Japan

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. Top-level action in Japan continues with Sunday's G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) at headquarters, but American-bred activity is confined to Saturday at Kyoto in addition to Tokyo: Saturday, May 30, 2020 1st-TOK, ¥9,680,000 ($90k), Maiden, 3yo, 1600m ATLANTA TESORO (c, 3, Declaration of War--Quite Honestly, by Lion Heart) caught a rain-affected...

The G2 Mooresbridge S. at The Curragh on June 13 is shaping up as an exciting contest pitting many of the season's most anticipated older horses against one another. Among the entries for the 10-furlong contest are last year's leading middle-distance 3-year-olds Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), last year's G1 Irish St Leger winner Search For A Song (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the 2018 G1 Irish Derby victor Latrobe (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), globetrotting Group 1 winner Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and the high-class Madhmoon...

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 Kyoto, Niigata and Tokyo Racecourses. The latter venue hosts the G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) Sunday, and while there are no US-bred runners, among the field of 18 are daughters of GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine Ria Antonia (Rockport...

Forty Niner (Mr. Prospector--File, by Tom Rolfe), a four-time Grade I winner and champion of his generation in 1987 before becoming a sire of considerable importance, passed away Monday, May 18, in Japan due to the infirmities of old age. He had just celebrated his 35th birthday May 11. Owned and bred by Claiborne Farm and trained by Woody Stephens, Forty Niner won the 1987 GI Futurity S. and GI Champagne S. to clinch a divisional championship. A leading sophomore of 1988, Forty Niner missed by a neck to Winning...

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 Niigata and Tokyo Racecourses: Saturday, May 16, 2020 5th-NII, ¥9,680,000 ($90k), Maiden, 3yo, 2400mT PYRAMID MOON (c, 3, Cairo Prince--She Hung the Moon, by Malibu Moon) failed to handle a sloppy Kyoto main track on October debut, but improved 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 Kyoto Racecourse, where Unsaid Vow (Giant's Causeway) steps into group company for Saturday's G2 Kyoto Shimbun Hai: Saturday, May 9, 2020 11th-KYO, Kyoto Shimbun Hai-G2, ¥103,500,000 ($973k), 3yo, 2200mT UNSAID VOW (c, 3, Giant's Causeway--Country Cafe, by Lion Heart) dips...

Mozu Ascot (Frankel {GB}), winner on turf of the G1 Yasuda Kinen in 2018, returns to the dirt for the first time since winning the G1 February S. in Tuesday's ¥102 million (US$955k) Kashiwa Kinen (1600m) at Funabashi Racecourse. Bred by Summer Wind Farm, the 6-year-old son of MGSW India (Hennessy) was winless in eight starts following the Yasuda Kinen, but put pay to that streak when defeating the smart Copano Kicking (Spring At Last) at odds of 8-1 in the G3 Negishi S. (1400m) at Tokyo Feb. 2. 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 weekend running at Tokyo and Kyoto Racecourses. Group 1 action continues in the G1 Tenno Sho-the spring version over two miles-on Sunday, but two of American Pharoah's Japanese winners and a third from the family of another also see action: Saturday, May 2,...

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 and Tokyo Racecourses and while Group 1 racing takes a break this weekend, the very promising Lecce Baroque (Uncle Mo) makes her second trip to the races. She'll attempt to follow up on a spectacular debut performance in early...

Lane's End Farm's Honor Code (A.P. Indy--Serena's Cat, by Storm Cat) was represented by his first Japanese winner when the U.S.-conceived Queen's V V (Jpn) graduated at second asking in Saturday's first race at Hanshin Racecourse. Sent off the narrow second choice at odds of 23-10 to improve off a courageous fourth on course-and-trip debut Dec. 15, the registered black filly landed in midfield and about 10 lengths off the pace set by Bateau du Ciel (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}). The latter took the field into the lane and Queen's...

The Japanese colts' Classics kick off this weekend at Nakayama Raceourse, where champion Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Salios (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn})--each perfect in their three starts last season--square off in the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) over the 2000 metres. Racing in the colours of Shinji Maeda and bred by the family's North Hills Co. Ltd., the dark bay colt graduated at first asking going nine furlongs last September and followed up with a dominating five-length victory in the G3 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai S. Nov....

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, the latter of which plays host to the first leg of the Japanese Triple Crown, Sunday's G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) over the metric mile and a quarter: Saturday, April 18, 2020 1st-HSN, ¥9,680,000 ($90k),...