G1 Racing

G1 Racing's Christmas Parade (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) earned her first stakes victory and group win in the G2 Shion Stakes on Saturday. The filly blitzed the 2000 metres in a new stakes record of 1:56.60. Sent off at 28-5, the Shizuya Kato runner stalked Isola Felice (Jpn) (Satono Crown {Jpn}) from second as that foe sped through splits of :22.90, :46.70, and 1:10.70. The final four furlongs were all under :12 seconds each, with the eventual winner asked for her best inside the final 600 metres. She surged 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 Hanshin Racecourse: Saturday, March 4, 2023 4th-HSN, ¥10,480,000 ($77k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m CIRCULATE (JPN) (c, 3, Curlin--Sower, by Flatter) is the first foal from his dam, a two-time stakes winner and twice placed at graded level for Len Green and...

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....

Successful when unveiled at Chukyo in a newcomers' heat in June, Serifos (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) made it two on the bounce with a first black-type and group score in the G3 Niigata Nisai S. on Sunday. Sent off as the 7-2 third choice, the Oiwake Farm-bred took advantage of his rail draw and saved every inch of ground against the fence in midpack through the early going as Otaru Ever (Jpn) (Leontes {Jpn}) showed the way. After a half in :48.50, he was sitting sixth as that rival continued...