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Saudi Cup eludes, but Saudi Derby, Riyadh Dirt Sprint fall under Japanese onslaught

Buoyed by last year’s victory in the $20-million Grade 1 Saudi Cup, Japan’s horsemen returned to Riyadh’s King Abdulaziz Racecourse with their biggest team yet, a total of 22 horses. After the withdrawal of Saudi Cup hopeful Meisho Hario earlier in the week, Sunday, Feb. 24 saw at least three runners compete in each of the six graded events of the 2024 Saudi Cup Day events open to Thoroughbreds. Twenty-one horses went to the gates and, though the day’s headliner, the fifth running of the Saudi Cup, slipped from their grasp, Japanese horsemen went home with two victories, three seconds and a total of nine finishers on the board.

# # #

The day got under way swimmingly with the first two races falling to the Japanese. Of a trio of entrants in Saturday’s fourth race, the Grade 3 Saudi Derby, it was the unbeaten Forever Young who scored the day’s first win for Japan and the country’s third win of the race. The Real Steel colt, out of the Congrats mare Forever Darling bagged the 1,600-meter dirt event for 3-year-olds after a slow start, but a strong finish, that saw him enter the straight with two American runners 3 lengths out in front. He prevailed over the Bucchero gelding Book’em Danno in the final stride to win by a head. Forever Young’s time of 1:36.17 smashed the track record for the mile.

A Northern Racing-bred colt based at the Ritto stable of Yoshito Yahagi, Forever Young made it a perfect four for four in his yet young career. He had leapt from his debut victory in a JRA event at Kyoto to wins in NAR (Racing by Local Governments) principal races at Mombetsu and Kawasaki. The step up to the international stage and the race’s $1.5 million-purse was a huge one and his victory elicited high praise from rider Ryusei Sakai.“I took on this race with confidence. The eventual runnerup was a lot stronger than I’d expected, but this horse really gave it his all. I believed he would make it home a winner and he did.”

Sakai, who has ridden all four of the colt’s races, continued with his praise and voiced his big dreams for the colt. “He had a lot of experience back in Japan so he could be competitive overseas and he was able to use that experience here. I think he’ll go on to win big races in a number of other countries. I’ll do my best to grow and develop along with him.”

Trainer Yahagi, who has his sights set on the Kentucky Derby, said, “He’s not great out of the gate, so I had anticipated he may be slow away, but I was worried that he was quite a ways back.

“I’m hoping that he’ll be able to do well in the UAE Derby next month and be able to go on to Kentucky.”

Japan’s two other runners crossed the line with only one other horse behind them. Satono Phoenix, piloted by Joao Moreira, finished 10th of the 12-strong field. “He didn’t travel well for me. He was never on the bit and it made it so hard for himself.” Moreira conceded that the Henny Hughes colt “probably didn’t appreciate the kickback in his face.” Moreira was riding the two-win Satono Phoenix (yet to win over the mile) for the first time. “I know he has handled it before but he couldn’t handle it here. It was very disappointing.”

Set Up, a Declaration of War colt who has won at the G3 level, was taking on his first dirt test and only able to manage 11th place. “I was able to get a forward position as planned,” said jockey Takeshi Yokoyama, “but he was tired out in the final 500 meters. I had thought the dirt would suit him, but I may have been wrong. He was in good condition.”

# # #

Japan continued to roll with a victory next up in the $1.5-million Riyadh Dirt Sprint, its third win of the race in five bids. A Grade 3 event over 1,200 meters open to 3-year-olds and up, the race once again saw the appearance of Remake, who had bested Japan’s four entrants last year with a third-place finish and gone on to win the Grade 3 Korea Sprint at Seoul in September. This year, the Lani 5-year-old found the competition in Riyadh more to his liking and was able to run down America’s Skelly, who had been dueling with Jasper Krone, another of Japan’s three entrants in the race and racing on dirt for the first time. Yuga Kawada was able to move Remake to the outside for a clear run and top the field of 11 by a length and a half. His time over the 6 furlongs was 1:10.42.

