(13th Dec 23)

The LONGINES Hong Kong International Races concluded

One of the most prestigious events in the world’s racing calendar, The Hong Kong International Races took place at Sha Tin racecourse on Sunday, December 10th. With the 65,000 attendance, four International Group 1 races had overall 13 Japanese runners to compete, including two JRHA Select Sale graduates-Danon The Kid for the Hong Kong Mile and Hishi Iguazu for the Hong Kong Cup. Despite like a summer hot day with 27 degrees outside of Sha Tin, none of the Japanese was able to shine in four races, though three of them, Zeffiro, Namur and Hishi Iguazu finished in the top three.
Danox Co., Ltd brought the hammered down at 100,000,000yen for Danon The Kid, a 5-year-old horse by Just A Way. This is the third travel to Hong Kong for the horse who finished 2nd in last year’s G1 Hong Kong Cup and 5th in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup in April respectively, but he finished 12th in this year’s Hong Kong Mile line-up.
Hishi Iguazu, sold at 2016 Select Sale Foal Session for 97,000,000yen, contested in the day’s richest race, G1 Hong Kong Cup on the $HK36 million yen. Under Joao Moreira, the son of Heart’s Cry traveled around midfield spot. With 500meters to go, the 7-year-old was bumped and unbalanced but fought back in the stretch to finished 0.5 seconds behind the winner Romantic Warrior in third.
For the further information and news about the Hong Kong International Races, please visit The Hong Kong Jockey Club website.

(6th Dec 23)

Japanese runners ready for more glories in the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races

Over the past few years, Japanese horses have dominated many of the major international race meetings. As the Hong Kong International Races matured into the massive event for Japanese connections, they repeatedly sent many runners every year. This year again, 14 Japanese runners have been sent to compete in the four races. All of them have arrived in Hong Kong safely and are turning up for the big races on Sunday.
Japan Racing Horse Association has two graduates among the big contingent-Danon the Kid for the Hong Kong Mile and Highi Iguazu for the Hong Kong Cup.
The 5-year-old horse by Just a Way, Danon the Kid faces his third challenge in the Hong Kong International Races. Purchased at 2018 Select Sale Foal Session for 100,000,000yen by Danox Co., Ltd, he won the 2020 G1 Hopeful Stakes (2000m, turf) for his third straight win since his debut. Yet to grab the G1 success since, he justified his ability in the top class races such as 2nd in the G1 Mile Championship and also finishing 2nd to the Hong Kong super star Romantic Warrior in the G1 Hong Kong Cup in 2022. In 2023, he finished 3rd in the G1 Osaka Hai (2000m, turf) in April and has placed on the board in a couple of G1 races. As the trainer Takayuki Yasuda is going to retire from his training career next February, this is his final chance to run the HKIR. Yasuda has already won three-time in Hong Kong with Lord Kanaloa winning the Hong Kong Sprint for two consecutive years in 2012 and 2013 and with a Lord Kanaloa-sired Danon Smash in the Hong Kong Spring in 2020. Danon the Kid has been training very well in Hong Kong and is in good form.
The 7-year-old veteran Hishi Iguazu was sold at 2016 Select Sale Foal Session for 97,00,000yen by Masahide Abe and has displayed the consistency between 1800m and 2200m in 19 career since his debut in 2018. Trained by Noriyuki Hori, he grabbed the long-awaited first group race success in the G3 Nakayama Kim Pai (2000m, turf) in January 2021. He also won the following G2 Nakayama Kinen over 1800m in February. He has proved to be a top runner over the middle distances and began 2023 with a second win in the G2 Nakayama Kinen. Unplaced in the recent three starts, Hishi Iguazu who ran a fast-finishing second to Loves Only You in the G1 Hong Kong Cup 2021 would be able to show the suitability to Sha Tin on coming Sunday.

(7th Nov 23)

A big applause for Derma Sotogake’s second finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic

One of the eight Japanese contenders in this year’s Breeders’ Cup and the JRHA Select Sale graduate, Derma Sotogake had a huge run for 2nd finish to White Abbario in the $6-million G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic (2000m, dirt) at Santa Anita Park on Saturday, November 4th. The 3-year-old son of Mind Your Biscuits showed his acceleration in the stretch but did not threaten the winner and finished a length behind 2nd.
Christophe Lemaire, the jockey of Derma Sotogake said: “He jumped well from the gate and took third/fourth position. The pace was high in the backstretch, which was tough for him, but he never gave up until the finish. It was his first race up from six-month break, but thanks to all the connections who took care of him very well and conditioned him for this race, Derma Sotogake was in very good form and showed his fantastic run.”
The G1 Dubai World Cup winner and the 2017 JRHA Select Sale Foal Session graduate Ushba Tesoro showed effort in the stretch but unable to reach contention and finished fifth.
The 5-year-old Meikei Yell who was purchased at 2019 Yearling Session tripped to the US for the first time to seek her first G1 triumph in the G1Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf Sprint. The multiple group race winner showed little in stretch and faded to 9th place.

