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Fleetstreet Dancer, winless for the past year, fought back like a champion in the shadow of the finish line, coming back under jockey Jon Court at odds of 48-1 to shock odds-on favorite Admire Don and win the $2-million Japan Cup Dirt (Jpn-I) by a nose at a drenched Tokyo race course on Saturday.
Saturday, November 29, 2003If Johar becomes America's first Japan Cup (Jpn-I) winner since Golden Pheasant won the 12-furlong international turf race in 1991, he'll not only have to overcome a top-class field that is headed by Japanese star Symboli Kris S. He will, for the first time in his career, be tested on a racetrack that is anything other than fast or firm.
Friday, November 28, 2003The Nov. 10 issue of Newsweek magazine reports that Japan's latest equine hero is Haruurara, who has lost all 97 of her career starts. But, unlike America's perennial loser, Zippy Chippy, the story of Haruurara has grown to legendary proportions.
Tuesday, November 04, 2003Race favorite American-bred Symboli Kris S (Kris S.--Tee Kay, by Gold Meridian) answered fans expectations Nov. 2 with a record win of the fall version of the prestigious Emperor's Cup at Tokyo Racecourse. It was the first time in the race's 64-year history that a horse has won the fall version two years in a row, the third year in a row foreign-bred runners have topped the field.
Monday, November 03, 2003Owner Fusao Sekiguchi will provide trainers from around the world an opportunity to train his $2.79-million Sunday Silence colt from the last crop of the reigning champion sire in Japan. All they have to do is show their eagerness.
Monday, September 15, 2003Frank Stronach's Adena Springs announced that the deal to sell farm stallion Wild Rush to a Japanese syndicate for stallion duty at Arrow Stud has been completed.
Tuesday, September 02, 2003Horse of the Year Black Tie Affair is returning from Japan. He has been purchased by Donna Hayes' The Stallion Company, and he will be syndicated to stand in 2004 at Blue Ridge Farm in Upperville, Va.
Sunday, August 03, 2003Ferdinand, the 1986 Kentucky Derby winner who went on to capture the following year's Horse of the Year title with a dramatic victory over 1987 Derby hero Alysheba in the Breeders' Cup Classic, is dead. The Blood-Horse has learned the big chestnut son of Nijinsky II died sometime in 2002, most likely in a slaughterhouse in Japan, where his career at stud was unsuccessful.
Friday, July 25, 2003Who are we to tell the Japanese or anyone else how they should discard the horses we once loved? Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. Slaughter is legal in the United States, and there is nothing that would guarantee Ferdinand would not have ended up in one of the slaughtering plants here if he fell into the wrong hands.
Tuesday, July 22, 2003The second day of the Japanese Racing Horse Association select foal sale lacked the glitter of the first, but was still a success, helping produce a record gross for the auction.
Tuesday, July 08, 2003Gross revenue reached a record high of ¥3.792 billion ($32,081,218) Monday, the first day of the two-day Japan Racing Horse Association Select Sale held on Japan's northern island of Hokkaido.
Monday, July 07, 2003A colt from the final crop of North American Horse of the Year and Japan's perennial leading sire Sunday Silence brought the top price of 330 million yen ($2,791,878) Monday during the first session of the Japan Racing Horse Association's foal sale.
Monday, July 07, 2003With all eyes on the top picks and the pressure off, dark-horse Hishi Miracle did it again, turned the tables to capture yet another group I, his third, the Takarazuka Memorial June 29 at Hanshin Racecourse.
Monday, June 30, 2003The 53rd running of the Yasuda Memorial (Jpn-I) at Tokyo June 8 saw fourth-pick Agnes Digital back at the top after a stretch rally that put him over the line a neck ahead of Admire Max (Sunday Silence--Dyna Shoot, by Northern Taste) in record time.
Monday, June 09, 2003Japan saw its first Triple Crown contestant in six years clinch the series' first two legs, as Neo Universe claimed his sixth victory in a row, the Nippon Derby by half a length June 1 at Tokyo Racecourse.
Monday, June 02, 2003The Japan Racing Horse Association has catalogued 302 Japanese-bred foals for its select sale on July 7 and 8 at the Northern Horse Park on Hokkaido.