Owner Koji Maeda swooned over the victory. "I have won the Japanese Derby three times, but this means even more. When he came into the final bend he was travelling so well, I was pretty certain he was going to win.

"Physically, he has improved since last year. The trainer and his staff put it all together and brought the horse here for a brilliant result, which makes it so very special,” Maeda said. “I had no background in racing, but now have 30 G1 wins as an owner and breeder and it means a lot. I’m going to bring the trophy back to the hotel tonight and sleep with it!"

Training Remake was the Ritto-based Koichi Shintani. “He gave a great performance, I was pretty sure he was going to make it home in first, but he had been beaten last year. That had been very disappointing, so I’d discussed it with my staff how we could better his performance. His strength is that he can race from any position."

Yuga Kawada said, "I expected a fast pace in the early stages and that’s how it panned out, so I was able to remain nice and calm while waiting for the straight. Last year, Remake took on this race and riding him was Yuichi Fukunaga, for whom I have the utmost respect. It was his last race before retiring and it was a frustrating finish for him. For me to have taken the reins this year and won for a sole owner means a lot to me and I am extremely grateful.”

Japan’s two other runners, the 5-year-old Jasper Krone (under Taisei Danno) and the 7-year-old Keiai Dorie (with Christophe Lemaire up), both made the board and crossed the line in fourth and sixth place, respectively.

# # #

The day’s next two races were the start of what would be a three-race roll of second-place frustration for Japan. The day’s No. 6 race was the 1351 Turf Sprint, a Grade 2 event over the distance of its name and a race Japan has won twice in three bids. Two of Japan’s four runners succeeded in making the board, with the 6-year-old Mikki Isle mare La La Christine having to settle for second place under Cristian Demuro, 3/4 length behind Irish-bred winner Annaf.

“She put in a good race,” said Shoma Shimozawa, an assistant to trainer Takashi Saito, “She’d been worked up in the temporary stall but had calmed down in the preparade ring, She gave it a good run with a good finish, so it was frustrating. This was her last race and she was the first horse under my care since I started at the training center. She won a graded stakes race and has run in Grade 1s and in the end she raced abroad. She didn’t win but I’m full of gratitude to her and to so many people.”

The 7-year-old Win Greatest finished fourth under Masami Matsuoka. “I thought I could take the lead but the two horses on our outside were too fast. This horse got the position he needed, but the others were just too strong.”

Trainer Yoshihiro Hatakeyama agreed the competition was a rank above, at least on the day. “The jockey was already asking for more as they rounded into the stretch. I don’t know if it was the horse’s condition or just a lack of power, but he was overtaken. We won’t go to Dubai but will return directly to Japan.”

Christophe Lemaire piloted Aguri to a sixth-place finish. “He was even-keeled and level-headed under way, and I was able to easily bring him far out in the straight,” the Frenchman said. “He responded a bit, but then quickly stopped. It’s unfortunate because I had thought he would give us some better results.”

Last year’s winner Bathrat Leon was only able to manage a 10th-place finish this year under Ryusei Sakai. He seemed to be feeling good,” Sakai commented, “but the others around him were very quick away and he wasn’t able to get a good position. If he doesn’t get a forward position, he’s the kind of horse that won’t be able to run his best race. So, the start was everything.”

# # #

The seventh race of the day was the $2-million Neom Turf Cup, a Grade 2 turf event over 2,100 meters. Won in 2022 by Authority and uncontested the following year, three horses from Japan competed alongside 10 others this year and it was the 5-year-old Killer Ability who bested the trio with a second-place finish 1 length behind the Richard Fahey-trained winner Spirit Dancer. Piloting Killer Ability was Cristian Demuro, who said, “He didn’t win but he ran the perfect race. He was on the rail and he quickened. He just found one other horse too good."

Trainer Takashi Saito said, “The jockey praised the horse saying he was really cooperative and easy to ride. He did get a little excited at the first turn but was well in hand in the stretch and the rider thought if he could just get ahead of Luxembourg (eventual fourth-place finisher) he just might do it, but….it wasn’t enough. I had hoped we could win, so it’s quite frustrating.”