(2nd Nov 23)

The largest contingent ever from Japan for the Breeders’ Cup of 2023

Eight Japanese horses will content in six Breeder’s Cup races. Three of them are the graduates of JRHA Select Sale.
The 6-year-old Ushba Tesoro shows his massive improvement since switching to dirt in September 2022. Bred by Chiyoda Farm and bought by Kenji Ryotokuji for 25,000,000yen at 2017 Select Foal Session, the Noboru Takagi trainee took the big-money success by winning the G1 Dubai World Cup (2000m, dirt) at Meydan in March. He showed the late burst again to win the G2 Nihon TV Hai over 1800m dirt, the exchange race at NAR-Funabashi in September on his return from six-month break. Ushba Tesoro is running the Breeders’ Cup Classic (2000m, dirt).
Another prospective runner in the Breeders’ Cup Classic will be Derma Sotogake. The Hidetaka Otonashi trained 3-year-old colt by Mind Your Biscuits is also from JRHA Select Sale. Hammered with the price of 18,000,000yen at 2021 Select Yearling Session, Derma Sotogake has traveled to Saudi Arabia, Dubai, United States this term. He ran well 3rd in the G3 Saudi Derby (1600m, dirt) in February before winning impressively by 5.1/2 lengths in the G2 UAE Derby (1900m, dirt) at Meydan. However he missed the G1 Kentucky Derby chance by sluggish start at Churchill Downs in May last time.
Meikei Yell, a 5-year-old mare by Mikki Isle, will bring her unknown factor for the first time over dirt in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (1400m). The multiple group race winning mare has not tasted any success since September 2022, but she sometimes showed the upward curve, finishing 5th in the G1 Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin last December and 5th in the G1 Sprinters Stakes (1200m) last time. She was consigned by Northern Farm and bought by Nagoya Keiba for 26,000,000yen at 2019 Select Yearling Session.

(9th May 23)

DERMA SOTOGAKE and Mandarine Hero finished sixth and twelfth in the Kentucky Derby

Two horses representing Japan, Derma Sotogake and Mandarine Hero are the third and fourth Japanese-bred entries in the Kentucky Derby history. Derma Sotogake, who was sold at JRHA Select Sale Yearling Session in 2021 for 18,000,000yen, started awkwardly from gate 17 and raced back under Christophe Lemaire. The pair progressed the position but showed little and no match for the winnerMage, finishing sixth.
Mandarine Hero, the first horse from NAR (The National Association of Racing, racing organized by the local government) to run in the American G1 race, jumped into the field of this year's Derby. Ridden by the Woodbine's leading jockey for the past two years Kazushi Kimura, the son of Shanghai Bobby jumped well from gate 22 and was positioned at midfield but did not make any impact inthe stretch and finished 12th.
Trained by Hidetaka Otonashi and owned by Hiroyuki Asanuma who is a dermatologist in Hokkaido and uses the word "Derma" as the first part of his all horses' names, Derma Sotogake ran 3rd in the G3 Saudi Derby in February before traveling to Dubai for the G2 UAE Derby (1900m, dirt) at Meydan. He was coming off a wire-to-wire victory by 5.1/2 lengths in the UAE Derby.
Derma Sotogake, Mandarine Hero and the other 2021 JRHA Select Sale Yearling Session graduate Continuar who was withdrawn from the Kentucky Derby due to the physical fitness issue have left America on May 8th.

(5th May 23)

DERMA SOTOGAKE is in the Kentucky Derby!

The JRHA Select Sale graduate Derma Sotogake has been confirmed to spot in the Kentucky Derby starting gate at Churchill Downs on this Sunday. Bred by Shadai Farm and owned by Hiroyuki Asanuma, Derma Sotogake was sold at Yearling Session of the sale in 2021 for 18,000,000yen. The 3-year-old colt by Mind Your Biscuits showed his class after he was shifted from turf to dirt in September 2022 and won three times in a row in the G1 Zennihon Yushun Nisai Stakes (1600m) at Kawasaki on the NAR circuits in December last year. He was finishing 3rd in the G3 UAE Derby (1600m) at King Abdulaziz in February before making all the way to win the G1 UAE Derby (1900m) by 5.1/2 lengths at Meydan in March last time. The Yoshito Yahagi’s trainee and the JRHA Select Sale graduate in the 2021 Yearling Session, Continuar (by Drefong) has been scratched from fitness issues, on the other hand, a star from Japan’s NAR circuits, Mandarine Hero (by Shanghai Bobby) has got his place to race. 20 horses will approach to the gate and the race will simulcast in Japan.

