Nakayama

Cosmo Kuranda Punches Ticket to Japanese 2000 Guineas

Showing modest form throughout most of his career, Cosmo Kuranda (Jpn) (Al Ain {Jpn}) broke through with a convincing victory as a 33-1 outsider in Sunday's Deep Impact Kinen (Japanese 2000 Guineas Trial) at Nakayama. Supported by a single win in 2023-recorded at Niigata Oct. 29--the colt kicked off this season with a workmanlike fifth over this course and trip Jan. 8. He settled near the back of the field early as longshot Sirius Colt (Jpn) (Makfi {GB}) cruised uncontested in front. Quickly picking off his rivals from a wide...

[ Read More ]
Justify Colt Otanisan On 'Sho' at Nakayama

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 Kokura and Nakayama Racecourses: Saturday, February 24, 2024 3rd-NKY, ¥10,480,000 ($70k), Maiden, 3yo, 1200m OTANISAN (c, 3, Justify--American Song {Arg}, by Stripes Song {Arg}) is the first foal from his dam, a Group 1 winner in Argentina who was...

[ Read More ]
Debuting Fillies To The Fore This Weekend in Japan

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--all filllies--including three in a single race at Kyoto as well as Nakayama: Saturday, January 20, 2024 3rd-NKY, ¥11,850,000 ($80k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1200m ROLY GLORY (f, 3, Justify--Roly Poly, by War Front) is the first foal from her dam, winner in England of...

[ Read More ]
Beautifully Bred Justify Colt Gets Going at Kyoto

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 Nakayama Racecourses: Saturday, January 13, 2024 4th-KYO, ¥11,850,000 ($82k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1800m DANON K TWO (JPN) (c, 3, Justify--Enticed {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) is the first foal from a mare that cost 800,000gns ($1.1 million) at the...

[ Read More ]
Suave Richard's Regaleira First Filly To Take G1 Hopeful Stakes

Suave Richard (Jpn), Japanese Champion Freshman Sire elect, sired his first Group 1 winner with the victory of his Regaleira (Jpn) in the 2000-metre G1 Hopeful S. at Nakayama on Thursday. The filly is the first of her sex to land the race since it was upgraded to Group 1 level in 2017. Jointly favoured with Susumu Fujita's Group 3 winner and €2.1 million Arqana August yearling buy Shin Emperor (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) at 2-1 in this contest, the filly hesitated at the break, and soon trailed third last as...

[ Read More ]
Shin Emperor Has Much In His Favour In Hopeful

Perfect in two starts, including a victory over 2000 metres already at this early stage in his career, Susumu Fujita's Shin Emperor (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) can well and truly stamp himself a leading contender for next year's Japanese Classics when he takes on a full field in Thursday's G1 Hopeful S. at Nakayama, the final top-level event on the JRA circuit for 2023. Bred by Ecurie des Monceaux, the chestnut is--as has been well documented--a full-brother to G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass (Fr) and was hammered down...

[ Read More ]
Deuce's Wild In The Arima Kinen

The second betting choice to--finally--build on a championship season in 2021 and a Classic-winning campaign last season, Do Deuce (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) was produced wide into the Nakayama straight by the ageless Yutaka Take and outbattled the positively ridden 4-year-old filly Stars on Earth (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) to take out Sunday's G1 Arima Kinen, the fan-voted 'Grand Prix' of Japan. Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) made the majority of the running, but where he weakened out to finish down the field 12 months ago, held courageously for third in his...

[ Read More ]
Arima Kinen An Early Christmas Feast

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...

[ Read More ]
NY-Bred Firster Looks To Give Arrogate Another Japanese Winner

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 Nakayama Racecourse. The feature of the weekend is Sunday's fan-voted G1 Arima Kinen, the preview for which will appear in Saturday's TDN: Saturday, December 23, 2023 6th-NKY, ¥13,720,000 ($96k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m BLUE WHIRL (c, 2, Arrogate--Ignite, by Jump Start)...

[ Read More ]
Sodashi Sis Spectacular In Sprinters

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...

[ Read More ]
Namura Clair Drawn Cosily For Sprinters' As Group 1 Racing Returns to Japan

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...

[ Read More ]
Justify Colt Makes Belated Sophomore Debut at Hanshin

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. The latter venue plays host to the first Group 1 event of the fall season, Sunday's Sprinters' S., which features the lightning-quick US-bred Jasper Krone (Frosted): Saturday, September 30, 2023 4th-HSN, ¥13,720,000 ($92k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1400mT...

[ Read More ]
X

Never miss another story from the TDN

Click Here to sign up for a free subscription.