Justin Palace

Three of Europe's top 2400-metre gallopers face an 11-strong local challenge in Sunday's G1 Japan Cup, looking to snap an 18-year run of success for Japanese-based horses. While it has become next to impossible for the raiders to walk away with the Tokyo spoils, that was not always the case. In the first 17 renewals, horses from overseas prevailed on no fewer than a dozen occasions, including theretofore unprecedented consecutive winners for Sir Michael Stoute with Singspiel (Ire) and Pilsudski (Ire) in 1996 and 1997, respectively. But since that time,...

With the recent retirement of the world's top-rated racehorse Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) and with Triple Tiara heroine Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) spelling with destinations unknown for 2024, Sunday's G1 Arima Kinen is missing its top two votegetters. But the 2500-metre event, which easily attracts the largest single-race betting in the world on an annual basis, is certainly not lacking for quality. While Equinox is not back to defend his title, a good deal of how to solve the contest from a pari-mutuel perspective goes through him. Do...

The fan-voted G1 Takarazuka Kinen drew no fewer than eight Group 1 winners, but the spotlight was squarely on Silk Racing's world number one Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}), who was making his first start since decimating a world-class field in the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan in late March. At the end of 2200 metres in front of a reported crowd of 45,000 at Hanshin Racecourse Sunday afternoon, the baldy faced 4-year-old did not disappoint, overcoming a wide trip that was very much by design before holding...

The final Group 1 of the first half of the year in Japan is set for Hanshin Racecourse Sunday afternoon, where Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}), the world's top-rated racehorse on the heels of an imperious front-running victory in the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic back in March, squares off against seven fellow elite-level scorers in the Takarazuka Kinen, an event which earns the winner a spot in the field for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Nov. 4. The flashy 4-year-old is the 1.30 (3-10) mortal early doors, but the...

With the winners of the first two legs of the Japanese Triple Crown--G1 Satsuki Sho hero Geoglyph (Jpn) (Drefong) and G1 Tokyo Yushun victor Do Deuce (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn})--targeting upcoming spots versus open rivals, Sunday's G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) looms a competitive affair, with a pair of colts from the penultimate crop of the last Deep Impact (Jpn)--who completed his own Triple Crown here in 2005--looming especially large. Deep Impact is already the sire of four Kikuka Sho winners. Justin Palace (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) was Group...

Highly impressive in winning a pair of juvenile starts last season, Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) makes Sunday's G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) his 3-year-old debut, but must overcome the widest draw in the field of 18 if he is to stretch his unbeaten mark to three. Receiving the always important endorsement of Christophe Lemaire for his career debut in an 1800-metre newcomers' event at Niigata at the end of August, the Silk Racing colorbearer settled handy to the pace and stormed clear to graduate by six powerful lengths....