Kizuna (Jpn)

Favoured at 90 cents on the dollar, Eri King (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) ran to the money, winning the G3 Radio Nikkei Hai Kyoto Nisai Stakes at Kyoto on Saturday by 1 1/4 lengths over the closing Giovanni (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}). Claudiai (Jpn) (Saturnalia {Jpn}) was third, another length behind. Breaking widest of all in stall eight, the near-black colt soon found himself punching the breeze out by his lonesome in a tracking fifth as Water Clark (Jpn) (Water Build {Jpn}) showed the way into the right-handed bend. The pace was...

Globetrotting wunderkind Equinox (Jpn), his sire Kitasan Black (Jpn) and Kizuna (Jpn) co-lead the Shadai Stallion Station roster at ¥20,000,000 (€123,497) apiece next year. Equinox, who has his first foals arriving next year, and Kitasan Black (11 stakes winners) have had their fees remain at their 2024 levels, while Kizuna has had his fee increased from €12,000,000. The last-named horse has fired in 14 stakes winners in 2024 alone, among them G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) hero Justin Milano (Jpn). Right under the leading trio is Japanese Triple Crown...

Nakayama newcomers' winner Brown Ratchet (Jpn) became the 35th stakes winner (22nd group) for Shadai Stallion Station resident Kizuna (Jpn) in the G3 Artemis Stakes on Saturday. The 3-1 third choice and half-sister to GI Breeders' Cup Classic hopeful Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) broke alertly in a battling second as Mistress (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) led. More than a touch keen, she eventually settled as Kyoei Bonita (Jpn) (Isla Bonita {Jpn}) kept a close eye on the leader. More relaxed turning for home, Brown Ratchet saved every inch of...

Sales action returns to Hokkaido's Northern Horse Park on Tuesday, October 22 with the third edition of the Northern Farm Mixed Sale. The auction features a selection of 52 weanlings which is followed by 79 broodmares and fillies out of training. A colt by Kitasan Black (Jpn), the sire of Equinox (Jpn), who was crowned Longines World's Best Racehorse in 2023, topped the foal section of the JRHA Select Sale in July. The Shadai stallion is represented by three of his weanlings in the Mixed Sale, including lot 21, a...

Equinox (Jpn), who was crowned Longines World's Best Racehorse in 2023, covered 203 mares in his first season at Shadai Stallion Station in 2024, the stud has announced. Beaten just twice in 10 career starts, Equinox broke new ground when he retired to Shadai as his introductory fee of ¥20 million (around €124,000) was a record high for a first-season stallion in Japan. He shared top billing on the Hokkaido roster with his own sire, Kitasan Black (Jpn), who also stood at a fee of ¥20 million when covering 191...

Sunday Racing's Magic Sands (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) retained his unbeaten tag when reeling in long-time leader Arma Veloce (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) to land the G3 Sapporo Nisai Stakes in a tight finish. Heavy rain through the night and into the early afternoon in Sapporo had rendered the turf track yielding but the sun was out by the time the sole graded race of the card was run, with 12 runners facing the judge, seven of whom had raced just once previously. Bred by Northern Farm, Magic Sands made his two-length...

In his first victory at the highest level, T O Royal (Jpn) (Leontes {Jpn}) swept to the lead and never looked back, leaving the race for second in the G1 Tenno Sho Spring in Kyoto on Sunday. Coming into the contest with two Group victories from as many jumps in 2024, by name the G3 Diamond S. Feb. 17 and G2 Hanshin Daishoten S. Mar. 17, T O Royal had redemption to claim, having finished third in the 2022 edition of the G1 Tenno Sho Spring S. held at Hanshin....

Justin Milano (Jpn) lowered the track record as he came out on top in a stirring finish to Sunday's G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2,000 Guineas) at Nakayama Racecourse, adding the first leg of the Japanese Triple Crown to a record which now sees him unbeaten in three starts. Keita Tosaki settled Justin Milano in fifth place in the early stages as Meisho Tabaru (Jpn) (Gold Ship {Jpn}) took the field along at a fierce gallop, racing a few lengths clear of the chasing pack. Jantar Mantar (Jpn) (Palace Malice), who...

In an electrifying display through the late stages, Sixpence (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) overwhelmed nine other rivals and proclaimed himself as one to watch for the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2,000 Guineas), dominating the G2 Fuji TV Sho Spring S. on Sunday at Nakayama. Jumping well and close to the pacesetters, Sixpence tucked in neatly behind Allegro Brillante (Jpn) (Deep Brillante {Jpn}) and that one's closest pursuer Cosmo Buddleja (Jpn) (Gold Ship {Jpn}) as the pair showed the way. The placings remained consistent until the field passed the 800 metre mark...

Sunday Racing's Queen's Walk (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) rallied to victory in the 1600-metre G3 Daily Hai Queen Cup in Tokyo on Saturday. She was just a neck to the good of Epiphaneia (Jpn)'s Arsenaal (Jpn). Stranded widest of all when breaking from gate 13, the filly soon perched well off the inside third from the rear as Morino Red Star (Jpn) (Declaration Of War) set a solid pace on the front end through an opening quarter in :23.80 and a half-mile in :47.10. Sweeping out into the centre of the...

Triple Group 1 winner Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}--Luminous Parade {Jpn}, by Symboli Kris S), and Group 1 winner Schnell Meister (Ger) (Kingman {GB}--Serienholde {Ger}, by Soldier Hollow {GB}) have both been retired, Sunday Racing announced on Wednesday. A Northern Farm-bred, the Toru Hayashi trainee won once in two starts at two, and added the Listed Kobai S. in January of her 3-year-old year. She was only a nose behind Schnell Meister in the G1 NHK Mile Cup in 2021, placed in the G3 Sekiya Kinen, and claimed the G2 Fuji...

Defending G3 1351 Turf Sprint heroine Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) is primed for a big effort in the 2023 edition, according to regular rider Christophe Lemaire. "I rode her this morning and she looks in great condition," he said on Wednesday. "I am very happy with her and so is her trainer. She will be the one to beat again this year, I think." Fifth in the G1 Victoria Mile after her Riyadh heroics in 2022, the Sunday Racing colourbearer claimed the G1 Yasuda Kinen by a neck over Schnell...