(8th Nov 06)
DELTA BLUES captured Melbourne Cup
What a fantastic year for Japanese racing and Japanese breeders. Following the success of Heart's Cry in the Sheema Classic in March at Dubai, Cosmo Bulk in the International Cup in May at Singapore, and Dance in the Mood in the Cash Call Mile in July at USA, Delta Blues collected another triumph on November 7th at Flemington, winning the G1/Melboune Cup, the most prestigious sports event in the Down Under. And a horse who was narrowly beaten by Delta Blues there was another Japanese runner Pop Rock.
Delta Blues by Dance in the Dark, bred by Katsumi Yoshida of Northern Farm and owned by Sunday Racing Ltd Syndicate, is the winner of Kikka Sho, Japanese St Leger, in 2004. The series of training setback prevented him to get another G1 in 2005, however, his conditioner Katsuhiko Sumii has had the Melbourne Cup as the long-term target for Delta Blues as he became five-year-old and did a great job, as he did when he won American Oaks with his Cesario in the July of 2005 and he won Hong Kong Mile with his Hat Trick in the December of 2005.
The winner's Sire, Dance in the Dark is also Japanese-bred and standing at Shadai Stallion Station since 1997. Dance in the Dark has produced three G1 winners including Delta Blues so far, namely That's The Plenty, the winner of Japanese St Leger in 2003 and Tsurumaru Boy, the winner of Yasuda Kinen over one mile in 2004.
At the yearling session of the 2006 JRHA Select Sale, six lots by Dance in the Dark were sold, and the average price was 30,083,333yen, approximately US$250,000. Delta Blues' career earning is now US$5.72 millions.
(27th Mar 06)
Japanese-bred HEART'S CRY got the richest race on turf
The total purse of Dubai Sheema Classic has raised from $2 millon to $5 million and become the richest race on turf this year, This raise of purse has immediately taken effect and attracted the quality field from all over the world. The 14 runners' field was led by Ouija Board, a Racing Queen from England who captured four Graded One stakes at four countries, Alexzander Gold Run, another Queen from Ireland, who won four Graded One races in Europe, Relaxed Gesture, the winner of G1/Canadian International last autumn, Greys Inn, triple G1 winner from South Africa, Oracle West, another import from South Africa who won G3/Dubai City of Gold, the most important prep race for the Sheema Classic, and Heart's Cry, narrowly beaten by Alkaased in the G1/Japan Cup and then won JRA-G1/Arima Kinen beating Deep Impact.
While the field of Sheema Classic, on March 25th at Nad Al Sheba, looked very competitive, it proved to be an one horse race. Heart's Cry ridden by Christophe Lemaire broke well, set the moderate pace, started to pick up it approaching the long straight course at Nad Al Sheba, and came home as the decisive winner.
Heart's Cry was bred by Teruya Yoshida of Shadai Farm and is running wearing the silk of Shadai Race Horse Co Ltd. The same breeder and owner have won Sheema Classic five years ago, as their Stay Gold captured it.
Heart's Cry's bankroll has become $7.9 million now.
(27th Mar 06)
UTOPIA shines under the floodlight at Nad Al Sheba
Utopia has already won four Graded One races in the past, however, the Grade Two event he captured most recently is far more prestigious than any races he won before.
Utopia, owned by Makoto Kaneko and trained by Kojiro Hashiguchi, won the G2/Godolphin Mile over 1,600m on dirt, the opening race of six international races for thoroughbred at Dubai World Cup Day on March 25th at Nad Al Sheba, which carried the total purse of $21 million.
Ridden by Japanese champion jockey Yutaka Take, Utopia broke well, dominated the race from the front, and completed impressive wire-to-wire Victory, devastating the international field which include Island Fashion, three time G1 winning mare from USA, Jack Sullivan, who won G2/Maktoum Challenge Round 3, the most important prep race for Godolphin Mile, for two consecutive years, Court Masterpiece, the winner of G1/Prix de la Foret from France, and Lundy's Liability, the winner of Graded Stakes at Brazil, UAE, and USA.
Utopia was bred by Katsumi Yoshida of Northern Farm, and bought at the JRHA Selected Foal Sale in 2000 for 51,000,000yen, approximately $445,000. The 6-y-o son of Forty Niner has earned $4.8 million now.
