Yuichi Fukunaga

HOKKAIDO, Japan--Don't say we didn't warn you. Contrail (Jpn) has been the name on most people's lips around the sales ground at the JRHA Select Sale and when the first foals by the Triple Crown-winning son of Deep Impact (Jpn) took to the ring on Tuesday it wasn't long before the hype became reality. What's really important, of course, is what happens in two or three years' time when these youngsters make it to the track, but the first test, on the commercial market, has been passed with flying colours....

Yuichi Fukunaga, one of the most decorated jockeys in Japanese racing history, paid an emotional tribute to his fans ahead of his retirement rides at the Saudi Cup. The 46-year-old had his final rides on the Japan Racing Association (JRA) circuit at Tokyo Racecourse earlier this month but will close the chapter on his storied career when he partners Remake (Jpn) (Lani) in the G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint presented by Sports Boulevard and Ecoro Ares (Unified) in the G3 Saudi Derby presented by Boutique Group on Saturday. The veteran rider...

With soon-to-be-retired jockey Yuichi Fukunaga at the controls, Perriere (Jpn) (Henny Hughes) came to life entering the final furlong of Sunday's Listed Hyacinth S. at Tokyo Racecourse and proved far too strong for his rivals in picking up 30 points on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. Winner of his first two trips to the races, Perriere was made the 11-10 favorite for the Hyacinth in his first start since a third to G3 Saudi Derby hopeful Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) in the second leg of the...

Shahryar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) denied heavy 3-5 favourite and G1 Japanese 2000 Guineas hero Efforia (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) by the narrowest of margins to take the G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) at Tokyo on Sunday. It was the record-setting seventh win in that Classic for a son of Deep Impact, whose earlier successes include Deep Brillante (Jpn) (2012), Kizuna (Jpn) (2013), Makahiki (Jpn) (2016), Wagnerian (Jpn) (2018), Roger Barows (Jpn) (2019) and Triple Crown victor Contrail (Jpn) last term. Sent off at 10-1, Shahryar was rank and tugging for...

Kyoto played host to the 3000-metre G1 Kikuka Sho on Sunday, and Contrail (Jpn) put his name in the record books as the eighth Japanese Triple Crown Winner and only the third to take the Japanese equivalent of the St Leger while undefeated. Symboli Rudolf (Jpn) (Partholon {Ire}) first accomplished that feat in 1984 and Contrail's sire, the late Deep Impact (Jpn), was the second in 2005. In marked contrast to his earlier wins, Contrail was tested all the way to the line, with recent allowance winner, the SP Aristoteles...

Pounded down to 10 cents on the dollar, dual Classic hero Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) marked his return to the races with an easy-as-he-pleased victory in the 2200-metre G2 Kobe Shimbun Hai at Chukyo on Sunday. Away in good order, pilot Yuichi Fukunaga eased Contrail back to sit in midfield while well covered up in the early stages. Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) showed the way through a half in :47.40 and a mile in 1:36.30 with positions largely unchanged. Nearing the final bend the heavy favourite had a...

2019 Japanese Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) earned a Classic laurel while maintaining his unbeaten record in the 2020 G1 Satsuki Sho over 2000 metres at Nakayama on Sunday. He is the third Japanese 2000 Guineas winner for his late sire. Despite being drawn in the dreaded one hole, the 8-5 crowd's pick overcame that hurdle to win by a half-length over the previously undefeated third choice Salios (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}). It was 3 1/2 lengths back to Galore Creek (Jpn) (Kinshasa no Kiseki {Aus}) in...

The Japanese colts' Classics kick off this weekend at Nakayama Raceourse, where champion Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Salios (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn})--each perfect in their three starts last season--square off in the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) over the 2000 metres. Racing in the colours of Shinji Maeda and bred by the family's North Hills Co. Ltd., the dark bay colt graduated at first asking going nine furlongs last September and followed up with a dominating five-length victory in the G3 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai S. Nov....