(30th Mar 23)

What a Day for Japan!

Japanese horses had incredible journeys at Meydan on the Dubai World Cup night on March 25th.
Unfortunately, one of the Japanese highlight, Do Deuce (Heart’s Cry) was scratched from the field in the G1 Dubai Turf due to the lame on his left front leg, but the Japanese contingent still sent the biggest number ever, which was 26 including 5 JRHA Select Sale graduate, to Dubai.
The 2017 JRHA Select Sale Foal Session graduate Ushba Tesoro won the US$12 million Dubai World Cup (2000m, dirt). The 6-year-old horse by Orfevre produced the remarkable run, coming from back under Yuga Kawada, and became the first Japanese trained winner of the race since Victoire Pisa (Neo Universe) has accomplished the feat in 2011, when the race was held over the all-weather course, hence, Ushba Tesoro is the first Japanese trained horse to win the race over the dirt course. Owned by Ryotokuji Kenji Holdings Co. Ltd, and trained by Noboru Takagi, Ushba Tesoro has extended his winning streak to five over the surface since switched from turf to dirt in April 2022.
Jun Light Bolt, sold at 2018 Yearling Session, also contested in the race but finished disappointing 15th.
Sold at the 2021 Yearling Session, Derma Sotogake claimed the G2 UAE Derby (1900m, dirt). Ridden by Christophe Lemaire, the 3-year-old colt by Mind Your Biscuits started quickly from the inner most draw and hit the front easily. He made all the way to the finish, widening the margin to 5 lengths ahead of the runner-up and the 2021 Yearling Session graduate Dura Erede (Duramente). First four finishers-Derma Sotogake, Dura Erede, Continuar(Drefong) and Perriere(Henny Hughes) were all from Japan, and Derma Sotogake and Continuar are heading to the G1 Kentucky Derby (2000m, dirt) on May 6 next.
The 2019 Foal Session graduate Danon Beluga (Heart’s Cry), paired with Joao Moreira, ran the G1 Dubai Turf (1800m, turf) and exploded his power in the stretch, but it was too late and the 4-year-old colt finished 2nd, 3/4L behind the defending champion Lord North(Dubawi).
Ushba Tesoro’s victory was nothing short of impressive, but the stunning performance of Equinox, the JRA’s Horse of the Year 2022, in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic (2410m, turf) was far more impressive and justified all the hypes. It made him the current highest-rated turf horse, 132, in the world.


Followings are the Japanese runners’ all the finishes:
DUBAI WORLD CUP (G1, 2,000m Dirt, US$12 million)
Ushba Tesoro: 1st
T O Keyens: 4th
Crown Pride :5th
Panthalassa: 10th
Geoglyph: 11th
Café Pharoah: 12th
Vela Azul: 13th
Jun Light Bolt: 15th

DUBAI SHEEMA CLASSIC (G1, 2,410m Turf, US$6 million)
Equinox: 1st
Shahryar: 5th
Win Marilyn: 6th

DUBAI TURF (G1, 1,800m Turf, US$5 million)
Danon Beluga: 2nd
Serifos: 5th
Vin de Garde: 14th

DUBAI GOLDEN SHAHEEN (G1, 1,200m Dirt, US$2 million)
Remake: 5th
Red Le Zele: 6th
Lemon Pop: 10th
Justin: 12th

UAE DERBY (G2, 1,900m Dirt, US$1 million)
Derma Sotogake: 1st
Dura Erede: 2nd
Continuar: 3rd
Perriere: 4th
Goraiko: 12th

GODOLPHIN MILE (G2, 1,600m Dirt, US$1 million)
Bathrat Leon: 4th
Win Carnelian: 6th
Lauda Sion: 11th

(23rd Mar 23)

27 line-up Japanese on the Dubai World Cup night

Japan is sending its biggest contingent to compete in this year’s Dubai World Cup meeting scheduled to take place on March 25th. Following the spectacular three victories for Japan on the Saudi Cup night including Panthalassa’s success in the $10m Saudi Cup, 27 Japanese runners including 5 JRHA Select Sale graduates will be running at Meydan on coming Saturday.

