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Verxina Lands Elusive Group I Win in Japan

Four times second at the group I level in 2012, Verxina finally broke through in the Victoria Mile (Jpn-I) May 12 at Tokyo Racecourse when holding off the strong late charge of Whale Capture to prevail by a nose.

Ayusan Digs In to Win Japan's Oka Sho

Ayusan dug in gamely to repel a strong late bid from Red Opal and capture the $2,311,000 Oka Sho (Jpn-I), or Japanese One Thousand Guineas, the first jewel in Japan's Triple Crown for fillies April 7 at Hanshin Racecourse.

Champ Lord Kanaloa Sets Chukyo Course Record

Japan's reigning champion sprinter Lord Kanaloa uncoiled powerful strides on the uphill stretch at newly renovated Chukyo Racecourse and won the $2,195,000 Takamatsunomiya Kinen (Jpn-I) in course-record time March 24.

War Emblem Represented by Champion in Japan

War Emblem, the 2002 Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner who has had a limited number of foals due to his selectivity in the breeding shed, has been represented by a champion in Japan.

War Emblem Filly Wins at Top Level at Hanshin

Robe Tissage captured Japan's premier race for young fillies Dec. 9 when closing powerfully in the stretch and edging past Kurofune Surprise in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (Jpn-I).

Sadamu Patek Holds Back Favorite at Kyoto

Sadamu Patek held back determined favorite Grand Prix Boss and captured the Mile Championship (Jpn-I) on Nov. 18 at Kyoto for a breakthrough win at the top level.

Around The Globe: War Emblem

It is not an exaggeration to say that no Thoroughbred stallion has ever lived a life like 2002 champion and dual classic winner War Emblem.

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Another Sunday Silence?

There are several eerie similarities between I'll Have Another and Sunday Silence, both dual classic winners that were sold to Japanese interests to begin their stallion careers.

Casino Drive to Stand in Japan

Casino Drive, a half brother to Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winners Jazil and Rags to Riches, has been retired from racing for stallion duty at Shadai Stallion Station in Japan.

War Emblem Making Progress

Moved to a tranquil area away from other stallions and shielded from most visitors, temperamental champion and dual classic winner War Emblem now spends his days in a quiet grassy paddock over looking fields containing grazing mares and foals.

First Stakes Winner for War Emblem

Champion War Emblem, who has experienced breeding difficulties at stud in Japan, was represented by his first stakes winner when Shonan Alba pulled away in the stretch to win the Feb. 11 Kyodo News Service Hai at Tokyo.

Deep Impact Bred to About 230 Mares in First Season

With the Japanese industry continuing to wait for a dominant successor to perennial leading sire Sunday Silence, who died in 2002, much of their hope seems to have fallen on Deep Impact's bay shoulders.

War Emblem Has Another Fruitless Season at Stud

After five frustrating years of trying to coax dual American classic winner War Emblem into performing regular breeding duties, Shadai Stallion Station officials may be reaching the limit of their patience with the horse they purchased for about $17 million as a stallion prospect.

Expectations High for Latest Addition to Japan Stallion Ranks

Great expectations are hovering over Japanese Triple Crown winner Deep Impact as he prepares for his first season at stud, with Shadai Stallion Station officials hoping he will help ignite global interest in Japanese-bred horses.

Agnes Gold to Lambholm South

Agnes Gold, a stakes-winning son of Sunday Silence, is moving from his native Japan to stand the 2007 breeding season at Roy Lerman's Lambholm South in Reddick, Fla.

War Emblem's Struggles in Breeding Shed Continue in Japan

War Emblem's problems in the breeding shed have gotten worse. There will be no foals sired by the 7-year-old champion son of Our Emblem born in 2007.

Japanese Champion Zenno Rob Roy Will Shuttle to New Zealand

Japanese Horse of the Year Zenno Rob Roy will become the first group I winner by deceased Japanese stallion Sunday Silence to go to stud in New Zealand.

Arc Winner Helissio to Northern Ireland

Helissio, who won the 1996 Forte Meridien Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) for Enrique Sarasola, has been purchased by Alfred Buller's Scarvagh House Stud from the Yoshida family's Shadai Stallion Station.

Japanese Stallion Northern Taste Dead

Northern Taste, a legendary Japanese stallion whose leadership was taken over by Sunday Silence, died Dec. 11 from complications from the infirmities of old age.

Japanese Stallion Real Shadai Dead

Prominent Japanese stallion Real Shadai died of hyposthenia caused by laminitis in his right hind leg.

Japanese Stallion Jade Robbery Dead

Jade Robbery, a French group I winner and later a successful sire in Japan, died May 15 following abdominal surgery for a twisted intestine and adhesions of the colon.

Switcheroo Seems to Be Working With War Emblem

War Emblem, who experienced difficulties breeding mares at the Yoshida family's Shadai Stallion Station in Japan in 2003 during his first season at stud, has covered nearly 50 mares at the farm this year.

European Champion Falbrav to Shuttle to Arrowfield in Australia

European champion Falbrav, who will enter stud at the Yoshida family's Shadai Stallion Station in Japan, will shuttle to John Messara's Arrowfield Stud in Australia for the 2004 Southern Hemisphere season.

Sunday Silence Tops Again

Sunday Silence, who defied belief when he topped the $50 million mark in year-end progeny earnings in Japan in 1999, did it again in 2003. This time with an unheard figure of $77,852,691

Sunday Silence Sires 100th Stakes Winner

Sunday Silence, who continues to rewrite the Japanese record book as a stallion, came through with his 100th stakes winner.

Twining to Shadai in Japan

Tom Simon's Vinery announced that successful stallion Twining will not return to the Lexington farm following the conclusion of his current stallion duties at Vinery Australia, and instead will shuttle to the Yoshida family's Shadai Stallion Station in Japan for the 2004 breeding season.

War Emblem Taken Over by Insurance Firms

Kentucky Derby winner War Emblem, who experienced difficulties at the Yoshida family's Shadai Stallion Station during his first season at stud this year, has been transferred to the insurance companies.

Japanese Champion Jungle Pocket to New Zealand

Japanese champion Jungle Pocket will be headed to New Zealand to stand under an agreement with Japan's Shadai Stallion Station

War Emblem Having Problems in Breeding Shed

War 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.

Reineman Included in War Emblem Stud Deal

The $17-$18 million deal to send Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner War Emblem to Japan to stand at stud includes the 10% stake Chicago industrialist Russell Reineman had in the horse.

War Emblem Headed to Japan to Stand at Stud in 2003

Kentucky 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.

Report From Japan: On-the-Scene Account of Sunday Silence's Battle

HAYAKITA, 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.

Top Sire End Sweep Euthanized

End Sweep, the stallion who had shuttled between Australia and Japan after setting a North American record with 33 juvenile winners in 1998, was euthanized Thursday night at Shadai Farm in Japan after complications developed following a serious injury last month.

Timber Country Returns to Japan from Dubai; Jade Robbery Takes Place

Sheikh Mohammed's attempt to breed top-level horses at his Emirates Stud Farm in Dubai took another turn when he announced plans to stand Japanese stallion Jade Robbery this breeding season.

Japan Cup Dirt Winner Kurofune Retired With Tendon Injury

Kurofune, the Kentucky-bred son of French Deputy who captured the second running of the Japan Cup Dirt (Jpn-I) in spectacular fashion last month, has been retired to stud after suffering a tendon injury to his right foreleg. The gray 3-year-old colt will join his sire, who was purchased from Three Chimneys Farm one year ago, at the Yoshida family's Shadai Stallion Station on the Japanese island of Hokkaido.

Sunday Silence Still Tops

Sunday Silence, who topped the Japanese leading sire list by progeny earnings from 1995 to 2000, is steam rolling toward another title.

King's Best Not Going to Dubai

English stallion King's Best will not be sent to Dubai to stand next year's breeding season, according to Joe Osborne, managing director of Kildangan Stud in Ireland, where the classic winner completed his first season as part of the brigade of Darley stallions.

Timber Country to Dubai

U.S. classic winner and overseas stallion Timber Country will stand the 2001 season in Dubai. The 8-year-old son of Woodman will stand under a lease arrangement at Sheikh Mohammed's Emirates Stud Farm.