The 6-year-old Studley, eighth in last year’s Japan Cup, finished in ninth place. "He ran a good race. I was too far behind,” said jockey William Buick. “But he did stay on."

Joao Moreira crossed the line in 11th place aboard last year’s Japanese Derby third-place finisher Hearts Concerto. “He started OK but found himself a bit wide and I had to take him back to get some cover,” said Moreira. “I started to pick it up early, but it’s only in the last 100 meters that he builds, which wasn’t enough to be competitive here."

# # #

Aidan O’Brien’s Tower of London claimed the eighth race of the day -- the Red Sea Turf Handicap, a $2.5-million G3 over 3,000 meters and the last event before the Saudi Cup. Of four runners fielded by Japan, the two-time G3 winner Echt, a 7-year-old whose best distance tends to be 2,000 meters, turned in the best results. He also topped his finishing order of last year (seventh) by making fifth place this year amid 14 runners, with Japan’s other three -- Breakup, Libyan Glass and Iron Barows – crossing the line in ninth, 10th and 12th place, respectively.

# # #

Last year, from being an open-class winner on the JRA circuit, to double top-class wins in NAR competition, Ushba Tesoro shocked the world when he sprang to the dizzying heights -- a win of the Dubai World Cup. This year, taking on his first Saudi Cup, it was no longer a shock but a disappointment to see him miss the first-place prize of $10 million in Saturday’s big event, the Saudi Cup.

Hoping for back-to-back victories in the race following Japan’s first win of the race, by Panthalassa last year, Japanese fans moaned in unison after the decision on the photo finish Saturday was finally announced – Senor Buscador by a head. The stands at King Abdulaziz, on the other hand, erupted in cheers, in part because Senor Buscador had, just in time for this race, become part of deal with joint-owner Joe Peacock Jr. and local owner Sharaf Mohammed Al Hairi.

The American racer had rallied from way off the front, as the early pace collapsed. Yuga Kawada, who had anticipated the scene, had bided his time but made his run before Senor Buscador and, with only 50 meters left in the race, it looked likely that Japan was poised for two huge victories in a row. But, grit and determination by both Senor Buscador and rider Junior Alvarado saw the duo at the line just in time.

Yuga Kawada had nothing but praise for all involved with Ushba Tesoro. “The trainer and staff brought the horse along in fantastic shape right up to the race and he was able to give it his best. He really, really raced well. The only thing he didn’t do was win, but it was truly a stupendous run,” gushed the usually ultra-cool Kawada.

Trainer Noboru Takagi said, “ ‘Frustrating’ is it in one word! I thought the rider had moved him out at exactly the right moment. The horse had been as he usually is before the race and while racing he was able to keep up better than I thought he would. He was obviously in very good shape. I think 2,000 meters will be easier so this should tie in well to Dubai.”

Japan’s other three hopefuls, Derma Sotogake, Crown Pride and Lemon Pop, finished in fifth, ninth and 12th place, respectively.

# # #

Eon on top, as women dominate Int’l Jockeys Challenge; Japan’s Sakai notches one win to finish sixth

Kicking off the 2-day Saudi Cup gala on Friday, Feb. 23 was the International Jockeys Challenge. A total of 14 top-level jockeys (seven men and seven women) from around the world participated in the series of four races, two turf and two dirt ranging from 1,200 meters to 2,100 meters.

Jockeys competed for prize money from each race, each boasting a $400,000 purse, and the top five finishers in each event received points that would decide their share of the overall challenge purse of $100,000.

Big names dotted the lineup – Damien Oliver, Ryan Moore, Maxime Guyon, Luis Saez – with eight countries in addition to the host country fielding riders — Australia, New Zealand, the United States, England, Brazil, South Africa, France, and Japan, represented by Ryusei Sakai.

But it was the lesser-known names of the female riders that figured largest in the end. The overall win (worth $30,000) went to French jockey Maryline Eon, with a top score of 25 points from a second in the first leg and a win of the second leg.