Monday, June 02, 2003Darkhorses Hishi Miracle and Sunrise Jaeger turned the tables on the top picks May 4 at Kyoto with a one-two surprise finish in the spring Emperor's Cup (Jpn-I).
Monday, May 05, 2003Nakayama Racecourse was host to another group I event over the Easter weekend. April 19 saw the fifth running of the Nakayama Grand Jump, (Jpn-I) an international invitational whose field of 16 this year included six foreign participants representing four countries.
Monday, April 21, 2003Sunday Silence progeny continued their sweep of this year's group I races as Japan's equivalent of the 2,000 Guineas, the Satsukisho (Jpn., I), went to race favorite Neo Universe (Sunday Silence -- Pointed Path, by Kris) by a head over second pick Sakura President (Sunday Silence -- Sedan Forever, by Maruzensky).
Monday, April 21, 2003War Emblem, North America's champion 3-year-old male of 2002 who was sold to Japan's Shadai Stallion Station for nearly $18 million in September, is having difficulties covering mares in his first year at stud and his owners are negotiating a settlement with an insurance company.
Tuesday, March 25, 2003The Japanese owner-trainer team that attempted to win the 1999 Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) with El Condor Pasa announced their intention to target the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) with Sushi Train, a Deputy Minister colt who has won his only two starts in Japan by a combined 19 lengths.
Friday, January 24, 2003The JRA has announced its list of 2002 champions, with American-bred Symboli Kris S. taking top honors as Japan's Horse of the Year.
Tuesday, January 07, 2003Sheikh Mohammed's involvement in Japanese racing is to be stepped up next year, with six 2-year-old colts set to race for Darley Japan, probably based at Funabashi Racecourse.
Monday, December 16, 2002Yuki and Koichiro Hayata's Hayata Group has petitioned for bankruptcy in Japan. The Hayatas operate Hayata Farm and CB Farm, where they stand Brian's Time, one of the top sires in Japan since 1996.
Tuesday, November 26, 2002By Ray Paulick -- Japanese officials are perplexed why owners of the best American horses are showing such little interest in the Japan Cup and Japan Cup Dirt.
Tuesday, November 26, 2002Among the horses preparing for the Nov. 23 and 24 grade I races in Japan are Abreeze, Indigenous, Red Sun, and Storming Home, who are already in Japan.
Wednesday, November 13, 2002She's Japan's new star and she's being touted as perhaps the best female Thoroughbred in the world. The Irish-bred Fine Motion (Danehill -- Cocotte, by Troy) wowed packed stands again, extending her number of winning runs to a perfect six with a victory Nov. 10 in the country's top distaff, the 2,200-meter Queen Elizabeth II Cup (Jpn-I) at Kyoto.
Monday, November 11, 2002Foreign-bred stock once again captured the fall Emperor's Cup, Japan's most prestigious race and one long preserved as an exclusive showcase for the country's breeders when Symboli Kris S. won the race Sunday.
Monday, October 28, 2002A new star has stepped into the spotlight for Japan. Stealing hearts and causing racing veterans to shake their heads in admiring disbelief, Irish-bred Fine Motion romped away Oct. 13 in Kyoto with a 3 1/2-length, race-record-tying win of the Shukasho (Jpn-I), the final leg of the triple crown for fillies.
Monday, October 14, 2002Magnaten, a Kentucky-bred son of Danzig, posted a two-length triumph over Eishin Preston (by Green Dancer) and American Boss (Kingmambo) in the grade II Mainichi Okan at Japan's Nakayama Racecourse Sunday.
Monday, October 07, 2002The Sunday Silence-sired filly Believe extended her winning streak to four and notched her first grade I win with a victory in the $1,464,131 Sprinters Stakes at Niigata Racecourse Sept. 29.
Wednesday, October 02, 2002The Sunday Silence-sired filly Believe extended her winning streak to four and notched her first grade I win with a victory in the Sprinters Stakes at Niigata Racecourse Sept. 29.
Monday, September 30, 2002The Hong Kong Jockey Club and the Japan Racing Association have a similar problem -- their handle is dropping. In an attempt to solve the problem, the two racing authorities announced on Sept. 17 a joint 'Good Neighbor Policy.'
