(03rd Sep 18)

Japanese two-way star YOSHIDA won the G1 on dirt

Japanese bred and the 2015 JRHA Select Sale graduate Yoshida made a successful dirt debut in the G1 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga Springs on September 1st. Under Joel Rosario, the third favorite Yoshida was settled off the pace and was shifted to the outer route at 600m remaining and produced the strong stretch run to beat Gunnevera by two lengths.
In his 4-year-old campaign, Yoshida made a seasonal debut in the G1 Turf Classic in May before he traveled to England to contest the G1 Queen Anne Stakes with a good 5th effort. In the following G1 Fourstardave H, he was not able to prove his favoritism and placed 5th latest. Sired by Heart's Cry, Yoshida was bred by Northern Farm, who purchased his dam Hilda's Passion for 1.225 million dollars at Fasig-Tipton November Sale in 2011 and purchased in the JRHA Select Sale for 94 million yen by John McCormack on behalf of WinStar Farm.

Yoshida

Sire:Heart's Cry
Dam:Hilda's Passion
Sire of Dam:Canadian Frontier
C4
Consigned: Northern Farm

(23th Jul 18)

Deep Impact has provided further reputation in Europe

The son of Japan's dominant sire Deep Impact, Genial went wire-to-wire win in the 1600m-G3 Prix Messidor at Maisons-Laffitte on July 22.
The Mikio Matsunaga trainee took the lead from the start and never gave up the position through the 1600m straight trip to the finish line for a half-length success ahead of Andre Fabre trained Jimmy Two Times (by Kendargent).
Jockey Yutaka Take scored his 115th win abroad and said of Genial after the race: "He was relaxed in the first half of the trip. I was not sure how he would compete against the other contenders in the race, but he was able to live up to the challenge."
The 4-year-old colt out of the European champion mare Sarafina (by Refuse to Bend) was purchased at 2015 JRHA Select Yearling session for 160,000,000yen ($1,290,323 at the rate) by Kieffers Co. Ltd. With two wins from seven previous career starts, Genial was coming off a 5th-place in the 1600m-allowance race at Tokyo on May 13 latest. He will go for the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest on August 5th.

(25th Jun 18)

MIKKI ROCKET took his first G1 victory in the all-star Takarazuka Kinen

Mikki Rocket claimed the Grand Prix Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin racecourse on Sunday and grabbed his first G1 triumph in his seventh attempt at the class.
The seventh pick Mikki Rocket jumped quickly from the inside gate and had a comfortable trip in the mid-division on the rail under his regular rider Ryuji Wada. Wada never hesitate to urge his mount at the final turn and pair gained the command in the top stretch. The 5-year-old Mikki Rocket showed brilliant acceleration and shook off the Hong Kong contender Werther, the 2016/16 Hong Kong Horse of the Year, in the line by a neck.
Winning jockey Ryuji Wada, who scored his eighth JRA-G1 win and his first G1title in 17 years since the 2001 Tenno Sho Spring with T.M.Opera O, commented, "He had a very nice trip though I moved him a bit earlier, but that was my plan going for a long spurt from early stretch. I understood he was a "never give-up" horse. I am very impressed with his ability to maintain his speed all the way to the finish.
Trained by Hidetaka Otonashi, Mikki Rocket, who was sold at 2014 JRHA Select Yearling Sale and purchased by Mizuki Noda for 92,000,000Yen ($901,961 at the rate), is by King Kamehameha out of Pivotal mare Moneycantbuymelove. His latest win was the 2400m-G2 Nikkei Shinshun Hai at Kyoto last January, and with three starts this term before the Takarazuka Kinen, he ran 4th in the G2 Nikkei Shinshun Hai in January, 7th in the 2200m-G2 Kyoto Kinen in February and 4th in the 3200m-G1 Tenno Sho Spring in April respectively. The lifetime records of Mikki Rocket are 22-5-6-0. According to the trainer Otonashi, the bay horse will have a summer break before aiming at the G2 Kyoto Daishoten (2400m) on October 8th. The race favorite Satono Diamond weakened in the last 200m and dropped back to 6th.

Mikki Rocket

Sire: King Kamehameha
Dam: Moneycantbuymelove
Sire of Dam: Pivotal
C5
Consigned: Northern Farm

(07th May 18)

YOSHIDA upset the G1 Turf Classic

The 2015 JRHA Yearling Sale graduate Yoshida kicked off the 2018 season with his first G1 victory in the Turf Classic (1.1/8F) at Churchill Downs on May 5th, Saturday. Stalked the lead from fourth position in the field of nine under Jose L. Ortiz, the William I. Mott trainee unleashed his power on the top of the stretch and held off the multiple graded stakes winning Beach Patrol (by Lemon Drop Kid), who was 2nd in last year's G1 Breeders' Cup Turf, by three-quarters over the yielding track.
The second foal for Hilda's Passion, the 2011 G1 Ballerina Stakes winner, Yoshida was sold for 94 million yen by John McCormack on behalf of WinStar Farm. Owned by China Horse Club International Ltd., WinStar Farm LLC and Head of Plains Partners LLC, the Northern Farm-bred is by Heart's Cry. Fifth in the G1 Belmont Derby (10F) last July, 2nd in the G2 Hall of Fame Stakes (8.5F) in August and the following G3 Saranac Stakes (9F) in September, Yoshida rounded off the season with taking his first graded race success in the G3 Hill Prince Stakes (9F) on October 7 latest. Yoshida has opened up his further options including the one-mile G1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 19.