Colombian Camillo Ospina bagged the first race for and early lift to his final score 17 points, landing him second place and $20,000. Brazilian Victoria Mota, also with 17 points but no wins, was awarded $10,000 for third place. Last year’s champion Luis Saez scored the third race and finished in fourth place for a $5,000 prize. Rachel Venniker, South Africa’s only female jockey finished fifth, bringing her the $3,500 awarded all remaining riders.

Japan’s Sakai started off with a 12th-place finish in the first race, but scored a second next out aboard the 3-year-old filly Mostakmelah. “I knew in the pre-race warmup that I had a chance,” he said. But a fifth in the third race, and a seventh in the fourth and final leg translated to only a meager 12 points and an overall sixth place for the 26-year-old Sakai, who belongs to the Yoshito Yahagi stable.

“I am very grateful to those people who gave me this fabulous opportunity.” Sakai said. “It’s too bad I couldn’t win the second race, but the winner was strong. They are all Thoroughbreds, but just like the people, the horses felt like foreigners, and it was hard to communicate at times.”

Looking ahead to Saturday and the four races he’d be riding in, Sakai, said, “It’s unfortunate that I couldn’t win the jockey challenge, but it’s great to have been able to ride on the day before the Saudi Cup. I know it’ll be late back in Japan, but I’d like to take all the support from the fans and use it to win tomorrow where I couldn’t win today. So, please send me your support!”



SAUDI CUP (G1, 1,800m Dirt, US$ 20 million, 20:40)
- Ushba Tesoro 2nd
- Derma Sotogake 5th
- Crown Pride 9th
- Lemon Pop 12th
Note: Meisho Hario has been scratched from the race.

RED SEA TURF HANDICAP (G3, 3,000m Turf, US$ 2.5 million, 19:50)
- Echt 5th
- Breakup 9th
- Libyan Glass 10th
- Iron Barows 12th

NEOM TURF CUP (G2, 2,100m Turf, US$ 2 million, 19:10)
- Killer Ability 2nd
- Studley 9th
- Hearts Concerto 11th

1351 TURF SPRINT (G2, 1,351m Turf, US$ 2 million, 18:25)
- La La Christine 2nd
- Win Greatest 4th
- Aguri 6th
- Bathrat Leon 10th

RIYADH DIRT SPRINT (G3, 1,200m Dirt, US$ 1.5 million, 17:40)
- Remake 1st
- Jasper Krone 4th
- Keiai Dorie 6th

SAUDI DERBY (G3, 1,600m Dirt, US$ 1.5 million, 17:00)
- Forever Young 1st
- Satono Phoenix 10th
- Set Up 11th

ZEFFIRO, SATONO GLANZ, NORTH BRIDGE GO 2-3-4 IN QA20 Feb 6:40 pm


Zeffiro led a Japanese two-three-four in H.H. the Amir Trophy in Qatar on Saturday afternoon (February 17, 2024).

On the final day of the three-day Amir Sword Festival at the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club, Zeffiro and jockey Joao Moreira went under the wire behind only the winning horse Rebel’s Romance in the 2,400-meter Grade 3 affair in Doha.

Trailing Zeffiro to clog up the board in third and fourth place were his Japanese compatriots Satono Glanz and North Bridge, respectively.

The lion’s share of the US$2.5 million purse went to Rebel’s Romance ($1.425 million), the pride of Godolphin, but the JRA trio took home nearly all of the remaining $1 million-plus with Hong Kong-based Russian Emperor grabbing fifth place.

North Bridge, the 6-year-old trained by Takeshi Okumura, got the race at Al Rayyan Racecourse off to a silky start under Yasunari Iwata, ushering the 11 runners out of the gate.

But the Charlie Appleby-trained Rebel’s Romance, with William Buick, all too familiar to Japanese fans, in the saddle, quickly wrested the lead at the first turn.

Yuga Kawada-ridden Satono Glanz, by Satono Diamond out of Cherry Collect, positioned third, and Zeffiro - the 5-year-old son of Deep Impact under the tutelage of Yasutoshi Ikee - brought up the rear during the 2 minute, 28.74 second journey on what appeared to be solid turf conditions in the Qatari capital.

