hanshin

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 Fukushima, Nakayama and Hanshin Racecourses. The colts' Classics kick off Sunday at Nakayama in the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas), with champion Jantar Mantar (Jpn) (Palace Malice) squaring off against Sottsass's sales-topping full-brother Shin Emperor (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) from...

Japanese jockey Kota Fujioka has died from injuries sustained in an Apr. 6 race fall, the Japanese Racing Association (JRA) announced on Thursday. The 35-year-old Group 1-winning rider was dislodged from his horse during the seventh race at Hanshin and sustained head and chest injuries. He never regained consciousness his brother revealed on Wednesday to NetKeiba. Born in Shiga prefecture in 1988, Fujioka was the son of JRA trainer Kenichi Fujioka and the younger brother of JRA jockey Yusuke Fujioka. His riding career started auspiciously, as he won on debut...

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 30, 2024 1st-HSN, ¥10,480,000 ($69k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m CRITICAL HIT (c, 3, American Pharoah--Mythical Mission, by Giant's Causeway) is out of a stakes-winning full-sister to MGSW/GISP and two-time Canadian champion Irish Mission who was purchased by...

Despite an ever-growing Japanese presence at the Dubai World Cup meeting in the UAE, Sunday's 2000-metre G1 Osaka Hai at Hanshin still boasts five Group 1 winners, four of them Classic scorers and several other progressive types hunting for their first Group 1 ring. One of the top picks in the 16-strong field is last year's G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) winner, Tastiera (Jpn) (Satono Crown {Jpn}), who ran second in both the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas)--to Sol Oriens (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn})--and the G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese...

Saturday, March 23, 2024 11th-HSN, Mainichi Hai-G3, ¥77.8m ($514k), 3yo, 1800mT NOBLE ROGER (c, 3, Palace Malice--Noble Ready, by More Than Ready), a $70,000 OBS April breezer, was an impressive debut winner going a mile at Tokyo Nov. 12 and successfully negotiated the hike to group level with a cozy success in the G3 Nikkan Sports Sho Shinzan Kinen at Kyoto in early January (see below, SC 5). A May foal, Noble Roger is out of a multiple stakes-placed full-sister to GSW Zindaya, whose 'TDN Rising Star' son Carl Spackler...

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 Chukyo and Hanshin Racecourses: Sunday, March 10, 2024 3rd-CKO, ¥10,400,000 ($71k), Maiden, 3yo, 1400mT KAFUJI NIHONIUM (c, 3, Kitten's Joy--Broken Dreams, by Broken Vow) represents six generations of Glen Hill Farm breeding and is out of a Grade III-winning dam...

SWEEP FEET (JPN) (Suave Richard {Jpn}--Bijou Tosho {Jpn}, by Deep Sky {Jpn}) proved fleetest in the G2 Tulip Sho at Hanshin on Saturday, a prep for the G1 Oka Sho on Apr. 7. It was the first stakes victory for the YGG Horse Club runner. Slowly into stride, she soon raced third last in the strung-out field behind the swift early pace set by Sekitoba East (Jpn) (Declaration Of War), who covered the first quarter in :23.30 and the half-mile in :46.00. In touch with the main body just after...

Hot on the heels of the announcement that his US Classic-winning sire would be relocating to Japan in time for the 2024 breeding season, Shadai Race Horse's American-conceived, but Japanese-foaled Jantar Mantar (Jpn) (Palace Malice) provided the perfect advertisement Sunday with a smart success in the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S. at Hanshin. With the victory, his third in as many trips to the races, the homebred is in the reckoning for champion Japanese 2-year-old male honours. Favoured to build on his last-out score in the G2 Daily Hai Nisai...

It was announced just Thursday that American Classic winner Palace Malice (Curlin) would be joining the Japanese stallion ranks at Darley beginning in 2024, and Shadai Race Horse Co.'s US-conceived Jantar Mantar (Jpn) can provide his sire with a timely boost in Sunday's G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S. going a right-handed 1600 metres at Hanshin Racecourse. A son of American Grade III winner India Mantuana (Wilburn) and bred on a variant of the wildly successful cross of Curlin over A.P. Indy-line dams, the dark bay colt debuted with an impressive...

Group winner Ascoli Piceno (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) maintained her unbeaten record with a narrow score in the ¥125,160,000 G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies on Sunday. She also set a new stakes record of 1:32.60 for the 1600 metres in the 18-horse affair. The Yoichi Kuroiwa trainee follows in the wake of such horses as dual Japanese Horse of the Year Vodka (Jpn) (Tanino Gimlet {Jpn}) who won this in 2006, fellow Horse of the Year Buena Vista (Jpn) (Special Week {Jpn}) (2008 edition), and 2022 scorer Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente...

A fully subscribed field of 18 lines up for Sunday's G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies over 1600 metres, and the unbeaten Ascoli Piceno (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) carries the burden of favouritism for trainer Yoichi Kuroiwa in the ¥125,160,000 contest. Normally based at the Miho Training Centre, her trainer is taking every precaution to give his Sunday Racing-owned filly an edge and shipped the G3 Niigata Nisai S. victress to Ritto in the middle of November to reduce her stress from travel. "Thanks to moving her early, her appetite has stabilized...

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 Saturday running at Hanshin and Nakayama Racecourses: Saturday, December 9, 2023 6th-HSN, ¥13,720,000 ($96k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m SEXY BOUQUET (f, 2, Liam's Map--Shurakaa, by Tapit) cost $180,000 as a Keeneland September yearling and is out of a daughter of 2007 GI Breeders' Cup Filly...