(15th Dec 14)

GRAND PRIX BOSS(JPN) ran bravely in Hong Kong Mile

Grand Prix Boss(JPN), 6-y-o Horse by Sakura Bakushin O, who has been running as one of top contenders at mile/sprint division in Japan or five seasons, ran his final career start at Hong Kong on December 14th, and performed bravely, finishing third against competitive international field of G1/Hong Kong Mile.
Settled at sixth in ten runners' field by Yasunai Iwata, Grand Prix Boss started to deliver his challenge at the top of stretch. Though the odd-on favorite Able Friend, devastating winner of the race, was too good to catch, Grand Prix Boss was only a head behind the second finisher Gold-Fun, the second favorite, and the fast-finishing World Ace(JPN), 5-y-o Horse by Deep Impact, was fourth.
Grand Prix Boss(JPN), bred by Northern Farm, was bought by Grand Prix Co Ltd at the 2008 JRHA Select Sale for 27,000,000yen, US$252,336 at the exchange rate of the day. Grand Prix Boss won 6 races, including G1/Asahi Hai Futurity and G1/NHK Mile Cup, from 28 starts, and earned 548,780,000yen, which is more than 20 times of his own value at the sale.
Grand Prix Boss retires to stud and the details of his stud plan will be announced shortly.
Another good effort by Japanese-trained horse was seen in G1/Hong Kong Sprint, where Straight Girl, 5-y-o Mare by Fuji Kiseki, finished third, beating world-class sprinters, such as Lucky Nine, three times international Graded One Stakes winner based at Hong Kong, Sole Power, European Champion Sprinter in 2014, and Buffering, ten times Graded Stakes winner based at Australia.
Japanese-bred horses won six Graded One Stakes at four countries, apart from Japan, in 2014･･･,. Just a Way(JPN) by Heart's Cry, JRHA graduate, won G1/Dubai Duty Free in March at Dubai, Gentidonna(JPN) by Deep Impact won G1/Dubai Sheema Classic in March at Dubai, Hana's Goal by Orewamatteruze won G1/All Aged Stakes in April at Australia, Admire Rakti(JPN) by Heart's Cry won G1/Caulfield Cup in October at Australia, and Karakontie(JPN) by Bernstein won G1/French 2000 Guineas in May at France and G1/Breeders Cup Mile in November at the United States.

(10th Dec 14)

JRHA graduates lineup for Hong Kong Mile

The competitive field of 12 runners standing by for the Hong Kong Mile, the year-end championship race over one mile on December 14th at Sha Tin, includes four Japanese-trained horses, and two of them went through the ring at JRHA Select Sale when they were foal.
Grand Prix Boss(JPN), 6-y-o Horse by Sakura Bakushin O, bred by Northern Farm, was bought by Grand Prix Co Ltd at the 2008 JRHA Select Sale for 27,000,000yen, US$252,336 at the exchange rate of the day. Grand Prix Boss, winner of 5 Graded Stakes including G1/Asahi Hai Futurity and G1/NHK Mile Cup, has earned 513,290,000yen, which is more than 19 times of his own value at the sale.
Fiero(JPN), 5-y-o Horse by Deep Impact, bred by Shadai Farm, was bought by Kaneko Makoto Holdings Co Ltd at the 2009 JRHA Select Sale for 40,000,000yen, US$421,052. Fiero is the late bloomer who had not competed in any Graded Stakes until February this year, when he finished second in G2/Milers Cup. He has been improving rapidly through this season and finished second to Danon Chantilly, another JRHA graduate, in G1/Mile Championship on November 16th last time out.
In addition, World Ace(JPN), 5-y-o Horse by Deep Impact, winner of G2/Milers Cup in April, and Hana's Goal(JPN), 5-y-o Mare by Orewamatteruze, winner of G1/All Aged Stakes in April, will be representing Japan in the Hong Kong Mile,
Snow Dragon(JPN), 6-y-o Horse by Admire Cozzine, winner of G1/Sprinters Stakes in October, Straight Girl(JPN), 5-y-o Mare by Fuji Kiseki, who finished second to Snow Dragon in G1/Sprinters Stakes, and Little Gerda(USA), 5-y-o Mare by Closing Argument, winner of 2014 JRA Summer Sprint Series, will try to win the G1/Hong Kong Sprint.
Curren Mirotic(JPN), 6-y-o Gelding by Heart's Cry, second finisher in G1/Takarazuka Kinen in June, will carry the national flag of Japan in G1/Hong Kong Vase, and Archmedes(JPN), 5-y-o Horse by Admire Moon, who finished second to Just a Way, the world highest rated horse bought at JRHA Select Sale, in G2/Nakayama Kinen in March, will take part in G1/Hong Kong Cup.

