Kyoto

The Tomokazu Takano-trained Jantar Mantar cemented his status as Japan's outstanding performer over 1,600 metres with victory in the G1 Mile Championship at Kyoto on Sunday, beating old rival Gaia Force (Kitasan Black) by a length and three-quarters in a near carbon copy of the result from June's G1 Yasuda Kinen at Tokyo. Becoming just the ninth horse to win both the Yasuda Kinen and Mile Championship in the same year, Jantar Mantar raced in third behind tearaway leader Toshin Macau (Big Arthur) through the first half of the race....

Group 1 winner Jantar Mantar (Palace Malice) looms large in the 18-strong G1 Mile Championship at Kyoto on Sunday. The dual top-level winner earned a victory over Gaia Force (Kitasan Black) in the G1 Yasuda Kinen in June, and found only that rival too good prepping for this contest with a second in the G2 Fuji Stakes. Trainer Tomokazu Takano said of the G1 NHK Mile Cup hero, "After his run in the Fuji Stakes Oct. 18, his heart and lungs had improved. He was just about in tiptop shape...

Last year's Arima Kinen heroine Regaleira returned to winning ways in Sunday's Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Kyoto, justifying short odds with the minimum of fuss to register the third top-level success of her career. Trained by Tetsuya Kimura for owners Sunday Racing, Regaleira and jockey Keita Tosaki travelled wide in mid-division through the early stages of this 2,200-metre contest and still had plenty of ground to make up on long-time leader Erika Express (Epiphaneia) as the 16 runners entered the home straight. Paradis Reine (Kizuna), who finished one place...

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, Kyoto and Fukushima Racecourses: Saturday, November 15, 2025 5th-FKS, ¥14,250,000 ($92k), Newcomers, 2yo, 2000mT HO O STRIKE (c, 2, Good Magic--Nightlife Baby, by Flatter) was knocked down for $95,000 as a Keeneland November weanling in 2023, but was the...

Already a two-time Group 1 winner Regaleira (Suave Richard) is aiming for her third crown in Sunday's G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Kyoto. The Sunday Racing colourbearer will face 15 rivals and carries the mantle of market favouritism in advance of the big day. Leaving from post seven under Keta Tosaki, the four-year-old filly has a Hopeful Stakes score versus males in her win column at two, and defeated them again in last December's Arima Kinen over 2500 metres. She warmed up for this contest with a victory going...

Group 1 winners lie thicker in the field than the falling leaves on the ground in the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn), set for Sunday in Kyoto. However, it is G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) runner-up Masquerade Ball (Duramente) who leads in the advance markets as an 8-5 chance against 13 rivals, seven of them Group 1 scorers. Yet to salute at the highest level, the 2024 Listed Ivy Stakes winner's only blip in six lifetime starts was an unplaced run to his Derby conqueror Croix Du Nord (Kitasan Black) in...

Christophe Lemaire became the first jockey to win three consecutive runnings of the G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) at Kyoto when guiding race favourite Energico to an emphatic victory in Sunday's final leg of the Japanese Triple Crown. Trained by Mizuki Takayanagi for owners Silk Racing, Energico raced well off the pace in the early stages of this 3,000-metre contest, before making up considerable ground on the approach to the final turn. In fifth position when the dash for home began, the son of Duramente then showed much the...

Japan's Triple Crown wraps up this Sunday with the 86th running of the G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger). Run over 3,000 metres at Kyoto Racecourse, the Kikuka Sho is the longest of the three races in the country's Triple Crown, which also includes the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2,000 Guineas) and the G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) in the spring. Although the race is open to three-year-old colts and fillies, this year's field will be made up of only colts, with 20 nominees, but only 18 runners permitted to...

The G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1,000 Guineas) winner Embroidery rediscovered her best form at Kyoto on Sunday to capture the G1 Shuka Sho, the final leg of the Japanese Triple Tiara. Trained by Kazutomo Mori, Embroidery endured a wide trip in mid-division through the early stages of this 2,000-metre contest, before making swift progress at around halfway to race in a clear second behind the freewheeling Erika Express (Epiphaneia). Soon taking dead aim at the long-time leader, the daughter of Admire Mars found a smart change of gear in 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 Racecourse: Sunday, October 20, 2025 10th-KYO, ¥35,040,000 ($234k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 1400m DANON FIGO (JPN) (c, 3, Into Mischief--Ollie's Candy, by Candy Ride {Arg}), a maiden winner in a pair of juvenile appearances, was off the board in his first...

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: Sunday, October 12, 2025 4th-TOK, ¥14,250,000 ($93k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1300m MON SOUHAIT (c, 2, McKinzie--Fashion World {GB}, by Dubawi {Ire}), a $100,000 Keeneland September yearling and $100,000 OBS April breezer (see below), is the latest starter...

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: Saturday, October 4, 2025 3rd-KYO, ¥14,250,000 ($97k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1400m ASK KENTUCKY (c, 2, Good Magic--Entirely, by Point of Entry), was a $200,000 Keeneland November purchase in 2023 and changed hands for $350,000 at last year's Keeneland September...