Epiphaneia (Jpn)

Circle of Life (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) became the third Group 1 winner for her sire in the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies at Hanshin on Sunday. A third-generation homebred for Masatake Iida of Chiyoda Farm, the bay was also the race's 4-1 number three pick and likely sewed up 2021 Japanese Champion Juvenile Filly honours. Near the tail of the field as Dark Page (Jpn) (Dark Angel {Ire}) zipped through a solid half-mile in :46.40, she began to make up ground with 1000 metres remaining. Camped six deep as the field...

Following more Classic success, this time with his son Efforia (Jpn) in 2021, Epiphaneia (Jpn) (Symboli Kris S)'s fee has increased to ¥18,000,000 (£117,174/€139,172/$156,021), tops of the Shadai Stallion Station 2022 roster. The 11-year-old also celebrated group winners Aristoteles (Jpn) and Circle of Life (Jpn). Lord Kanaloa (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}), the sire of Japanese Horse of the Year Almond Eye (Jpn), remains at ¥15,000,000. Kizuna (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn})'s fee has been raised to ¥12,000,000 on the back of 11 2021 black-type winners including G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup...

In what would become the battle of the favorites, Efforia (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) proved best on the day, winning Sunday's G1 Tenno Sho Autumn at Tokyo. With the victory in the 2000-meter test, the colt became the first 3-year-old to win the race since Symboli Kris S won the event in 2002. Sent off as the third betting choice, Efforia settled in a comfortable sixth early as longshot Kaiser Minoru (Jpn) led the way while second choice Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and an overly-eager Tosu Surya (Jpn) (Lohengrin)...

Carrot Farm's undefeated Efforia (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) maintained his perfect record with an open-length score in the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) at Nakayama on Sunday. Second choice on the board at 27-10, the bay rated in fourth against the fence past the stands the first time as World Revival (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) cut out the first 1000 metres in 1:00.30. That rival ceded the lead to Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) as the field hit the far turn, and Efforia was keeping close tabs on the vanguard in an...

Dual Japanese Horse of the Year Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}-Fusaichi Pandora {Jpn}, by Sunday Silence) was scanned in foal to Epiphaneia (Jpn) (Symboli Kris S) on her sixth birthday, Nikkan Sports reported on Wednesday. A winner of the G1 Japanese St. Leger and G1 Japan Cup, Shadai Stallion Station's Epiphaneia is the sire of 2020 Japan Fillies' Triple Crown heroine Daring Tact (Jpn) and more recently, Efforia (Jpn) in the G3 Kyodo News Hai among his four black-type winners. Bred by Northern Racing and raced by Silk Racing...

Cesario (Jpn) (Special Week {Jpn}--Kirov Premiere {GB}, by Sadler's Wells), named Japanese Champion 3-Year-Old Filly in 2005, passed away due to a uterine hemorrhage at Northern Farm on Feb. 27, Netkeiba reported on Sunday. An increasingly influential broodmare with three sons at stud-Epiphaneia (Jpn) (Symboli Kris S.), Leontes (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) and Saturnalia (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn})--she was 19. "I was just surprised by the suddenness of it and I feIt that my chest tightened," said Northern Farm's Katsumi Yoshida to Netkeiba. "In addition to the brilliant track record...

Tabbed the 5-1 fourth choice, Efforia (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) entered the Japanese Classic picture with a bang in the G3 Kyodo News Hai at Tokyo on Sunday. Rank from the stalls, the bay was full of energy before relaxing into fourth as early pacesetter Deep Rich (Jpn) (Deep Brillante {Jpn}) was overcome by Heart of a City (Jpn) (Heart's Cry). Shifted out to the center of the course for the stretch drive, he was given a right-handed reminder and strode away to win by 2 1/2 good-looking lengths. Victipharus (Jpn)...

For the first year since 2008 there will be no Deep Impact (Jpn) foals born this season, but the late Shadai resident was still Japan's champion sire in 2020, a title he has held without pause since 2012. That was the year his eldest runners were four; he had also been champion first-season sire in 2010. He had already been responsible for former Horse of the Year Gentildonna (Jpn) but Deep Impact's crowning glory among his many talented colts has come posthumously, with his son Contrail (Jpn) having become his...

Lord Kanaloa (GB) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) leads the Shadai Stallion Station roster for 2021. The sire of recent dual G1 Japan Cup heroine and Horse of the Year Almond Eye (Jpn), he will command ¥15,000,000 (US$143,654/£107,013/€119,227) tops among the 30-member roster next year. Shadai welcomes three new recruits for the upcoming breeding season-GI Arkansas Derby hero Nadal (Blame) (¥4,000,000), G1 Irish 2000 Guineas victor Siskin (First Defence) (¥3,500,000) and G1 Champions Cup winner Le Vent Se Leve (Jpn) (Symboli Kris S) (¥1,500,000). A trio of stallions stand at ¥10,000,000 and...

(Deep Impact {Jpn}) to her inside flashing a similar turn of foot. That duo blew past the longtime leader late, with Daring Tact always holding her rival safe. It was another 3/4 of a length back to Soft Fruit (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who was slow to begin. Maltese Diosa tired to seventh. Sunday's card was the first time limited fans had been permitted to the racecourse. "The filly seemed a bit nervous at the paddock but she broke well and we were able to race in good position and...

Daring Tact (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn})'s win in the G1 Yushun Himba at Tokyo on Sunday puts her in an exclusive club as only the second filly to take the first two legs of the Japanese Fillies' Triple Tiara while undefeated alongside Miss Onward (Jpn) (Hard Sauce {GB}), who completed that feat in 1957. Bet down to 60 cents on the dollar, the heavy chalk drifted towards the fence from the rail and, although bumped a bit in close quarters, settled in the back third of the 18-strong field into the...