(7th Oct 14)

Japan keeps trying to win the Arc

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, the championship race at mile and half division in Europe on Longchamp Racecourse in France on Sunday October 5th, created the historic moment. Treve, 4-y-o filly, delivered her devastating acceleration on home stretch again and became the sixth horse to complete the Arc double, The last horse who achieved this was Alleged, who won the Arc on 1977 and 1978.
Three Japanese runners, including Just a Way(JPN), the world highest-rated horse bought at JRHA Select Sale for 12,000,000yen, $133,333, ran bravely, though, they failed to be the first Japanese-trained winner of the Arc. Harp Star finished 6th, the best of three Japanese horses, Just a Way was 8th, and Gold Ship was 14th.
It was the first appearance at Longchamp for all three Japanese horses, and French media analyzes they ran well.

(3rd Oct 14)

Three horses represent Japan at Longchamp on Arc Weekend

It has been the dream for all involved in horse racing and breeding in Japan to win G1/Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, the championship race of the middle distance in Europe, and we do expect the dream comes true on Sunday October 5th.
Among 20 intended runners, three of them are bred in Japan, owned Japanese, trained by Japanese, and ridden by Japanese..
The first of Japanese trip is Just a Way(JPN), 5-y-o Horse by Heart's Cry. He is the devastating winner of G1/Dubai Duty Free in March at Meydan and has been the world highest rated horse since then. The horse bred by Shiraoi Farm was bought by Mr.Akatsuki Yamatoya at the yearling session of JRHA Select Sale in 2010 for 12,000,000yen, $133,333 at the exchange rate of the day. If he can reproduce his Dubai form in Paris on Sunday, Just a Way should have very good chance to become the first Japanese-trained horse to win the Arc.
Gold Ship, 5-y-o Horse by Stay Gold, is the winner of five Graded One Stakes and has been at the front line of middle distance in Japan since he was two-year-old. It is analyzed Gold Ship should be able to handle the track well at Longchamp, which requires more power and stamina than tracks in Japan.
Harp Star by Deep Impact is the winner of G1/Japanese 1000 Guineas in April at Hanshin and will be first Japanese-trained three-year-old filly to run the Arc. Her running style reminds us her sire, Deep Impact, who failed to win the Arc in 2006, though he ran bravely.
It is expected millions of audience will watch the live coverage of the Arc on TV on Sunday, despite the post time is after midnight.

(31st Mar 14)

Japan scores two G1 wins in at Dubai

Two Japanese-trained horses were featured and left strong impact at the Dubai World Cup night, the world richest horse racing event, at Meydan on March 29th.
The first horse who raised Japanese national flag up on the center pole was Just a Way(JPN), 5-y-o Horse by Hearts Cry, who won the G1/Dubai Duty Free, which carried US$5 million purse. While he did not break well and was settled at the rear of field until three furlong pole, the turn of foot he used on homestretch was ultra-impressive. Just A Way drew clear to win by six and a quarter of lengths and the winning time, 1 minutes 45.52 seconds, is the track record shading the previous record for 2.41 seconds. It is jaw-dropping and is arguably the best performance in the world so far in 2014.
Just a Way(JPN), bred by Shiraoi Farm, is by Heart's Cry, winner of G1/Dubai Sheema Classic in 2006. He was offered at the yearling session of 2010 JRHA Select Sale and bought by Akatsuki Yamatoya, well-known scenario writer of animated cartoon, for 12,000,000yen, $133,333 at the exchange rate of the day. Just A Away has now earned approximately US$7.33 million, which is more than 55 times of his price.
Another horse who proved the superiority of Japanese-bred horses at the middle distance division on turf at Meydan on March 29th was Gentildonna(JPN), 5-y-o Mare by Deep Impact. She won G1/Dubai Sheema Classic, beating Cirrus Des Aigles, winner of Sheema Classic in 2012, for one and half length, overcoming serious traffic problem she had at the middle of homestretch.
It is the sixth Graded One win for Gentildonna(JPN), bred by Northern Farm and owned by Sunday Racing, who swept the Triple Tiara for three-year-old fillies in 2012 and is the only one horse who won G1/Japan Cup twice. Her earning is US$12.8 million now.

