Japan

HOKKAIDO, Japan--Things are hotting up in the Northern Horse Park, literally and figuratively. As the mercury nudged 30 degrees on Saturday, the English and Irish in town for the JRHA Select Sale swooned and wilted while the many attendants showing the horses, mostly clad in jackets, went manfully and womanfully about their hot and tiring work without so much as a whimper. Both they and the young horses in their care are well prepared for the two inspection days ahead, despite having only arrived on the sales ground that morning....

HOKKAIDO, Japan--In the bloodstock world, the battle for succession does not come down to unseemly squabbles in the boardroom. What matters first is what happens on the track, and even when all goes right there, success in the breeding shed is far from guaranteed. Smallish in stature but a Goliath in influence and reputation, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Northern Dancer gave the European breeding industry many stars including, crucially, Sadler's Wells, whose line holds strong predominantly through Galileo (Ire) and his heir apparent, Frankel (GB). Northern Dancer also...

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, Fukushima and Hakodate Racecourses: Saturday July 1, 2023 5th-HAK, ¥13,780,000 ($95k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1200mT DONA NOBLE (f, 2, Medaglia d'Oro--Gender Agenda {GB}, by Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) cost JS Company $200,000 at last year's Keeneland September Sale and is...

Produced wide off the final corner, Meisho Hario (Jpn) (Pyro) knuckled down late and was shoved across the line by Suguru Hamanaka to just touch off perfect-trip Crown Pride (Jpn) (Reach the Crown {Jpn}) to become the first horse to successfully defend his title in the 2000-metre Teio Sho at Ohi Racecourse. T O Keynes (Jpn) (Sinister Minister), fourth at 1-2 last year and the 2-1 favourite this time around, kicked on strongly between the top two in the final 30 metres, but was forced to settle for third. Meisho...

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 Tokyo Racecourses. The weekend's main event takes place Sunday at Hanshin, where the world's top-rated racehorse Equinox (Jpn) returns in the G1 Takarazuka Kinen: Saturday, June 24, 2023 4th-HSN, ¥10,480,000 ($73k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m TOMODACHI (c, 3, Mendelssohn--Grace...

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 Hakodate Racecourses: Saturday, June 17, 2023 5th-HSN, ¥13,720,000 ($97k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1200m ECORO GAIA (c, 2, Speightstown--Charge of Angels, by Distorted Humor) is a full-brother to the stakes-placed Winning Number and is out of an unraced daughter of...

While the likes of Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits), Continuar (Jpn) (Drefong) and Mandarin Hero (Jpn) (Shanghai Bobby) were off representing Japan in age-restricted races from Saudi Arabia to Dubai to the U.S. this winter and spring, Mick Fire (Jpn) (Sinister Minister) remained at home, where the bay colt was being patiently brought along towards his 3-year-old debut. Mick Fire, acquired for ¥5.5 million at the 2021 Hokkaido Summer Yearling Sale, had earned back his purchase price in easily running the table in three appearances as a juvenile 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 are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Tokyo and Hanshin Racecourses: Saturday, June 3, 2023 5th-TOK, ¥13,720,000 ($98k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1600mT BUSHIN (c, 2, Into Mischief--Flawless, by Mr. Greeley) is a full-brother to 2020 Horse of the Year Authentic, whose dam was offered two months after the...

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 Sunday running at Kyoto and Tokyo Racecourses: Sunday, May 28, 2023 2nd-KYO, ¥10,480,000 ($75k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m CHRYSO GRAND CHAT (c, 3, Bolt d'Oro--D'cats Meow, by D'wildcat), whose stakes-placed dam was purchased for $52,000 with this colt in utero out of the 2019...

We are poised midway between Japan's Oaks (Yushun Himba), which took place last Sunday, and Derby (Tokyo Yushun) this coming Sunday. What is not in doubt in the country that has led the way at so many international meetings in recent years, is that those two races over 2,400m are still very much targeted and revered by owners and breeders. In Japan, there is no shortage of horses bred specifically for that distance, or further.  In any country, it takes a special horse to win the Triple Crown. For the...

Some six weeks have passed since Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) came storming down the centre of the Hanshin turf course from near last to take the G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) and the daughter of rags-to-riches Australian standout Yankee Rose (Aus) (All American {Aus}) figures a long odds-on selection to add Sunday's G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) to her increasingly imposing resume. The Oaks has proved a favourites' race over the last decade or so. Were she to prove successful in her first go over the metric mile...

10th-Tokyo, Seiryu S. (Allowance), ¥34,530,000 ($253,726), 5-14, 3yo, 1600m, 1:35.8, gd. YUTTITHAM (JPN) (c, 3, Justify--Zipessa {GISW, $783,550}, by City Zip), dropped his career debut to future SW Perriere (Jpn) (Henny Hughes) last August and was a warm item in his 3-year-old debut off victories in his final two starts of 2022 last December. The 9-10 favorite was forwardly placed after an uneventful beginning and sat a handy fourth into the turn. Traveling very nicely in the hands of Yuga Kawada, the athletic chestnut was pulled out into the long...