The G1 Champions Cup winner Jun Light Bolt, a 6-year-old horse by King Kamehameha, and the G1 Kawasaki Kinen winner Ushba Tesoro, a 6-year-old horse by Orfevre, have been eligible to run in the G1 Dubai World Cup (2000m). Jun Light Bolt was sold at 2018 Yearling Session for 120,000,000yen and made his debut on turf in 2019. Contested on the surface in 21 starts and switched to the dirt in July 2022 when he finished well 2nd in the listed race (1700m) at Fukushima, the Yasuo Tomomichi trainee won the subsequent listed race (1800m) at Niigata in August before taking his first group race title in the 1900m-G3 Sirius Stakes in October. He demonstrated the impressive late charge to win the G1 Champions Cup (1800m) for his first career G1 triumph. Next up, in the G1 Saudi Cup (1800m) at King Abdulaziz, Jun Light Bolt finished 7th. Ryan Moore will be on board again on Saturday.
Ushba Tesoro, who was hammered down for 27,000,000yen in the 2017 Foal Session, has a similar racing career to Jun Light Bolt, as he made his first 22 starts on turf and was switched to the dirt track in April last year. He produced his great runs on the surface and won the G1 Tokyo Daishoten (2000m) at Oi in December. The Noboru Takagi trained horse extended his winning streak to four in the G1 Kawasaki Kinen (2100m) at Kawasaki in February last time. Yuga Kawada has been booked to ride on Ushba Tesoro.

The 2019 Foal Session graduate, Danon Beluga has been declared to run the G1 Dubai Turf (1800m). Trained by Noriyuki Hori, the 4-year-old colt by Heart’s Cry, has never missed on board in six starts. Grabbed his first group race success in the G3 Kyodo News Service Hai (1800m) in February 2022, he finished 4th in the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) and the G1 Japanese Derby respectively. He ran strongly to secure third place in the G1 Tenno Sho Autumn (2000m) on his return from 5-month break. In his most recent start, the G1 Japan Cup (2400m) in November, he held on well and finished fifth. Joao Moreira will be paired with Danon Beluga.

The 3-year-old pair, Dura Erede and Derma Sotogake, is a high hope in the G2 UAE Derby (1900m). The son of Duramente, Dura Erede has mixed form on both turf and dirt. Sold at 2021 Yearling Session for 100,000,000yen, the Manabu Ikezoe trained colt won the novice race (1700m) in his first challenge on dirt last August. Switched back to turf in November, he was sent to 14th favorite in the G1 Hopeful Stakes (2000m), the year-end G1 contest for two year olds in December but nosed out to win the race for his first G1 success. Christian Demuro will be on board.
Derma Sotogake started his racing career on turf in June 2022 and has produced three wins and two seconds in five starts since switched to dirt. The Yearling Session graduate in 2021 and the colt by Mind Your Biscuits ran 3rd in the G1 Saudi Derby (1600m) last time. Derma Sotogake will be paired with Christophe Lemaire.

The 27 horses across set to compete across six races are:
[GI Dubai World Cup]
Vela Azul, 6YO colt, Kunihiko Watanabe
Ushba Tesoro, 6YO colt, Noboru Takagi
Cafe Pharaoh, 6YO colt, Noriyuki Hori
Crown Pride, 4YO colt, Koichi Shintani
Geoglyph, 4YO colt, Tetsuya Kimura
Jun Light Bolt, 6YO colt, Yasuo Tomomichi
T O Keynes, 6YO colt, Daisuke Takayanagi
Panthalassa, 6YO colt, Yoshito Yahagi

[G1 Dubai Sheema Classic]
Equinox, 4YO colt, Tetsuya Kimura
Win Marylin, 6YO mare, Takahisa Tezuka
Shahryar, 5YO colt, Hideaki Fujiwara

[G1 Dubai Turf]
Vin de Garde, 7YO colt, Hideaki Fujiwara
Serifos, 4YO colt, Mitsumasa Nakauchida
Danon Beluga, 4YO colt, Noriyuki Hori
Do Deuce, 4YO colt, Yasuo Tomomichi

[G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen]
Justin, 7YO colt, Yoshito Yahagi
Remake, 4YO colt, Koichi Shintani
Red le Zele, 7YO colt, Takayuki Yasuda
Lemon Pop, 5YO colt, Hiroyasu Tanaka

[G2 UAE Derby]
Goraiko, 3YO colt, Koichi Shintani
Continuar, 3YO colt, Yoshito Yahagi
Derma Sotogake, 3YO colt, Hidetaka Otonashi
Dura Erede, 3YO colt, Manabu Ikezoe
Perriere, 3YO colt, Yoichi Kuroiwa

