Damian Lane

Carrot Farm's Tastiera (Jpn) (Satono Crown {Jpn}), who fell victim to a stinging late rush from Sol Oriens (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) in the G1 Satuski Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) Apr. 16, got first run on that favoured foe in the long Tokyo straight and found the wire a neck to the good, dashing any hope for a Triple Crown for 2023. Heart's Concerto (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) was a strong third at longshot odds, but the race was marred by the death of Carrot Farm's second betting choice Skilfing...

Silver Sonic (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn) was the second of three Japanese winners on the Saudi Cup card, and turned in a smooth performance to take the $2.5-million G3 Longines Red Sea Turf H. as the 2-1 favourite by 2 1/2 lengths over Enemy (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}). It was the second consecutive year a Japanese runner--both incidentally bearing the silks of Shadai Race Horse Co.--has lifted the 3000-metre turf prize after Stay Foolish (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}) in 2022. Before the race, the main talking horse had been Charlie Johnston's Subjectivist...

The first of four legs of the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby, the $220,717 Cattleya S. (allowance), was staged Saturday afternoon over Tokyo's one-turn mile and for the second year in a row, a son of successful young stallion and former U.S. Eclipse Award winner Drefong drew first blood in the series. Drawn one from the outside in afield of 10, Continuar (Jpn) broke alertly, but was ultimately beaten for speed and settled in the second flight of horses while racing three off the inside and with cover down...

G1 Racing's Serifos (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) steamed home impressively from near the back of the pack to take the G1 Mile Championship at Hanshin on Sunday. Sent off at 8-1, he is the first 3-year-old colt to defeat his elders in the race since Stelvio (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) in 2018. Caught in midfield Serifos relaxed beautifully under Damian Lane as Piece Of Eight (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}) raced hard on the steel while shadowed by Falconia (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), with that duo swapping positions in the backstretch....

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES -- There is seemingly very little Japanese horses cannot accomplish these days. Four weeks after scooping four races at a variety of distances and on both surfaces in Saudi Arabia, Crown Pride (Jpn) (Reach the Crown {Jpn}) made it three wins on the Dubai World Cup undercard--with the possibility of even better to come--with a determined defeat of pacesetting Summer Is Tomorrow (Summer Front) in the $1-million G2 UAE Derby as night began to take hold at Meydan Racecourse. Bathrat Leon (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) struck for...

Having already sewn up the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby and a berth in the starting gate at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday of September if connections so choose, Cafe Pharoah (American Pharoah) will stretch out to 2000 meters for the first time in his career as he tries to make it four wins from as many starts in Wednesday's $711,743 Japan Dirt Derby at Ohi Racecourse. The $475,000 OBS March graduate won his debut going nine furlongs in December, then cut back to Toyko's one-turn mile for...

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....