Japan

Sales action returns to Hokkaido's Northern Horse Park on Tuesday, October 24 with the second edition of the Northern Farm Mixed Sale. The auction features a selection of 44 weanlings which is followed by 76 broodmares and fillies out of training. The country's most recent Triple Crown winner Contrail (Jpn) was the star of the foal section of the JRHA Select Sale in July, and the Shadai stallion is represented by two of his first-crop weanlings in the Mixed Sale. Lot 6 is a Contrail filly out of the American...

Kaneko Makoto Holding Co Ltd's Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune--Buchiko {Jpn}, by King Kamehameha {Jpn}), whose snow-white colouring combined with considerable racetrack ability made her a fan favourite in every corner of the globe, has been retired, according to multiple reports. The homebred, whose year-younger full-sister Mama Cocha (Jpn) won Sunday's G1 Sprinters S. at Nakayama, was an immediate hit while carrying the Deep Impact (Jpn) colours. Undefeated in four tries at two, including a victory in the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies to secure her first championship, Sodashi made the one-mile G1...

From an aesthetic perspective, the only similarity between Sodashi (Jpn), the world's most recognizable and talented white galloper, and her year-younger full-sister Mama Cocha (Jpn) (Kurofune) is the latter's broad blaze, but they now have something else in common, namely Group 1 winner, after Mama Cocha dove across the line to narrowly best Mad Cool (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in Sunday's Sprinters S. at Nakayama Racecourse. Favoured Namura Clair (Jpn) (Mikki Isle {Jpn}) was a further length back in third. "This filly is a completely different type of horse comparing...

After a break of just over 100 days, elite-level racing returns to the Japanese racing scene, as a full field of 18 is set to face the starter in Sunday's Sprinters' S. at Nakayama Racecourse. Five of the entrants are making a repeat appearance in the 1200-metre test, including Namura Clair (Jpn) (Mikki Isle {Jpn}), who was a sound fifth in last year's running in what was her final appearance as a 3-year-old. After besting First Force (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) in the G3 Silk Road S. in January, 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 Saturday running at Hanshin and Nakayama Racecourses. Sunday's horses of note will appear in Saturday's TDN: Saturday, September 23, 2023 3rd-NKY, ¥13,720,000 ($93k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m ACE AND KING (JPN) (c, 2, Yoshida {Jpn}--Curlins B F F, by Curlin) was acquired in utero...

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 Nakayama Racecourses: Saturday, September 9, 2023 4th-HSN, ¥13,720,000 ($93k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m LUDIQUE (c, 2, Into Mischief--Miss Besilu, by Medaglia d'Oro), whose dam was third in the GI Alabama S. and GI CCA Oaks in 2014 and was...

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 and Niigata Racecourses: Saturday, September 2, 2023 5th-KOK, ¥13,720,000 ($94k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1200mT JASPER NOIR (c, 2, Frosted--Funny Bay, by Medaglia d'Oro) cost just $35,000 as a weanling at the 2021 Keeneland November sale, but grew up the right...

Many of the 15 horses signed on for Sunday's G2 Sapporo Kinen were on trial for future events on foreign soil, and while the lion's share of those toiled in the tricky underfoot conditions, Shadai Race Horse's Prognosis (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) was the one standing tallest at the finish as he galloped home a decisive winner. Winner of the G2 Kinko Sho over the 2000 metres in March, Prognosis accepted an invitation to Hong Kong for the G1 FWD QE II Cup the following month, and, with record-setting Zac...

The return of Group 1 racing in Japan is officially about six weeks away, but Sunday's 2000-metre Sapporo Kinen--a Group 2 in name only--sees the return to action of some familiar names who are potentially looking to prep for big spots further afield over the coming months. Shahryar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), the 2021 G1 Tokyo Yushun hero, makes his first start since finishing fifth to world's top-rated racehorse Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) in defence of his title in the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic Mar. 25, with a...

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, Niigata and Sapporo Racecourses: Saturday, August 12, 2023 2nd-NII, ¥10,480,000 ($72k), Maiden, 2yo, 1800mT ROCK CITY BOY (c, 2, City of Light--Mississippi Coast, by Super Saver) was acquired in utero for $125,000 at the 2021 Keeneland January Sale and...

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 Sunday running at Niigata Racecourse: Sunday, July 30, 2023 11th-NII, ¥78.2m ($555k), Ibis Summer Dash-G3, 3/up, 1000mT JEAN GROS (c, 4, More Than Ready--Goodbye Stranger, by Broad Brush), a brother to MGSW & GISP Tom's Ready, has won four of his nine...

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 running at Chukyo and Fukushima Racecourses: Saturday, July 22, 2023 12th-CKO, ¥15,200,000 ($108k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 1800m AIR METEORA (c, 3, Goldencents--Nokaze, by Empire Maker) was just touched off by future Group 2 winner and G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) fourth Bellagio...