Satono Crown, the conqueror of Highland Reel in December, earned his second group 1 win and a berth in Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) with a stretch-running victory in the June 25 Takarazuka Kinen (G1) at Hanshin Racecourse.
Kitasan Black, reigning Japanese Horse of the Year, dominated a tough field in the Tenno Sho Spring (G1) at Kyoto April 30, chasing down the runaway leader and sweeping to a 1 1/4-length victory.
Kitasan Black led from the first jump and was never challenged in a dominating victory Nov. 27 in the 36th running of the Japan Cup in association with Longines at Tokyo Racecourse.
Yutaka Take has a robust resume bursting at the seams, which should be considered when examining his impact on the Kentucky Derby (gr. I) this year.
Yutaka Take, Japan's most famous jockey, even came in for the work aboard the UAE Derby (UAE-II) winner, but Lani refused to get into gear until after a quarter of what was supposed to be a five-eighths work.
Japan's UAE Derby (UAE-II) winner Lani arrived at Churchill Downs April 3 following a 5 1/2-hour van ride from Chicago and was bedded down in Barn 17.
Sachiaki Kobayashi's Copano Rickey, upset winner of last year's February Stakes (Jpn-I), became the first horse to capture the race in back-to-back years Feb. 22, this time as the favorite.
Japan's champion sprinter Lord Kanaloa ended his illustrious career on a high note after being voted the Japan Racing Association's 2013 Horse of the Year.
Yutaka Take became Japan's first jockey to win 100 grade or group I races! view slideshow
Yutaka Take became Japan's first jockey to win 100 grade or group I races when he guided Tosen Ra to victory in the Mile Championship (Jpn-I) Nov. 17 at Kyoto.
Japanese Derby (Jpn-I) winner Kizuna prevailed in a tight finish over Epsom Derby (Eng-I) Ruler of the World in Qatar Prix Niel (Fr-II) Sept. 15 at Longchamp.
Xpressbet announced the participation of top rider Javier Castellano in the fifth International Jockeys' Challenge, sponsored by the Turkish Jockey Club, July 17 at Istanbul's Veliefendi Racecourse.
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.
The Japan Racing Association held its first races March 19 since the nation was hit by a devastating earthquake and tsunami.
A lengthy inquiry resulted in disqualification of the winner of the $5.8 million Japan Cup (Jpn-I) on Nov. 28 when favored Buena Vista was moved down to second and Rose Kingdom was declared the winner.
Vodka, a 4-year-old filly who won two grade I stakes against horses of all ages and of both genders, became the first filly/mare to claim the Japan Racing Association's Horse of the Year title in 11 years.
The relentless Vodka, piloted by Yutaka Take, caught Daiwa Scarlett in the final stride to win the $2,448,000 Tenno Sho Autumn (Jpn-I) by a nose before 121,961 spectators at Tokyo Racecourse Nov. 2.
Russell Baze, North America's most winning jockey with more than 10,000 victories during his career, will long remember his first ride in Europe at Ascot, which cost him a four-day whip ban.
Favored Vermilion, Japan's champion dirt horse last year, dominated the field in his debut for 2008 with a 1 3/4-length win in the February Stakes (Jpn-I) at Tokyo racecourse Feb. 24 before a crowd of 53,029.
Favored Meisho Samson avoided traffic problems in the straight that compromised several leading contenders and drew away late for a 2 1/2-length victory in the 136th running of the US$2.45 million Tenno Sho (Jpn-I) Oct. 28 at Tokyo Race Course.
Japan had a strong hand going into the US$5million Dubai Duty Free (UAE-I) and it was their Admire Moon, ridden by Japanese icon Yutaka Take, who landed the spoils in scintillating fashion.
Suzuka Phoenix broke through for his first group I win March 25 in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen at Chukyo racecourse just outside the Japanese city of Nagoya, enabling champion jockey Yutaka Take to claim a group I triumph for the 20th consecutive season.
