hanshin

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 Hanshin and Nakayama Racecourses: Saturday, April 19, 2025 2nd-HSN, ¥10,600,000 ($74k), Maiden, 3yo, 1200m AALLOTTARET (f, 3, Practical Joke--Folklore, by Tiznow), the latest offspring of 2005 champion juvenile filly Folklore to make the races, cost her connections $260,000 at the...

Joao Moreira made it back-to-back wins in the G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1,000 Guineas) as Embroidery (Jpn) followed up last year's victory aboard Stellenbosch (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) for the Brazilian-born jockey known worldwide as the "Magic Man". Sunday's Hanshin triumph also saw Embroidery become the first Group 1 winner for her sire, Admire Mars (Jpn), from his very first crop of three-year-olds since taking up stud duties at Shadai Stallion Station. Trained by Kazutomo Mori, Embroidery entered the 1,600-metre contest as a leading contender after a two-and-a-half-length defeat of Ma...

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 Hanshin and Fukushima Racecourses: Saturday, April 12, 2025 4th-HSN, ¥10,600,000 ($73k), Maiden, 3yo, 1600mT AMERICAN POLICE (c, 3, Into Mischief--Theyskens' Theory, by Bernardini), a $350,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by owner Katsumi Yoshizawa, is the latest to the races for...

Bellagio Opera (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) earned a slice of history at Hanshin on Sunday as the five-year-old became the first back-to-back winner of the G1 Osaka Hai, blitzing his 14 rivals in a time of 1:56.20--a new course record for the 2,000-metre distance to boot. Trained by Hiroyuki Uemura, Bellagio Opera was a narrow winner of last year's Osaka Hai but failed to add to his tally in three subsequent starts at the top level in 2024, finishing third in the Takarazuka Kinen, sixth in the Tenno Sho (Autumn)...

Despite a massive contingent of Japanese horses set to contest the $30.5 million Dubai World Cup night card in the UAE on Saturday, a strong field of 15 is still set to line up at the recently renovated Hanshin Racecourse back home in Japan. With a berth in the G1 Irish Champion Stakes on the line, Sixpence (Jpn) is hoping to follow in the hoofsteps of his sire 11 years after Kizuna (Jpn) won the Hanshin showpiece. Leaving from stall 10, the four-year-old has won his last two starts, and...

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 is one horse of interest for this Sunday running at Hanshin Racecourse: Sunday, March 30, 2025 6th-HSN, ¥15,200,000 ($101k), Allowance, 3yo, 1200m SEEK THE DREAM (c, 3, Liam's Map--Surf Siren, by Bernardini) is the lone winner from two to race out of his unraced dam, a half-sister to Taareef (Kitten's...

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 Chukyo and Hanshin Racecourses: Saturday, March 22, 2025 2nd-HSN, ¥10,600,000 ($71k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m GYLFI (JPN) (c, 3, Nyquist--Maedean, by Tapit) is the first foal from her dam, a $450,000 Keeneland September yearling who would go on to win the...

11th-Hanshin, Coral S.-Listed, ¥45,970,000 ($308,735), 4yo/up, 1400m, 1:24.2, ft. ADVANCE PHAROAH (h, 5, American Pharoah--Fair Huntress, by Tiznow) became the sixth Japanese stakes winner for his sire with a 28-1 surprise. Ridden for speed from gate three, the $140,000 Keeneland September yearling graduate took them along under a nice hold and maintained a narrow advantage over the stalking T M Listed (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) into the turn. Clinging to the lead with his year-younger rival breathing down his neck, Advance Pharoah led into the final 200 meters and refused to...

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 Fukushima, Nakayama and Hanshin Racecourses. The colts' Classics kick off Sunday at Nakayama in the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas), with champion Jantar Mantar (Jpn) (Palace Malice) squaring off against Sottsass's sales-topping full-brother Shin Emperor (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) from...

Japanese jockey Kota Fujioka has died from injuries sustained in an Apr. 6 race fall, the Japanese Racing Association (JRA) announced on Thursday. The 35-year-old Group 1-winning rider was dislodged from his horse during the seventh race at Hanshin and sustained head and chest injuries. He never regained consciousness his brother revealed on Wednesday to NetKeiba. Born in Shiga prefecture in 1988, Fujioka was the son of JRA trainer Kenichi Fujioka and the younger brother of JRA jockey Yusuke Fujioka. His riding career started auspiciously, as he won on debut...

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 Hanshin Racecourse: Saturday, March 30, 2024 1st-HSN, ¥10,480,000 ($69k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m CRITICAL HIT (c, 3, American Pharoah--Mythical Mission, by Giant's Causeway) is out of a stakes-winning full-sister to MGSW/GISP and two-time Canadian champion Irish Mission who was purchased by...

Despite an ever-growing Japanese presence at the Dubai World Cup meeting in the UAE, Sunday's 2000-metre G1 Osaka Hai at Hanshin still boasts five Group 1 winners, four of them Classic scorers and several other progressive types hunting for their first Group 1 ring. One of the top picks in the 16-strong field is last year's G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) winner, Tastiera (Jpn) (Satono Crown {Jpn}), who ran second in both the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas)--to Sol Oriens (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn})--and the G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese...