Sent off as the favorite, Fan Dii Na was unable to maintain the lead she briefly gained while Al Ain prevailed by a neck over Persian Knight in the 2,000 meter (almost 1 1/4-mile) event at Nakayama Racecourse April 16.
Lord Kanaloa stormed to a course record-setting victory at Nakayama Racecourse on Sept. 30, taking the Sprinters Stakes (Jpn-I) by three-quarters of a length from defending winner and stablemate Curren Chan.
Gold Ship won the Satsuki Sho (Jpn-I), or Japanese Two Thousand Guineas April 15 at Nakayama Racecourse, a year after the Great East Japan Earthquake forced the race to be moved to Tokyo.
Favored Alfredo ran his unbeaten streak to three with a two-length victory in the $1.7 million Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes (Jpn-I) at Nakayama Racecourse Dec. 18.
Earthquake damage to Nakayama Racecourse has forced the rescheduling and relocation of Japan's first classic race, the Japanese 2000 Guineas (Jpn-I) to Tokyo Racecourse. The race will be run April 24 instead of April 17.
Victoire Pisa, a son of Neo Universe, posted his fourth graded stakes triumph when he took the lead at the top of the stretch and held off all challengers to win the (US$4.2 million) Arima Kinen (Jpn-I).
Racing and breeding news and information.
Kazuko Nakamura's Daitaku Yamato upset 11-10 favorite Agnes World Sunday at Nakayama Racecourse, winning the Sprinters' Stakes (JPN-I) by 1 1/4 lengths Sunday. The 6-year-old son of Daitaku Helios completed the six furlongs in 1:08 3/5.