(17th Mar 14)

Strong team represents Japan at Dubai

Japan will be represented by the team formed by eight horses, which is arguably the strongest ever in the history of the world richest race day, at Meydan on March 29th.
The team is headed by Gentildonna(JPN), 5-y-o mare by Deep Impact, who completed the back-to-back victory of Japan Cup in November2013. She will try to obtain one better place than the last year, when she was beaten second to St Nicholas Abbey, in the 2014 renewal of G1/Dubai Sheema Classic.
The field of Sheema Classic includes Denim and Ruby(JPN), 4-y-o filly by Deep Impact, who was narrowly beaten by Gentildonna in the G1/Japan Cup on November 24th 2013. Denim and Ruby, bred by Northern Farm, was bought at 2010 JRHA Select Sale for 39,000,000yen by Makoto Kaneko, who will try to collect his second win at Dubai since 2006, when his Utopia won G2/Godolphin Mile.
The first Japanese runner at Meydan on March 29th will be Bright Line(JPN), 5-y-o Horse by Fuji Kiseki bred and owned by Koji Maeda's North Hills, in G2/Godolphin Mile. The Graded Stakes winner both turf and dirt will run for his owner-breeder, whose Transcend finished second in G1/Dubai World Cup in 2011.
While Japanese-trained horses have won G1/Dubai World Cup and G1/Dubai Sheema Classic, three horses with high profile will try to win the first G1/Dubai Duty Free for Japan on March 29th at Meydan.
Just A Way(JPN), 5-y-o Horse by Heart's Cry, who won G1/Sheema Classic in 2006 when he was 5-y-o, is the devastating winner of G1/Emperor's Cup Autumn in 2013, beating Gentildonna for five lengths. Just A Way, who was bought at 2010 JRHA Select Sale for 12,000,000yen by Akatsuki Yamatoya, well-known scenario writer of animated cartoon, prepped at G2/Nakayama Kinen on March 2nd and won by three and half lengths.
Logo Type,(JPN), 4-y-o colt by Lohengrin, winner of G1/Satsuki Sho, Japanese 2000 Guineas, in 2013, will also be in the field of G1/Dubai Duty Free. Logo Type, bred and owned by Yeruya Yoshida of Shadai Farm, was also prepped at G2/Nakayama Kinen and finished good third, despite it was the first start since August 2013.
Tokei Halo(JPN), 5-y-o Horse by Gold Halo, winner of four Graded Stakes between 1,600m and 2,000m in 2013, looks to have good chance, if he can reproduce his form when he finished second to Akeed Mofeed in G1/Hong Kong Cup in December 2013.
The field of G1/Dubai World Cup, the feature race of the card which was won by Victoire Pisa(JPN) in 2011, includes two horses who carry Japanese flag.
They are Belshazzar, 6-y-o Horse by King Kamehameda, who won G1/Japan Cup Dirt in December 2013 and was awarded as Japanese Champion Dirt Horse, and Hokko Tarumae, 5-y-o Horse by King Kamehameha, who has collected 9 Graded Stakes on dirt including 5 G1s to date.
We believe the Dubai World Cup Day will be the opportunity to proof the quality and versatility of Japanese-bred horses.