Deep Impact collected 287 of a possible 289 (97.9%) total votes in winning the 2006 Japanese Racing Association's Horse of the Year Award for the second year in a row.
Deep Impact demolished a field of Japan's best horses to record his seventh grade I win and end his career on a tremendous high in the Arima Kinen Sunday over 2,500 meters at Nakayama racecourse.
Olivier Peslier of France took his second title in the Cathay Pacific International Jockeys' Championship Wednesday night at Happy Valley racecourse in Hong Kong.
Edgar Prado and Javier Castellano are to represent the United States in the 20th World Super Jockeys Series to be held Dec. 2-3 at Hanshin Racecourse.
As expected, Japanese champion Deep Impact won Sunday's Takarazuka Kinen (Jpn-I) before 80,000 spectators convincingly in his final domestic outing at Kyoto Racecourse prior to heading to France for the Prix de l' Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) on Oct. 1.
Deep Impact, Japan's 2005 Horse of the Year, justified his 1-10 price with a record-smashing win in the Tenno Sho (Spring) (Jpn-I) at 3,200 meters (1.98 miles) at Kyoto racecourse Sunday.
Utopia made all under jockey Yutaka Take to claim the $1 million Godolphin Mile (UAE-II) by four lengths for Japan Saturday night at Nad Al Sheba.
Favored Kane Hekili, the Japan Racing Association Dirt Horse of the Year in 2005, proved too strong for his rivals in Sunday's February Stakes (Jpn-I) held at Fuchu racecourse in Tokyo in front of a crowd of more than 60,000 people.
Deep Impact, the first colt to claim all three Triple Crown races while still undefeated since Symboli Rudolf 21 years ago, has been named the near-unanimous winner of the Japan Racing Association's 2005 Horse of the Year award, collecting 285 out of 291 votes.
Heavily favored Japanese-bred Kane Hekili emerged from a three-horse, head-bobbing finish to narrowly win the Japan Cup Dirt (Jpn-I) over American-breds Seeking the Dia and Star King Man at Tokyo Race Course Saturday.
A record crowd of nearly 137,000 people at Kyoto Racecourse Oct. 23 witnessed Japan's sixth Triple Crown winner, the first in 11 years and only the second to have captured the series unbeaten.
Japanese-trained horses swept the top three positions in the Japan Racing Association's two major group I international races, when Zenno Rob Roy won the Japan Cup and Time Paradox took the Japan Cup Dirt, both run at Tokyo Racecourse on Nov. 28 under sunny skies.
Four-year-old filly Admire Groove made it back-to-back victories in the Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup (Jpn-I), winning the $1.8 million event Sunday at Kyoto Racecourse in Japan.
Leading Japanese filly Dance in the Mood, a winner of four of five starts and $1,773,565, has accepted an invitation to the $750,000 American Oaks (gr. IT) at Hollywood Park on July 3.
Jockey Yutaka Take, who set a record in 2003 with his 204 wins, wrapped up his 13th career title Sunday as the Japan Racing Association season came to an end.
Japan's Admire Groove held off favored country mate Still in Love for a nose victory in Sunday's Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Cup (Jpn-I), giving jockey Yutaka Take an unprecedented third straight win in the race for fillies and mares at Kyoto Racecourse.
The JRA has announced its list of 2002 champions, with American-bred Symboli Kris S. taking top honors as Japan's Horse of the Year.
South African Douglas Whyte earned points in all three races Wednesday night at Happy Valley Racecourse to become the first Hong Kong-based rider to win the International Jockeys' Championship.
The 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.
Champion Japanese jockey Yutaka Take will be out three to six months as the result of a spill at Nakayama race course on Sunday.
American-bred Kurofune showed on Saturday why some Japanese racing fans are calling him a "superhorse," as the 3-year-old gray colt by French Deputy galloped to an impressive seven-length victory in the second running of the $2-million Japan Cup Dirt (Jpn-I) at Tokyo race course.
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