(9th May 25)

Two Japanese runners sink in the Sloppy Track in Kentucky Derby

The first leg of the American Triple Crown, the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby was held early on May 4 Japan time. The JRHA Select Sale graduate Admire Daytona, ridden by Christophe Lemaire and trained by Yukihiro Kato, competed from Japan alongside Luxor Café, ridden by Joao Moreira and trained by Noriyuki Hori, but two finished a disappointing 19th and 12th respectively.
Heavy rain had turned the entire course into an unusually waterlogged and muddy track (officially listed as sloppy). Although Admire Daytona got off to a good start ran from a forward position early on, the race developed into a high-paced contest that favored late closers. Just past the backstretch, he began to lose touch, and by the crucial stages, he had already run out of steam. In the final stretch, Lemaire did not push the horse further.
After the race, Lemaire commented, “The track really didn’t suit him at all. Even during the warm-up, I had a bad feeling. He was fine until the backstretch, but then he started slipping and couldn’t keep up with the pace. Japanese horses aren’t used to these kinds of conditions.”
Trainer Yukihiro Kato reflected, “I’m very sorry about the result. It was a fast-paced race and tough on the front-runners. There wasn’t much we could do.”The race was won by Sovereignty, ridden by Junior Alvarado and trained by Bill Mott. Journalism finished second.
Admire Daytona was hammered down to Junko Kondo for 66,000,000yen at the 2022 JRHA Select Sale Foal session. He won the G2 UAE Derby (1900m, dirt) after the fierce battle at Meydan in March last time.
Since Ski Captain’s 14th-place finish in 1995, a total of eight Japanese-trained horses have competed in the Kentucky Derby. The best result so far was a third-place finish by Forever Young, the 2022 JRHA Select Sale Yearling session graduate, last year, highlighting the challenge the Derby continues to pose for Japanese racing.

(2nd May 25)

ADMIRE DAYTONA and Luxor Café aiming to become the first Japanese-trained horse to win the Kentucky

Last year, the JRHA Select Sale graduate Forever Young delivered a historic performance in the Kentucky Derby, finishing a close third. With that narrow margin still fresh in memory, hopes are high that Luxor Cafe and Admire Daytona can take that one extra step this year and finally bring home the win.
Japan’s hopeful Luxor Café (by American Pharoah) heads overseas after an emphatic, energy-conserving victory in the recent Fukuryu Stakes (1800m). With experience in large fields and if he handles the demands of international travel, his strong run would not be surprising and this will give trainer Noriyuki Hori the international G1 win in two consecutive week, following Tastiera winning the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2000m, turf) at Sha Tin.
Admire Daytona, on the other hand, faces a more complicated route, having only a quick turnaround from the UAE Derby—one week shorter gap than usual between the two races. Although he has lost twice to Luxor Cafe, the defeats were narrow: a nose decision in their novice race and a poor break in the Hyacinth Stakes, rather than a clear outclassing. So, Admire Daytona will make the most of his Dubai experience and contend for a top finish. Purchased at 2022 JRHA Select Sale Foal session for 66,000,000yen,

(1st May 25)

Hong Kong Champions Day-Tastiera rebounds on the Global Stage, tragedy strikes Liberty Island

Hong Kong Champions Day took place at Sha Tin racecourse on April 27th and featured three Group 1 races over 2000m, 1600m and 1200m on a single day.
Japan sent eight horses to the big day which included two JRHA Select Sale graduates-Japan’s champion sprinter Satono Reve (6-year-old horse by Satono Crown) and Gaia Force (6-year-old horse by Kitasan Black).
In the day’s main event, the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2000m), three Japanese-trained horses took part, with the victory going to Tastiera, ridden by Damian Lane. It marked his first win since the 2023 Japanese Derby, ending a drought of 1 year and 11 months, and gave Japan its seventh win in the QEII Cup. Trainer Noriyuki Hori claimed his second QEII Cup title since 2017 with Neorealism.
The day was also marked by the heartbreaking sad news. Liberty Island, the Japanese Triple Tiara winner and the same generation as Tastiera, was pulled up just before the finish line after sustaining an injury to her left foreleg. According to an official statement released on the website of her ownership group, Sunday Thoroughbred Club, she was euthanized.

The opening of the three international G1 races, Chairman’s Sprint Prize saw the jaw-dropping performance with Ka Ying Rising’s overwhelming victory. The JRHA Select Sale graduate Satono Reve with Joao Moreira on board. Satono Reve began his rally from right behind the eventual winner around the final turn, but was quickly outpaced and had to settle for second place, narrowly fending off a challenge from the third-place finisher by two and a quarter lengths. Other Japanese runners-Lugal finished 5th, A Shin Fencer finished 12th and Danon McKinley finished 13th.

