence to wallop first-level allowance company by seven lengths at this venue and same trip on Feb. 21, with the Australian-based Rachel King at the controls....

In this continuing series, we take 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 the horses of interest for this weekend running at Tokyo Racecourse: Saturday, November 1, 2025 1st-TOK, ¥10,600,000 ($69k), Maiden, 2yo, 1600m ARCADIA CAFE (c, 2, Into Mischief--Mary's Follies, by More Than Ready) was bet into 9-10 favoritism for his 1400-meter debut at this oval back on June 21 and...

Last year's G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) runner-up Redentor made the breakthrough at the top level with a hard-fought victory in Sunday's Tenno Sho (Spring) at Kyoto, producing a gutsy performance to justify favouritism in the hands of Damian Lane. Trained by Tetsuya Kimura, of Equinox fame, Redentor raced in a share of sixth position as the 15 runners went by the winning post for the first time in this 3,200-metre contest, with longshot Jean Kazuma taking the field along at just a modest gallop. Angled to the outside...

by Josh Spasaro/TTR AusNZ Snitzel's domination this season continued with his third G1 Golden Slipper Stakes winner as the filly Marhoona (Aus) won a dramatic race. Snitzel is currently leading the Australian Sires' Table by stakes winners and leading the Australian Broodmare Sires' Table by stakes winners with 14 individuals in each table. It was also the third Golden Slipper scorer for owner/breeder Emirates Park after Estijaab (Aus), also by Snitzel, and Mossfun (Aus) (Mossman {Aus}). Early in the race, Bjorn Baker filly Within The Law (Aus) (Lucky Vega {Ire})...

Carrot Farm's Tastiera (Jpn) (Satono Crown {Jpn}), who fell victim to a stinging late rush from Sol Oriens (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) in the G1 Satuski Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) Apr. 16, got first run on that favoured foe in the long Tokyo straight and found the wire a neck to the good, dashing any hope for a Triple Crown for 2023. Heart's Concerto (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) was a strong third at longshot odds, but the race was marred by the death of Carrot Farm's second betting choice Skilfing...

Silver Sonic (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn) was the second of three Japanese winners on the Saudi Cup card, and turned in a smooth performance to take the $2.5-million G3 Longines Red Sea Turf H. as the 2-1 favourite by 2 1/2 lengths over Enemy (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}). It was the second consecutive year a Japanese runner--both incidentally bearing the silks of Shadai Race Horse Co.--has lifted the 3000-metre turf prize after Stay Foolish (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}) in 2022. Before the race, the main talking horse had been Charlie Johnston's Subjectivist...

The first of four legs of the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby, the $220,717 Cattleya S. (allowance), was staged Saturday afternoon over Tokyo's one-turn mile and for the second year in a row, a son of successful young stallion and former U.S. Eclipse Award winner Drefong drew first blood in the series. Drawn one from the outside in afield of 10, Continuar (Jpn) broke alertly, but was ultimately beaten for speed and settled in the second flight of horses while racing three off the inside and with cover down...

G1 Racing's Serifos (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) steamed home impressively from near the back of the pack to take the G1 Mile Championship at Hanshin on Sunday. Sent off at 8-1, he is the first 3-year-old colt to defeat his elders in the race since Stelvio (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) in 2018. Caught in midfield Serifos relaxed beautifully under Damian Lane as Piece Of Eight (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}) raced hard on the steel while shadowed by Falconia (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), with that duo swapping positions in the backstretch....

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES -- There is seemingly very little Japanese horses cannot accomplish these days. Four weeks after scooping four races at a variety of distances and on both surfaces in Saudi Arabia, Crown Pride (Jpn) (Reach the Crown {Jpn}) made it three wins on the Dubai World Cup undercard--with the possibility of even better to come--with a determined defeat of pacesetting Summer Is Tomorrow (Summer Front) in the $1-million G2 UAE Derby as night began to take hold at Meydan Racecourse. Bathrat Leon (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) struck for...

Having already sewn up the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby and a berth in the starting gate at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday of September if connections so choose, Cafe Pharoah (American Pharoah) will stretch out to 2000 meters for the first time in his career as he tries to make it four wins from as many starts in Wednesday's $711,743 Japan Dirt Derby at Ohi Racecourse. The $475,000 OBS March graduate won his debut going nine furlongs in December, then cut back to Toyko's one-turn mile for...