In an exhilarating finish to the 33rd renewal of the Japan Cup (Jpn-I), filly Gentildonna nosed out another filly, Denim and Ruby, Nov. 24 at Tokyo Race Course to become the first to win the prestigious event twice.
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.
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).
Gentildonna narrowly completed a sweep of Japan's Triple Crown for fillies Oct. 14 with a nose victory over rival Verxina in a thrilling finish to the Shuka Sho (Jpn-I) at Kyoto Racecourse.
Gentildonna romped to victory in the Yushun Himba (Jpn-I), or Japanese Oaks, in race-record time at Tokyo Racecourse May 20, giving the 3-year-old the first two jewels of the nation's Triple Crown for fillies.
Gentildonna captured the $2.3 million Oka Sho (Jpn-I), Japan's version of the One Thousand Guineas, when she came from off the pace to score by a half-length at Hanshin Racecourse April 8.
Joie de Vivre, half sister to multiple grade I winner Buena Vista, claimed her first grade I title in the $1.5 million Hanshin Juvenile Fillies.
Buena Vista, disqualified from first to second for interference in last year's Japan Cup (Jpn-I), found no such problems this year. The 5-year-old mare surged late to win the $6.1 million event Nov. 27 at Tokyo Racecourse.
Street Sense, a champion and a Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner, was represented by his first winner from his first crop when his 2-year-old son Street Hunter won July 8 in Japan.
Real Impact became the first 3-year-old to win the Yasuda Kinen (Jpn-I), the final leg of the Asian Mile Challenge, when he upset the brilliant filly Apapane in the $2.4 million race at Tokyo Racecourse June 5.
Grand Prix Boss survived an inquiry to preserve his mild upset victory in the $1.6 million Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes (Jpn-I) at Japan's Nakayama Racecourse Dec. 19.
In what trainer Hiroyoshi Matsuda called her "best race ever" favored Buena Vista scored a two-length win in the Tenno Sho (Autumn). The 142nd running of the
A Rock of Gibraltar colt brought 145 million yen (approximately $1,567,161) July 13 to top the Japanese Racing Horse Association yearling sale, which turned in a solid performance at the Northern Horse Park on the Japanese island of Hokkaido.
Britain's newest racecourse Great Leighs, which opened in April of 2008 , had its licence withdrawn by the British Horseracing Authority on Jan. 16 and later that day went into administration, the equivalent of a receivership.
International traveler Admire Moon earned his first group I victory on Japanese soil Sunday when he defeated an outstanding field in the 48th Takarazuka Kinen by a half-length at Hanshin Race Course.