In the Champions Mile, the race had a tremendous fight to the line between Red Lion and Voyage Bubble. Red Lion hold a success after the 20-minute inquiry and became the longest-priced winner in the race’s history. The JRHA Select Sale graduate Gaia Force who made his overseas debut raced off the pace but failed to make an impact in the stretch to finish ninth.

(25th Apr 25)

Eight Japanese horses chases the successes on the FWD Champions Day

Three G1 international races are taking place at Sha Tin racecourse on coming Sunday. The FWD Champions Day has been placed in the Japanese racing calendar for long years. Eight Japanese runners, the same number as last year but still biggest number ever before to send to the Champions Day in Hong Kong, having had good preparations for the big events.
Two of them,-Satono Reve and Gaia Force are graduates from JRHA Select Sale. Satono Reve, who claimed his first G1 triumph in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen (1200m) in March, will fence 12 rivals in the G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize over 1200m turf. The world’s highest-rated sprinter on an 11-race unbeaten streak, Ka Ying Rising is an undoubtedly focused on globally, but both his jockey Zac Purton and trainer David Hayes said, “Satono Reve should be the most danger among Japanese contenders in the sprint race.” Satono Reve finished three quarters of a length second to Ka Ying Rising in the G1 Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) in prior to the victory in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen. The 2019 Select Sale Foal session graduate and Noriyuki Hori trainee is already six but relatively lightly-raced horse with 12 career starts. The son of Lord Kanaloa secured his first group race success in the G3 Hakodate Sprint Stakes (1200m) in June last year and took the subsequent G3 Keeneland Cup (1200m) in August. Sent to the race favorite in the G1 Sprinters Stakes over 1200m at Nakayama in October, he was not able to break quickly and did not secure the ideal spot which placed him 7th in the race. On coming Sunday, he will return with revenge on his mind after finishing third in last year’s G1 Hong Kong Sprint. He will once again be partnered by the “Magic Man,” Joao Moreira.
Another respectful graduate of the JRHA Select Sale, Gaia Force will run the Champions Mile over 1600m turf. The versatile horse who has run from 1600m to 2200m on both turf and dirt finished only 0.3 seconds third to Romantic Warrior in the G1 Yasuda Kinen (1600m) last June. Unplaced in the previous two runs at G1 level, but trainer Haruki Sugiyama is very confident of his chances in the race and said, “He prefers races with one-turn, so the 1600m one-turn layout at Sha Tin is a perfect match for him.” Sugiyama also mentioned about the draw 13, “This horse tends to win best when coming from the outside with a clean late run. So rather than being stuck on the inside and getting checked, or drawing a tricky mid-wide post, the far outside might actually have suited him better.” The son of Kitasan Black who was purchased for 30,000,000yen in the 2019 JRHA Select Sale Foal session debuted in September 2021 and grabbed his first graded race triumph at G2 in 2022. He has not tasted any success since,
There will be the Japanese Triple Tiara winning mare Liberty Island, the Japanese Derby winner Tastiera and the G1 Cox Plate runner up Prognosis for the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2000m). The G1 Sprinters Stakes winner Lugal, the G1 Al Quoz Sprint fourth-placed Danon McKinley and a 5-year-old mare A Shin Fencer who had a solid fifth in the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen will run in the G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize.

(9th Apr 25)

Japanese horses once again proved their strength to the world in Dubai

Following the remarkable achievements of Japanese horses in Saudi Cup in the end of February, Japan once again marked the glories on the world stage.
Japan has sent 24 horses to one of the world’s biggest racing festival including six graduates from JRHA Select Sale, and two of them secured the winning title in Dubai.

In the 2410m turf G1 Dubai Sheema Classic, Japan celebrated as last year’s Japanese Derby winner Danon Decile displayed a sharp closing kick from mid-pack, overtaking French runner Calandagan by about a length for a clear victory. Bred by Shadai Farm, Danon Decile was hammered down to Danox Co. Ltd in the 2022 Select Sale Yearling Session for 135,000,000yen. Right after the race, jockey Keita Tosaki exploded with joy, saying “Very, very horse! Very, very happy!”—a phrase likely to be meme-worthy. Danon Decile conserved energy on the rail and unleashed a strong late charge, reminiscent of his victory in the Japanese Derby.

