NAR

A 16-strong field sporting several Group 1 horses will fill the stalls at Tokyo on Sunday for the ¥233,160,000 G1 February S. over the metric mile on dirt. The race is a Breeders' Cup "Win And You're In" qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar in November. One of the leading fancies is Wilson Tesoro (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}), winless on turf, but a seven-time scorer on the main track from 1500m to 2100m. The three-time listed winner lines up for his 5-year-old bow off of back-to-back...

Mick Fire (Jpn) (Sinister Minister) came with an irresistible run down the center of the course and drew clear in the final 70 metres to defend his home turf and remain perfect in six starts in Wednesday's Japan Dirt Derby at Oi Racecourse. In defeating 42-1 outsider Kirinji (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) by a decisive 2 1/2 lengths, the bay colt was becoming just the third horse in the last 13 runnings based on the National Association for Racing (NAR) circuit to prevail over the typically more-fancied runners that ship in...

Both the the Japan Racing Association and National Association for Racing circuits were well represented on the international stage this winter and spring, with JRA representative Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) winning the G2 UAE Derby ahead of a meritorious sixth in the GI Kentucky Derby, while the NAR-based Mandarin Hero (Jpn) (Shanghai Bobby) covered himself in glory by nearly winning the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby before gaining a run at Churchill Downs. While those two continue to rest up, Wednesday's $721,752 Japan Dirt Derby at Ohi Racecourse...

Omega Perfume (Jpn) (Swept Overboard) completed a unique hat trick with his narrow win in Tuesday's 2000-metre G1 Tokyo Daishoten. He is the first Japanese horse to win the same Group 1 race three years in a row. Outfooted early in the initial charge from the stalls, the grey rated in eighth three off the fence into the first turn. A bit keen in the opening quarter mile, the 1-5 chalk progressed up to sixth as Work and Love (Jpn) (Sinister Minister) held a three length advantage on the field....