[G2 Godolphin Mile]
Win Carnelian, 6YO colt, Yuichi Shikato
Bathrat Leon, 5YO colt, Yoshito Yahagi
Lauda Sion, 6YO colt, Takashi Saito

(27th Feb 23)

Japan dominates Saudi Cup night again

It was an amazing night for the Japanese horse racing history, with winning three races of six international races at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh on Saturday. It was another great achievement for Japan to follow last year’s four victories on the Saudi Cup day.
Japan’s 6-year-old Panthalassa made all the way to win the G1 Saudi Cup (1800m), the most valuable race in the world, and became the first Japanese trained horse to claim the title, giving his trainer Yoshito Yahagi his maiden Saudi Cup victory as well. Yahagi’s another care Bathrat Leon won the G3 1351 Turf Sprint to add another big prize in Middle East to his resume.
Trainer Yasutoshi Ikee’s Silver Sonic earned the comfortable victory in the G3 Red Sea Turf Handicap (3000m) and his winning connections, Shadai Race Horse Co Ltd, won the race for the second consecutive years.
The two of 20 Japanese contenders were sold at JRHA Select Sale. Jun Light Bolt, the 2018 Yearling Session graduate, won the G1 Champions Cup, the automatically qualifying race for the Saudi Cup, back in December last time. Jockey Ryan Moore was paired with the 6-year-old horse by King Kamehameha, but the horse did not seem to handle the dirt surface well and finished 7th.
Hammered at 2021 Yearling Session, the 3-year-old colt by Mind Your Buiscuits, was running in the G3 Saudi Derby (1600m) and came through for third place under the Japanese jockey Fuma Matsuwaka. The Hidetaka Otonashi trained colt won his third straight win in the G1 Zennihon Yushun Nisai Stakes (1600m) at NAR-Kawasaki in December last time and will plan to go to Dubai for the UAE Derby next time.

(24th Feb 23)

Japanese taking centre stage once again in Saudi Arabia

20 horses, the biggest number ever from Japan in Saudi Arabia, are now spending their time and having good preparations for the big day running in Saudi Arabia for The Saudi Cup Day on coming Saturday. Two of the 20 Japanese runners are the graduates from JRHA Select Sale-Jun Light Bolt for the feature race, the G1 Saudi Cup, and Derma Sotogake for the G3 Saudi Derby.
Jun Light Bolt, a 6-year-old horse by King Kamehameha and the 2018 JRHA Select Sale Yearling Session graduate, made his racing career on turf in July 2019 and has shown the consistent run on the surface. The connections made a decision to switch him to run on dirt since last summer, and his suitability to the surface was as expected, finishing 2nd in the listed race (1700m) before his third consecutive win in the Champions Cup, which was his first G1 title, in November 2022.
A 3-year-old son of Mind Your Biscuits, Derma Sotogake also started his career on turf when 6th in the maiden race over 1800m in June last year. The 2021 JRHA Select Yearling Session graduate was transferred to dirt in his third run last September and has succeeded to be undefeated in three starts, showing the brilliant burst of speed in the stretch to claim the G1 Zennihon Yushun Nisai Stakes (1600m) at NAR-Kawasaki in December 2022 last time.
The Yasuo Tomomichi trained Jun Light Bolt is bred by Northern Farm and was sold by Junji Kawai for 120,000,000yen, and Derma Sotogake trained by Hidetaka Otonashi is bred by Shadai Farm and sold by Hiroyuki Asanuma for 18,000,000.
Followings are the Japanese contenders for this year’s The Saudi Cup Day-

Café Pharoah, trained by Noriyuki Hori
Crown Pride, trained by Koichi Shintani
Geoglyph, trained by Tetsuya Kimura
Jun Light Bolt, trained by Yasuo Tomomichi
Panthalassa, trained by Yoshito Yahagi
Vin de Garde, trained by Hideaki Fujiwara


Dancing Prince, trained by Keisuke Miyata
Justin, trained by Yoshito Yahagi
Remake, trained by Koichi Shintani
Ryuno Yukina, trained by Jiro Ono


Continuar, trained by Yoshito Yahagi
Derma Sotogake, trained by Hidetaka Otonashi
Ecoro Ares, trained by Hideyuki Mori
From Dusk, trained by Hideyuki Mori


Silver Sonic, trained by Yasutoshi Ikee
Echt, trained by Hideyuki Mori

<1351 Turf Sprint>
Bathrat Leon, trained by Yoshito Yahagi
Lauda Sion, trained by Takashi Saito
Resistencia, trained by Takeshi Matsushita
Songline, trained by Toru Hayashi