The other winning graduate of JRHA Select Sale is Admire Daytona, a 3-year-old colt by Drefong. Trainer Yukihiro Kato confirmed that Admire Daytona would go to the G1 Kentucky Derby after thrilling finish in the G2 UAE Derby (1900m, dirt). This win marked Japan’s fourth consecutive win in the race following Crown Pride, Derma Sotogake and Forever Young．Owned by Junko Kondo, Admire Daytona was offered to the 2022 Select Sale Foal session and bought for 66,000,000yen. In the race, Dragon, another JRHA Select Sale graduate, finished sixth under Yutaka Take. Dragon is trained by Mikio Matsunaga and bought at 2023 Select Sale Yearling session for 43,000,000yen by Kieffers Co. Ltd.
Among the most highly anticipated horses both domestically and internationally, was Forever Young ,who ran in the G1 Dubai World Cup. In his previous start, the Saudi Cup, he had triumphed in a historic battle against Romantic Warrior, one of the best turf horses in the world from Hong Kong, earning a world-leading rating of 128 for the season so far. Forever Young broke well but neither accelerated as expected nor replicated the finishing burst seen in Saudi Arabia. Instead, he was passed by Hit Show who came from behind and won the race, and finished disappointing third. Forever Young was offered at 2022 JRHA Select Sale Yearling session and bought for 98,000,000yen. Another graduate from the sale, Ushba Tesoro who was bought at 2017 Foal session for 25,000,000yen by Kenji Ryotokuji, ran his final race and finished sixth.
In the G1 Al Quoz Sprint (1200m, turf), Believing from UK won the race in a thrilling finish with Japan’s 8-year-old Win Carnelian. Among the Japanese contenders, Danon McKinley, sold at 2022 Select Sale Yearling session for 220million yen, showed tenacity along the rail and finished fourth.

(3rd Apr 25)

Preview for the Dubai World Cup Night 2025

This weekend, the Dubai World Cup Day will take place at Meydan on coming Saturday. A total of 24 Japanese horses are scheduled to race in 7 races, with betting available for the four races from Race 6 onwards.
The Japanese horse most likely to win the feature race, G1 Dubai World Cup, following in the footsteps of Victoire Pisa (2011) and Ushba Tesoro (2023), is Forever Young. In his previous race in the G1Saudi Cup, he engaged in a thrilling battle with Hong Kong's strongest horse, Romantic Warrior, and secured his fourth G1-title. Despite being momentarily overtaken by his rival, he showed outstanding fighting spirit to come from behind and won the race. On March 13, he was ranked first in the LONGINES World's Best Racehorse Rankings with 128 pounds. With no rivals from the Kentucky Derby or Breeders' Cup Classic standing in his way, this is a must-win race for him. Forever Young was sold at 2022 JRHA Select Sale Yearling session for 98 million yen by Susumu Fujita.
Another JRHA Select Sale graduate in 2017 Foal session and the 2022 champion, Ushba Tesoro will run his final race here. After showing a return to form with a 3rd place in the G1 Saudi Cup, this veteran hopes to end his career with a grand victory. Also competing are a 6-year-old Wilson Tesoro, known for his consistent performances in any conditions, and the promising 4-year-old Ramjet, who also has been traveled from Saudi Arabia. They are all preparing to stir up some surprises.
In the Dubai Sheema Classic (2410m turf), four Japanese horses including the 2024 Japanese Derby winner Danon Decile will be lined up. After a dominant win in the American Jockey Club Cup (2200m, turf) at Nakayama in January, the colt by Epiphaneia will start his 4-year-old campaign with hopes of making an international breakthrough. A victory by a Derby winner in this race would make him the second-ever Japanese Derby horse to win the race, following Shahryar in 2022. He hammered down to Danox Co. Ltd, in 2022 JRHA Select Sale Yearling session for 135 million yen.
Danox Co. Ltd also has a runner in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint (1200m, turf). Danon McKinley, purchased for 220 million yen at the 2022 Select Sale Yearling session, has already won two graded races in his career and will challenge the straight-track race for the first time.
Two horses, Admire Daytona and Dragon, both from the Select Sales, will race in the G2 UAE Derby (1900m, dirt), a race that Japanese-trained horses have won for three consecutive years since 2022. Admire Daytona, who won in the novice race (1600m, dirt) in February, was purchased for 66 million yen at the Foal session, while Dragon, a son of Mind Your Biscuits, was bought by Kieffers Co., Ltd for 43 million yen at the 2023 Yearling session. Debuted on turf, Dragon switched to dirt in his second run and claimed his first victory, followed by a 5th-place finish in the listed race Hyacinth Stakes.

(25th Feb 25)

