Shonan la Punta (Jpn)

For the first time in seven years, the winner of the G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) is absent from Sunday's 3200-metre G1 Tenno Sho (Spring). However, there is still an able deputy on hand in Kikuka Sho runner-up Redentor. The son of Rulership is in fighting form to boot, as he ran out a four-length winner of the 3400-metre G3 Diamond Stakes in February. If he prevails on May 4, he would be the first St Leger runner-up to win the Tenno Sho since 2000. Damian Lane has the...

Earning his first group tally earlier this March, 3-year-old Meisho Tabaru (Jpn) (Gold Ship {Jpn}) went to the front and never looked back while adding his second career group score in Sunday's G2 Kobe Shimbun Hai (Japanese St. Leger Trial at Chukyo. Striding purposefully to the front soon after the start, the free-wheeling 5-1 chance held a clear advantage down the backstretch and through the far turn. Still in front by open lengths straightening for home, Meisho Tabaru started to feel the effects of his early efforts as June Take...

Sugar Kun (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn})--a half-brother to Kitasan Black (Jpn) (Black Tide {Jpn}), Japan's Horse of the Year in both 2016 and 2017--put himself in contention for top honours with a narrow victory in Saturday's G2 TV Tokyo Hai Aoba Sho at Tokyo Racecourse, cementing his place in next month's G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) over the same course and distance. Trained by Hisashi Shimizu, Sugar Kun was partnered by legendary jockey Yutaka Take, the regular rider of Kitasan Black and a six-time winner of the Tokyo Yushun. Take had...