Friday, September 20, 2002Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner War Emblem will head to Japan to begin stud duties in 2003 at the Shadai Stallion Station, the powerhouse operation run by the Yoshida family. Shadai recently lost three major stallions in Sunday Silence, El Condor Pasa, and End Sweep.
Wednesday, September 11, 2002The word on Sunday Silence remains grim, the mood at Shadai Stallion Station in Hokkaido less than optimistic.
Friday, August 16, 2002HAYAKITA, HOKKAIDO, JAPAN (August 13) -- It's the ninth anniversary of the death of Zenya Yoshida, the founder of Shadai Farm. Rain has fallen for most of the day, growing stronger toward evening and the mood is grim at Shadai Stallion Station. In a barn set back from the others, a barn that was especially built to accommodate the aging Northern Taste, Sunday Silence battles what appear to be his longest odds yet.
Tuesday, August 13, 2002Sunday Silence is fighting for his life and a decision may have to be made to euthanize the American champion and leading Japanese stallion, Shadai Stallion Station owner Teruya Yoshida said Aug. 8.
Friday, August 09, 2002By Ray Paulick -- Racing fans from the baby boomer generation were spoiled by the remarkable careers of the three most recent Triple Crown winners, Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977), and Affirmed (1978). Maybe that's why the knockers are lining up to take their shots at War Emblem as he bids for the Triple Crown.
Wednesday, May 29, 2002The third time proved lucky, and, at last unencumbered by traffic jams, Tanino Gimlet, got the chance to show his stuff--winning stuff--May 26 at Tokyo Racecourse.
Tuesday, May 28, 2002Yet another upset was scored in Japan's spring top level races as Smile Tomorrow bested a full-gate in the 63rd running of the Oaks (Jpn-I) on May 19 at Tokyo Racecourse.
Monday, May 20, 2002Following in the footsteps of her mother, Kentucky-bred Glia posted a neck victory Monday in the Prix Imprudence at Maisons-Laffitte, France.
Monday, April 08, 2002Koji Maeda's Saga Novel, a 3-year-old Boundary filly who went through the sales ring three times, posted her second grade III stake victory in Japan when she took Sunday's Crystal Cup (Jpn-III) at Nakayama Racecourse.
Monday, March 11, 2002Twining, who previously stood at Hilary Boone Jr.'s Wimbledon Farm near Lexington, will be returning to the Central Kentucky nursery in 2002. He stood the past two seasons at East Stud on the island of Hokkaido, Japan, and will remain the property of East Stud.
Friday, December 21, 2001In the week leading up to the Hong Kong International Races, the buzz during morning track works at the Sha Tin Racecourse was that Japan would have a very good day on Sunday. No kidding. Four races were run. Three times, the Japanese national anthem followed the winning ceremony, capped by the victory of Agnes Digital in the HK$18 million Hong Kong Cup.
Sunday, December 16, 2001Admire Don emerged as Japan's champion 2-year-old colt with a three-quarter-length win of the 1,600-meter Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes (Jpn-I) at Nakayama Racecourse on Dec. 9. Unbeaten in his previous two starts, the son of Timber Country went postward a strong favorite in the 16-horse field of classic hopefuls for 2002.
Tuesday, December 11, 2001As soon as Housebuster crossed the state line, he became the leading sire in Virginia and, according to Robert Levy, perhaps the leading sire in the mid-Atlantic. For many who attended the open house at Blue Ridge Farm on Sunday, it was the first time for them to see and welcome Housebuster back to America from Japan.
Monday, December 10, 2001On Dec. 2 at Hanshin Racecourse, a one-two upset by dark horses paired with foreign riders Olivier Peslier and Kieren Fallon translated into big winnings at the betting windows.
Tuesday, December 04, 2001Shigeo Yoshida, a cousin of prominent Japanese breeder Zenya Yoshida and the operator of Yoshida Stud Farm, died Thursday after a lengthy illness. He was 65.
Friday, November 30, 2001Victories by Jungle Pocket in the Japan Cup and by Kurofune in the Japan Cup Dirt gave the home team a sweep in the two international races.
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