Japan landed four winners in the global clash on the Saudi Cup night

The world's most valuable race meeting took place at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on February 22. 18 Japanese contenders have competed on the global stage in the Saudi Cup meeting and took over four races in six international races.
Forever Young added The US$20m Saudi Cup to his victory in the 2024 G3 Saudi Derby and trainer Yoshito Yahagi grabbed his second title of the world's richest race following the Panthalassa's win in 2023. The race was focused from not only the many of the international horse connections but media on how the Hong Kong super star Romantic Warrior overcame his biggest challenge in his first start on dir. He courageously went down in a thrilling finish with Forever Young, but the Japan's hero gets the better of Romantic Warrior in an epic battle to win the race.
Owned by Susumu Fujita, the 2022 JRHA Select Sale Yearling Session purchase Forever Young collects JPNY 2,190,000,000 (approximately US$13,947,268) for his career earnings.
In the Saudi Cup, four Japanese runners finished in the top six, while the 8-year-old Ushba Tesoro showed the decent turn of speed and finished 3rd, the Noboru Takagi stablemate Wilson Tesoro finished fourth and the Shozo Sasaki trained 4-year-old Ramjet finished sixth. Ushba Tesoro is a 2017 JRHA Select Foal Sale graduate.
Before the Saudi Cup, Japan scored a hat trick triumph in the three of the 8 undercards of the Saudi Cup day, with Yahagi's Shin Emperor, who is a full-brother to the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe victor Sottsass, winning the G2 Neom Turf Cup, Ascoli Piceno dueling out the G2 1351 Turf Sprint and Tomoyasu Sakaguchi's Byzantine Dream providing another victory for Japan in the G2 Red Sea Turf as well.
Another two graduates from the JRHA Select Sale among the Japanese contingent, Mistress trained by Yoshito Yahagi and Myriad Love trained by Koichi Shintani, both three-year-olds finished 4th and 7th respectively in the G3 Saudi Derby. Mistress is 88,000,000yen a Foal Session of 2022 purchase and Myriad Love is a 27,000,000yen Yearling Session of 2023 purchase.

(21st Feb 25)

18 Japanese runners aiming for the first title on the global stage of 2025

Japan's challenge on the global stage begins once again this year in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia. A total of 18 Japanese horses, from both the JRA and the NAR, regional racing circuits, are set to compete on Saudi Cup Day at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on February 22. While only the main event, the Saudi Cup (G1), will have betting available in Japan, every race on the card is worth watching. Four from 18 horses are from JRHA Select Sale. The main focus will be the feature race with the world’s highest prize money, US$20m G1 Saudi Cup (1800m, dirt). Japan will send four horses-Forever Young, Ushba Tesoro, Wilson Tesoro and Ramjet, and all is to clash the best dirt horses in the world including the world’s highest prize money earning horse Romantic Warrior from Hong Kong.
Ushba Tesoro, a 8-year-old by the Japanese Triple Crown winner Orfevre, who was runner-up in the event 12 months ago, is also seeking to reclaim the G1 Dubai World Cup title in 2023. The 2017 JRHA Select Sale Foal Session graduate and his younger stablemate of Noboru Takagi, Wilson Tesoro, a 6-year-old son of Kitasan Black, have been training well since they have arrived in Riyadh. Ushba Tesoro has not tasted any success since the G1 Tokyo Daishoten (2000m, dirt) at Oi in 2023, however he seems to enjoy the trip to the desert with finishing in the top two in three starts in Dubai and Saudi. His reappearance on the domestic stage last year was the local G2 at Funabashi in September when he finished 2nd , which was his preparation for the G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic (2000m) at Del Mar in November. Finished disappointing 10th in the race, he bounced back and placed 4th in the Japan’s dirt championship, Tokyo Daishoten last time.
Trainer Yoshito Yahagi believes his last year’s G3 Saudi Derby champion Forever Young will return to claim another title in the country. Owned by Susumu Fujita, Forever Young was offered at 2022 JRHA Select Sale Yearling Session and purchased by Fujita for 98,000,000yen, US$725,926 at the exchange rate on the sales day. After his fifth straight win since debut in October 2023, he finished a fine third in both the G1 Kentucky Derby and the G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic before winning the G1 Tokyo Daishoten last time. Had drawn gate 14 of 14 in the Saudi Cup on Saturday, the jockey Ryusei Sakai is very optimistic and said, “It is not a big concern, as he is a versatile type of horse and can handle any track condition. The distance-wise there is no issue either.”
Yahagi also has the stablemate Forever Young, Shin Emperor, a huge contender in the G2 Neom Turf Cup and Mistress, a 3-year-old filly in the G3 Saudi Derby. Sired by Kizuna, Mistress who was purchased in the foal session of the 2022 JRHA Select Sale for 88,000,000yen by Shinji Maeda won the newcomer race over turf track in October and ran over the surface in three starts. She was transferred from turf to dirt for the first time in the local G3 Bluebird Cup (1800m) at Funabashi in January latest. Mistress will start from gate 6.
Another JRHA Select Sale graduate Myriad Love will be lined up in the Saudi Derby. Trained by Koichi Shintani, the 3-year-old filly by New Year’s Day took the first top-class title for two-year-old over dirt in the Zennihon Nisai Yushun (1600m)at Kawasaki in December and has remained unbeaten in three starts. Myriad Love was offered at the yearling session of 2023 JRHA Select Sale and bought by Asuka Shiraishi for 27,000,000yen, US$188,812 at the exchange rate on the sales day.