(26th Dec 02)
Utopia joined G1 Club
Makoto Kaneko's Utpia joined the Grade One Club, when he captured G1/Zennihon Nisai Yushun
The 2-y-o colt by Forty Niner, Utopia, out of Northern Taste mare Dream Vision, was sold at the 2000 JRHA Select Foal Sale by Katsumi Yoshida's Norther Farm for 51,000,000yen.
Trained by Kojiro Hashiguchi, Utopia won the maiden of 1,400m on dirt at Kyoto in November and won LR/Cyclamen Stakes of 1,400m on dirt at Hanshin on December 8th last time out.
Utopia, ridden by HIroshi Kawachi, made all the G1/Zen Nihon Nisai Yushun, which is recognized as the most prestigious race contested on dirt for two-year-olds, and the connection is now considering to send Utopia to Dubai in March for the UAE Derby.
Utopia
Sire: Forty Niner
Dam: Dream Vision
Sire of Dam: Northern Taste
H2
Consigned: Northern Farm
(28th Nov 02)
Believe head to Hong Kong
Believe, four-year-old filly owned by Koji Maeda and bred by Uemizu Bokujo, has received the invitation to the G1/Hong Kong Sprint, HK$ 10 million event on December 15th at Sha Tin,and is prepared to compete with top sprinters from all over the world.
Believe was bought at 1998 JRHA Select Sale for 60,000,000yen, approximately US$428,571 at the exchange rate of the sales day, and has been trained by Shigeki Matsumoto at Ritto Training Center near Kyoto.
One time winner at 2, Believe has got her first Stakes when she won Daigo Tokubetsu at Kyoto in November 2001, and her first Graded Stakes when she won G3 Centaur Stakes over 1,200m on turf on September 8th at Hanshin this autumn.
Then, Believe was sent off as the 6 to 5 favorite in the G1/Sprinters' Stakes, taken place at Niigata on September 29th. Believe tracked the pace-setter Shonan Kampf, the winner of G1/Takamatsunomiya Kinen which is the Championship race for sprinters in the spring time, from the third position and draw clear on the homestretch to capture the Stakes with premier grade. Believe will be ridden by Japanese super star Yutala Take at Sha Tin.
(11th Nov 02)
Admire Groove impressive debut
Admire Groove, the top-priced filly at the 2000 JRHA Selected Sale, made very impressive debut at Kyoto on November 10th, when she won 14 runners' maiden of 1,800m on turf.
By Sunday Silence out of Air Groove, the Horse of the Year in Japan, Admire Groove was bought at 2000 JRHA Selected Sale for 230,000,000yen, approximately US$2,129,629 at the exchange rate of the sales day, by Riichi Kondo.
Trained by Mitsuru Hashida and ridden by Yutaka Take, Admire Groove was settled at the fifth position in the field and delivered strongest challenge on the homestretch, to win by one and half length.
Yutaka Take said after the race, "she is still green, but I am sure she is the horse with class."
(10th Oct 02)
Manhattan Cafe has been retired
Manhattan Cafe, triple Graded One Stakes winner emerged from JRHA Selected Sale, has been retired and will stand at Shadai Stallion Station from the 2003 covering season.
Manhattan Cafe, the 130,000,000yen, approximately US$928,571 at the exchange rate of the sales day, purchase at 1998 JRHA Selected Sale, won G1/Kikka Sho, Japanese St.Leger, and G1/Arima Kinen, the year-end Championship race in Japan, at three, and G1/Emperor's Cup Spring division at four.
The career earning of Manhattan Cafe is 522,834,000yen, which is more than four times of his purchase price.
Manhattan Cafe is expected to be the replacement of his sire Sunday Silence, who died in August.
(18th Sep 02)
JRHA Select Foal Sale graduate Manhattan Cafe goes to take Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
Manhattan Cafe(JPN), owned by Kiyoshi Nishikawa and trained by Futoshi Kojima, is trainedvery well at Chantilly for the G1/Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on October 6th.
Manhattan Cafe(JPN), by Sunday Silence out of Subtle Change, is bred by Teruya Yoshida athis Shadai Farm and sold at 1998 Select Foal Sale for 130,000,000yen.
Manhattan Cafe(JPN) won G1/Japanese St Leger in October 2001, beating top colts of hisage, including Jungle Pocket, who subsequently won G1/Japan Cup, and G1/Arima Kinen, theyear-end Grand Prix race in Japan, beating older horses.
After Manhattan Cafe(JPN) got his therd Graded One Stakes, G1/Emperor's Cup, in April 2002,the connection declared that the ultimate goal for him is the G1/Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
The bookmakers in England quotes him around at 12/1