Yoshida

Sire:Heart's Cry
Dam:Hilda's Passion
Sire of Dam:Canadian Frontier
C4
Consigned: Northern Farm

(01st May 18)

RAINBOW LINE grabbed his long-awaited G1 victory in the Tenno Sho Spring

The five-year-old Stay Gold-sired horse took his desired G1 triumph in the marathon 3200m trip of the Tenno Sho Spring at Kyoto on Sunday afternoon. This is his 10th compete in the highest stage in his career and took his first G1 title. In front of the 69,308 attendance of the day at Kyoto, after the second pick Rainbow Line passed the line first, jockey Yasunari Iwata unsaddled and the horse was transported to have the veterinary inspection. According to the veterinary record, Rainbow Line was found the lame right front. The winning ceremony was held without the horse.
Took the spot at ten in the field of 17 in the first lap, Rainbow Line remained his position and did not move even when the pace setter Yamakatsu Raiden picked up the pace. Rainbow Line started to launch his bid passing the 1000m pole and was shifted to the inner route in the stretch. He quickened up well to catch up Cheval Grand in the final strides and got his neck down the line.
Sold at the 2014 Japan Racing Horse Association Select Yearling Sale for 50,000,000yen (US$490,197 at the rate), the classy horse with 2nd to Satono Diamond in the 2016 Japanese St.Leger and 3rd to Kitasan Black in the Tenno Sho Autumn (2000m) last year has finished below par in the two starts, 6th in the G1 Japan Cup (2400m) and 8th in the Arima Kinen (2500m) respectively,however he moved earlier and won strongly in the G2 Hanshin Daishoten (3000m) in March latest. The lifetime records of Rainbow Line are 22-5-3. Ridden by Hugh Bowman, last year's Japan Cup winner Cheval Grand finished 2nd with Clincher finishing further half-length in third.

Rainbow Line

Sire: Stay Gold
Dam: Regenbogen
Sire of Dam: French Deputy
C5
Consigned: Northern Farm

(16th Apr 18)

EPOCA D'ORO earned the first G1 victory in the Satsuki Sho

The seventh pick Epoca d'Oro has won the first leg of the Japanese classic, Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) and given his triple crown winning sire Orfevre the first classic triumph on Sunday afternoon. Starting off the gate seven, Epoca d'Oro was settled at fourth position under Keita Tosaki, while the three front runners led by Aithon set the pace fast, clocking the first 1000m in 59.2 seconds even the turf track at Nakayama was classified as "Good".
With over ten-furlong gap between the three, Epoca d'Oro was able to trave lnicely and gradually closed the gap turning the last corners before he produced the strong stretch run for his decisive two-length win. The ninth pick Sans Rival finished second, followed by Generale Uno in third. The first three home in the race were all Hidaka-bred.
Winning jockey Keita Tosaki, who scored his first JRA classic title, commented, "I planned to settle my horse behind the leading horses, and he had things his own way. I kept his rhythm during the trip. He is very easy to ride and easy to control."
Owned by Hidaka Breeders Union, Epoca d'Oro was sold at 2015 JRHA Select Foal Sale for 34,000,000yen (US$274,194 at the rate). Trainer Hideaki Fujiwara won the first Satsuki Sho and took his ninth JRA G1 win. The three-year-old son of Orfevre won the novice race (1600m) in January following the 3rd-place in the maiden (1800m) last October. Won the lower-class stakes race (2000m) in February, Epoca d'Oro finished second in the G2 Spring Stakes (1800m) in March latest. The lifetime records are 5-3-1-1. The race favorite Wagnerian finished seventh, and the second pick Stelvio finished fourth.

Epoca d'Oro

Sire: Orfevre
Dam: Daiwa Passion
Sire of Dam: Forty Niner
H3
Consigned: Toru Tagami

(02nd Apr 18)

Suave Richard claimed the G1 Osaka Hai

Japan Racing Horse Association has had the first seasonal G1-winning graduate in Sunday's Osaka Hai.
Suave Richard scored the first G1 triumph in his career and also gave his trainer Yasushi Shono the first title at the level in his 12-year training career in the Osaka Hai (2000m) at Hanshin on Sunday.
Sent to the race favorite in the field of 16, the four-year-old son of Heart's Cry dwelt out of the gate and raced last under Mirco Demuro. As the pace was set slow, which clocked the first 1000m in 61.1 seconds, Demuro decided to make his mount go forward and hit the front around the third bend. Suave Richard was shifted well to the rail and changed the lead smoothly when he headed to the stretch, and then he could burst the speed to pull away to win by 3/4 lengths ahead of the other 4-year-old runner Persian Knight, with the second favorite Al Ain finishing another half-length behind in third.
Winning jockey Demuro commented, "From my experience in the (G1) Arima Kinen when the pace was slow which made us trip wide all the way and nothing left in his tank in the end, I decided to make him move earlier to take the inside position saving for a late run. He answered my asking well and could changed the lead smoothly. It was a perfect run. The right-handed course was not his i
ssue at all."
Purchased at 2014 JRHA Foal Sale for 155,000,000yen (US$ 1,519,608 at the rate of the day), Suwave Richard won the G3 Kyodo News Service Hai (1800m) last February, followed by 6th-place in the G1 Satsuki Sho, Japanese 2000 Guineas (2000m), Suwave Richard had smart effort with 2nd in the apanese Derby and took the G2 Copa Republica Argentina (2500m) over the left-handed course in his come-back appearance after six-month layoff in November. Rounded off the season with 4th-place in the G1 Arima Kinen (2500m), he took the G2 Kinko Sho (2000m) in March latest. The lifetime records are 10-5-3-0. The next start is likely to be the G1 Takarazuka Kinen (2200m) at Hanshin on June 24th.

Suave Richard

Sire: Heart's Cry
Dam: Pirramimma
Sire of Dam: Unbridled's Song
H4
Consigned: Northern Farm