Tokyo Racecourse

By Alan Carasso With the possible exceptions of Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), currently training in America towards the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, and the G1 Japan Cup-bound Shahryar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), this year's G1 Tokyo Yushun hero, Sunday's G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) at Tokyo has attracted the creme of the crop in Japan, including Classic winners from each of the last three seasons. Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) commences a two-race farewell tour back where he celebrated one of his finest hours in...

Sent off the $2.30 (13-10) favorite to make the necessary improvement off a debut third at Hanshin in late June, Aguri (Jpn) (Caravaggio) became the first Japanese winner and 22nd winner overall for leading freshman sire (by Scat Daddy) with a facile victory in a one-mile maiden over the turf at Tokyo Racecourse Saturday afternoon. Drawn the middle of the gate in a field of 13, the gray colt took up a forward position beneath jockey Yuga Kawada, settling just off the pacesetter behind modest early sectionals. Maintaining that stalking...

Café Pharoah delivered a first win at the highest level on dirt for his sire, U.S. Horse of the Year and Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, in the G1 February S. going a mile over the Tokyo dirt on Sunday. His three-quarter length victory guaranteed him a spot in the starting gate in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic this fall. Favoured at 2-1, the 4-year-old entire settled in a tracking fifth, as Wide Pharoah (Jpn) (Henny Hughes) and Air Almas (Majestic Warrior) slugged it out on the front end....

Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) ephasised her status as one of the greats of the Japanese turf with a half-length score in the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) at Tokyo on Sunday. The first back-to-back winner since Symboli Kris S (Kris S.) in 2002/03, the bay mare is the sixth horse to salute in seven Japanese Group 1s and the first Japanese horse to win eight Group 1 races worldwide on turf. Two-time G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) victor Fierement (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) was second, with the G1 Takarazuka Kinen...

The undefeated SW Café Pharoah (American Pharoah), the even-money pick in Tokyo's 1600-meter G3 Unicorn S., made that price look like a gift on Sunday, as he won that Japanese Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier by five easy lengths and set a new stakes record in the process (1:34.90). Dieu du Vin (Jpn) (Declaration of War) was second, 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Kenshinko (Jpn) (Pyro), as American-bred sires were responsible for the first three home. It was the first winner on dirt at the graded/group level for his...

Sunday Racing's Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) booked her ticket to the Breeders' Cup while defeating nine other Group 1 winners in the G1 Yasuda Kinen at Tokyo Racecourse on Sunday. The 1600-metre feature is a "Win and You're In" for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland in November. It was 2 1/2 lengths back to 2018 Japanese Horse of the Year and 1-5 favourite Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), who was slowly away. 2019 victor Indy Champ (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}) was third. Made an 11-1...

Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), third in last year's renewal of the G1 Yasuda Kinen, returns to take another crack at Sunday's 1,600-meter Tokyo feature, a 'Win and You're In' to the GI Breeders' Cup Mile. Victorious over this turf course in the 2,400-meter G1 Japan Cup in 2018, she added two more Group 1s last season in the Dubai Turf in March prior to the Tenno Sho (Autumn) in October. Her 2020 debut was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, however, she once again made short work of...

It's been 15 years since Deep Impact (Jpn) (Sunday Silence) added the G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) to his resume on his way to taking out the 2005 Japanese Triple Crown. Now, with 2019 Japanese champion juvenile colt Contrail (Jpn), he has a colt that could clinch that title too, as the Yoshito Yahagi trainee polished off a full field of 17 rivals and saluted by three lengths in the 2020 Tokyo Yushun. Sunday's Derby score gifted Deep Impact with his third-straight Derby winner and sixth in total. With his...

The G1 2000 Guineas card at Newmarket on June 6 and Japan's G1 Yasuda Kinen on June 7 will be simulcast for betting beginning in the late evening of Saturday, June 6, the Hong Kong Jockey Club announced on Sunday. Newmarket's seven races are headed by the 2000 Guineas, where European Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal) is expected to take part. Meanwhile in Japan the next day, the 1600-metre G1 Yasuda Kinen features Japanese Horse of the Year Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) and the race will be...

Fresh off a G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) victory Apr. 19, Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) will try to remain undefeated in the 2,400-meter G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) at Tokyo Racecourse Sunday. Victorious in last season's 1,800-meter G3 Hai Nisai S. over this course in November, he punctuated his juvenile campaign with a win in the G1 Hopeful S. Dec. 28. The likely race favorite will be reunited with Yuichi Fukunaga. "He had a break at the farm after his last race and came back to the stable...

Daring Tact (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn})'s win in the G1 Yushun Himba at Tokyo on Sunday puts her in an exclusive club as only the second filly to take the first two legs of the Japanese Fillies' Triple Tiara while undefeated alongside Miss Onward (Jpn) (Hard Sauce {GB}), who completed that feat in 1957. Bet down to 60 cents on the dollar, the heavy chalk drifted towards the fence from the rail and, although bumped a bit in close quarters, settled in the back third of the 18-strong field into the...

Des Ailes (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), the first foal out of 2014 G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches victress Avenir Certain (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), puts her unbeaten record on the line and jumps up into group-race company for the first time in Sunday's G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks). A debut winner at Hanshin on Mar. 15, she added the Listed Sweetpea S. at Tokyo on May 3 to her resume. Both those starts were over 1800 metres, and she adds another three furlongs on Sunday...