Japan Racing Association

There were some anxious moments for Yuji Inaida's GI Preakness S. runner France Go de Ina (Will Take Charge) at Pimlico Race Course Wednesday morning. The colt from Japan had just completed his four-furlong breeze when exercise rider Masaki Takano suddenly fell off the chestnut just after he passed the finish line. Takano slowly got to his feet as France Go de Ina continued on before being apprehended by Pimlico outriders. Both Takano and the horse are fine, according to Kate Hunter, the Preakness field representative for the Japan Racing...

Pixie Knight (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) caused an upset in the G3 Nikkan Sports Sho Shinzan Kinen at Chukyo on Sunday. He led home an exacta for his sire, former Japanese Horse of the Year Maurice (Jpn), 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Rooks Nest (Jpn), who was 3/4 to the good of Bathrat Leon (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}). Favoured Kukuna (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) reported home fourth, another half-length back. The 12-1 shot surged immediately to the head of affairs and raced with ears pricked through splits of :23.40 for the quarter...

The Japan Racing Association (JRA) is the new official partner of the 55th International Conference of Horseracing Authorities. The conference, which is normally held in October, is organised by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA). The JRA will promote Japanese racing on the www.ifhaonline.org and social media channels, while the partnership is also expected to further development of international horse racing and international cooperation. "We are pleased to have the JRA become our partner for the Federation's signature conference," said IFHA Chairman Louis Romanet. "Our conference, which traditionally is...

Racing has been permitted to continue in Japan-albeit under stricter measures--despite Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declaring a state of emergency earlier this week due to a spike in COVID-19 cases in the nation. Japan Racing Association meetings have been held behind closed doors since late February, but there will now be further restrictions put in place. According to Racing Post, jockeys will have to serve their usual pre-race quarantine in isolation rather than in communal quarters, and from Apr. 18 they will not be permitted to ride at more than...

Coronavirus cases in Japan spiked on Sunday, leading to a state of emergency in some regions set to be declared by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the South China Morning Post reported on Monday. One-hundred forty-three new coronavirus cases in Tokyo were confirmed on Apr. 5, bringing the total in Japan to 4,563. The state of emergency, made possible by a recently amended law, empowers local authorities to instruct the public to stay at home and request the closure of schools and other facilities. Racing in Japan, which has continued...

Racing at the Singapore Turf Club, which had already been reduced to once a week, could be called off from Apr. 7 through May 4 in accordance with guidelines issued by the Singapore government Apr. 3, suspending all non-essential workplaces during that period. Friday's program at Kranji Racecourse, held spectator-free for the second straight week, went ahead as scheduled, but live racing is set to be canceled Apr. 10, Apr. 17 and Apr. 24. Racing was also due to take place May 1 and 2. Earlier in the week, officials...

As a result of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak in the country, all horse racing operations in South Korea will be suspended at least through Mar. 22. Alastair Middleton, an English racecaller for the Korean Racing Authority, reported the news in a tweet Wednesday. On Wednesday, Feb. 26, officials at the KRA announced that racing would cease in the country beginning Friday, Feb. 28 before the situation was reevaluated Mar. 9. A total of 12 meetings (including pony races) at the three KRA-owned facilities were to be canceled. An additional six...

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 Kokura, Kyoto and Tokyo Racecourses, the latter of which hosts the G3 Negishi S. and has attracted its defending champion Copano Kicking (Spring At Last) and G1SW Mozu Ascot (Frankel {GB}) making his dirt debut: Saturday, February 1, 2020 2nd-KYO,...

In this continuing series, Alan Carasso takes 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--each making their racetrack debuts--running at Kokura and Niigata Racecourses: Saturday, August 10, 2019 5th-KOK, ¥13,400,000 ($126k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1700m NOCTURNE NOTES (JPN) (f, 2, Medaglia d'Oro--Summer Soiree, by War Front) is the first Japanese-bred produce for her dam, who posted her...