hanshin

Red Belle Aube (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) looks to give his legendary late sire a fourth winner of the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S. in the last seven years as he takes on 15 other rivals in the 1600-metre event that will go some way towards determining year-end honors. Bred from an Unbridled's Song mare just like Triple Crown hero Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Red Belle Aube has won two in a row since dropping his career debut, including the G2 Daily Hai Nisai S. over this course and...

Undefeated Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune) will try to extend her winning streak in Sunday's G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies and in the process, the likely favorite will also try to become the white-colored horse to win a Group 1 race in Japan. "The white really stands out on grass," said trainer Naosuke Sugai. "I think she's turning into a real star." The flashy filly triumphed in her career debut at Hakodate in July before scoring over 1,800-meters in the G3 Sapporo Nisai S. Sept. 5. In her latest start, she took the...

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: 2nd-HSN, ¥9,680,000 ($93k), Maiden, 2yo, 1800m AMERICAN PEACE (c, 2, Tapit--La Cloche, by Ghostzapper) is one of at least four runners by this sire entered this weekend for owner Katsumi Yoshizawa of Master Fencer (Jpn) fame...

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 and Tokyo Racecourses. Headquarters plays host to a G1 Japan Cup for the ages with Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) against undefeated Triple Crown winners Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Daring Tact (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) Sunday, and...

Although she left it until late, Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) displayed a scintillating turn of foot once she found running room to rush by her rivals and claim the G1 Mile Championship at Hanshin on Sunday. It was the fourth Group 1 win for the daughter of Breeders' Cup heroine Tapitsfly and she is the eighth horse-after the runner-up Indy Champ (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn})--to claim both mile events in Japan having earlier scored in the G1 Yasuda Kinen. The first filly or mare to claim the Mile...

A diverse group of 17 runners Sunday in Hanshin's G1 Mile Championship, the second leg of the Japan Autumn International Series. Headlining the 1,600-meter test, Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) accounted for a pair of Goup 1 wins in her two latest starts--the Yasuda Kinen at Tokyo in June followed by Nakayama's Sprinters S. Oct. 4. The daughter of Grade I-winning Tapitsfly (Tapit) won last season's G1 Oka Sho over the same course and distance of this weekend's Mile. "She was in great condition for the Sprinters S., and...

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 holiday weekend running at Tokyo and Hanshin Racecourses. Sunday's action at the latter venue features the G1 Mile Championship, which has drawn this year's G1 Yasuda Kinen (1600mT) and G1 Sprinters' S. (1200mT) heroine Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), a daughter of...

Sunday Racing's Lucky Lilac (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) looks to become the first horse since the talented Snow Fairy (GB) (Intikhab) in 2010-2011 to register back-to-back victories in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2200m), to be staged this year and next at Hanshin Racecourse while Kyoto Racecourse undergoes major renovations. The daughter of American Grade I winner Lilacs and Lace (Flower Alley) led home a female one-two in the G1 Osaka Hai (2000m) at this track in early April, besting the talented Chrono Genesis (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}), before finishing sixth...

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 Tokyo and Hanshin Racecourses. Dual surface Group 1 winner Mozu Ascot (Frankel {GB}) goes around in Saturday's G3 Musashino S. at headquarters, while at Hanshin, debut winner Super Wooper (Overanalyze) tries stakes company off a debut victory last month. Sunday's horses...

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 and Fukushima Racecourses: Saturday, July 18, 2020 5th-HSN, ¥13,400,000 ($125k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1400mT KITTEN'S WALTZ (f, 2, Air Force Blue--Dance With Kitten, by Kitten's Joy) is set to be the first Japanese starter for her sire and is the...

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 Hakodate and Hanshin Racecourses, including the first Japanese runner for the expatriated California Chrome: Saturday, July 11, 2020 5th-HAK, ¥13,400,000 ($125k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1200mT CAL FRAGRANCE (f, 2, California Chrome--Right There, by Eskendereya), a $180K purchase out of last year's...

Lucky Lilac (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) attempts to add a fourth career win at the highest level in Sunday's 2,200-meter G1 Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin Racecourse. Having proven herself consistent at a high level, Lucky Lilac, who recorded her initial Group 1 victory in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies in 2017, won last fall's G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Kyoto in November before finishing runner-up in Sha Tin's G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase the following month. Second behind Danon Kingly (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G2 Nakayama Kinen in her...