G1 Yasuda Kinen

Making yet more history for the legendary Yutaka Take, Sixpence (Kizuna) gained his first success at the top level when coming out on top in a thrilling finish to Sunday's Yasuda Kinen at Tokyo. The race is a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile in October. Trained by Hiroyasu Tanaka, Sixpence was one of three runners in a breakaway group who appeared to have the race between them with 400 metres to run, with long-time leader World's End (Lord Kanaloa) to his left and Seiun Hades...

Sunday, Tokyo, Japan, post time: 15:40, YASUDA KINEN-G1, ¥347,280,0000, 3yo/up, 1600mT Field: Lebensstil (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}), Long Run (Jpn) (Victoire Pisa {Jpn}), Off Trail (GB) (Farhh {GB}), Sixpence (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), Sakura Toujours (Jpn) (Neo Universe {Jpn}), Stellenbosch (Jpn) (Epiphaniea {Jpn}), Suzu Khalom (Jpn) (Satono Diamond {Jpn}), Champagne Color (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), Water Licht (Jpn) (Drefong), Luxor Cafe (American Pharoah), World's End (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), Sirius Colt (Jpn) (Makfi {GB}), Seiun Hades (Jpn) (Silver State {Jpn}), Gaia Force (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}), Dragon Boost (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}),...

At this point, the participation of Gaia Force (Kitasan Black) in the G1 Yasuda Kinen is pretty much a given. The seven-year-old entire will be running in his fourth edition of the 1600-metre affair, and, after running fourth in both 2023 and 2024, he stepped up to finish second in last year's edition. Maybe 2026 is his year to finally secure the "Win And You're In" for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland in October. Since his second-place run last June, he captured the G2 Fuji Stakes in October...

Jantar Mantar kicked off his four-year-old campaign in the best possible fashion when running out a comfortable winner of Sunday's G1 Yasuda Kinen at Tokyo, a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile. Sidelined since a down-the-field finish in December's G1 Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin, the son of Palace Malice showed no signs of rustiness on his belated return with a sharp exit from the stalls in the hands of Yuga Kawada. Never far away from the pace set by Mad Cool (Dark Angel), the...

Saturday, Epsom Downs, post time: 15:30, BETFRED DERBY-G1, £1,604,000, 3yo, c/f, 12f 6yT Field: Al Wasl Storm (Ire) (Affinisea {Ire}), Damysus (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Delacroix (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Green Storm (Ire) (Circus Maximus {Ire}), Lambourn (Ire) (Australia {GB}), Lazy Griff (Ger) (Protectionist {Ger}), Midak (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), New Ground (GB) (New Bay {GB}), Nightime Dancer (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}), Nightwalker (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Pride Of Arras (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), Rogue Impact (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}), Ruling Court (Justify), Sea Scout (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Stanhope Gardens (Ire) (Ghaiyyath...

The stomping ground of Hong Kong Horse of the Year Romantic Warrior (Acclamation) in 2024, this year's G1 Yasuda Kinen sees a contentious field line up at Tokyo, with the role of ante-post favourite handed to dual Group 1 winner and last year's third-place finisher Soul Rush. By Rulership, the 2024 Mile Championship hero ran second in the G1 Hong Kong Mile in December and was third to the reopposing Sixpence in the G2 Nakayama Kinen in March. Sent overseas, he defeated Romantic Warrior in the G1 Dubai Turf over...

8th-KEE, $100K, Msw, 2yo, 7f, 4:44 p.m. ET. Hammering down for $1.5 million at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, juvenile STOP THE PRESS (Uncle Mo) makes his debut for the ownership group led by West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing. After a sharp work for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey at the Belmont Park training track (Oct. 20, 4f, :48.34, 1/55), the bay colt comes to Keeneland primed for his debut. Out of Secret Sigh (Tapit), Stop the Press is a half-brother to Summer Wind Equine's horse-in-training Pippi...

Sunday Racing Co. Ltd.'s 4-year-old filly Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) bested Schnell Meister (Ger) (Kingman {GB}), also owned by Sunday Racing, by a neck to win the G1 Yasuda Kinen at Tokyo Racecourse Sunday. With this victory, Songline earned an automatic berth, including fees paid, to the $2-million GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile. In an 18-horse field, Songline settled behind Salios (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) and in front of Schnell Meister in midpack as the field cruised down the backstretch at a leisurely pace. Making headway while shifting to the...

Danox Inc.'s Danon Kingly (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) dethroned MG1SW Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in her bid to win back-to-back G1 Yasuda Kinens, with a narrow victory at Tokyo on Sunday. It was the 5-year-old entire's first win at the highest level after he had been placed in a pair of Classics in 2019 and the race is a "Win And You're In" for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile this fall. Sent off at 47-1, Danon Kingly perched three deep in midfield as Daiwa Cagney (Jpn) (King Kamehameha...

Sunday Racing's Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) booked her ticket to the Breeders' Cup while defeating nine other Group 1 winners in the G1 Yasuda Kinen at Tokyo Racecourse on Sunday. The 1600-metre feature is a "Win and You're In" for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland in November. It was 2 1/2 lengths back to 2018 Japanese Horse of the Year and 1-5 favourite Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), who was slowly away. 2019 victor Indy Champ (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}) was third. Made an 11-1...

Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), third in last year's renewal of the G1 Yasuda Kinen, returns to take another crack at Sunday's 1,600-meter Tokyo feature, a 'Win and You're In' to the GI Breeders' Cup Mile. Victorious over this turf course in the 2,400-meter G1 Japan Cup in 2018, she added two more Group 1s last season in the Dubai Turf in March prior to the Tenno Sho (Autumn) in October. Her 2020 debut was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, however, she once again made short work of...

The G1 2000 Guineas card at Newmarket on June 6 and Japan's G1 Yasuda Kinen on June 7 will be simulcast for betting beginning in the late evening of Saturday, June 6, the Hong Kong Jockey Club announced on Sunday. Newmarket's seven races are headed by the 2000 Guineas, where European Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal) is expected to take part. Meanwhile in Japan the next day, the 1600-metre G1 Yasuda Kinen features Japanese Horse of the Year Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) and the race will be...