Things got interesting as the pack rounded the final bend and turned for home as Moreira made his move, pushing his horse towards the front with Rebel’s Romance still in the lead and Satono Glanz and North Bridge trying to apply pressure on the inside.

Yet with less than 300 meters to go and closing in fast on Rebel’s Romance, Zeffiro suddenly and wildly banked out wide. The drift cost him considerable ground, enough for Buick’s mount to make a clean run for the finish and to take the tape by a comfortable three lengths.

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Eleventh Pick Peptide Nile Upsets in Dirt G1 Febru19 Feb 1:30 pm


Lightly regarded Peptide Nile turned in an astonishing performance in claiming his first G1 title in this year’s February Stakes. After debuting in January as a three-year-old, the son of King Kamehameha was transferred to dirt racing from his third start and immediately showed potential with a three-race winning streak, but was only able to claim a win in his four-year-old campaign. Last season, including the Onuma Stakes (Listed, dirt, 1,700m) and the Betelgeuse Stakes (Listed, dirt, 1,800m), the bay landed three wins and had just come off a sixth in his latest outing, this year’s Tokai Stakes (G2, dirt, 1,800m) on January 21. The six-year-old has given his trainer Hidenori Take, who opened his yard in 2018, his seventh flat-race graded title and first G1 victory while jockey Yusuke Fujioka celebrates his second JRA-G1 win since his NHK Mile Cup triumph with Keiai Nautique in 2018.

First to enter the dirt track was Don Frankie who led the 16-horse field with a fast pace all the way into the stretch while Wilson Tesoro, Igniter, Dura Erede and Peptide Nile sat in close pursuit. Shifting slightly outside for room turning the final corners, Peptide Nile slipped into the lane in fourth in good striking position, accelerated with a good turn of foot to seize command before the furlong marker and held on well to win by a 1-1/4-length margin.

“The pace was tough but he ran a great race. We were able to sit in a better position than expected but I didn’t imagine he would take over the lead that early and that easily, the wire seemed very far today. His last start didn’t turn out as hoped, but as long as he’s able to run in good rhythm as he did today, I’m sure we can look forward to solid performances in the future,” commented Yusuke Fujioka after the race.

Fifth choice Gaia Force, who ran over dirt for the first time in this G1 event, settled three-wide and in eighth before switching paths to the outside entering the straight. The five-year-old gray gradually closed in on the leaders and although failing to threaten the eventual winner, showed good speed in the last 200 meters to rally with Sekifu and Tagano Beauty to secure the runner-up seat by a neck.

13th pick Sekifu saved ground third from the rear and angled out while still having much ground to make up but launched the fastest late kick and dug in well to the wire in a fierce rally for a photo-finish third.

Race favorite Omega Guiness dropped away disappointingly to finish 14th after racing prominently in seventh and two-wide up to early stretch.

Other Horses:
4th: (10) Tagano Beauty—raced around 11th, launched late kick in center of lane, weakened in final strides
5th: (11) King’s Sword—settled 3-wide around 11th, met traffic 300m out, accelerated thereafter
6th: (13) Red le Zele—trailed in rear, circled wide, launched 2nd fastest late drive but belatedly
7th: (3) Mick Fire—hugged rails around 10th, lacked needed kick
8th: (14) Wilson Tesoro—stalked leader in 2nd, rallied for lead, outrun in last 200m
9th: (15) Don Frankie—set fast pace, showed tenacity until 100m out
10th: (16) Alpha Mom—positioned 2nd from rear, passed tired rivals at stretch
11th: (1) Igniter—chased leader in 2nd, rallied for lead up to 200m pole, weakened
12th: (4) Dura Erede—tracked leaders around 4th, outrun in last 200m
13th: (12) Speedy Kick—raced 3-wide in 9th, showed brief effort until 300m out
15th: (6) Karate—traveled around 11th, unable to reach contention
16th: (2) Champagne Color—broke poorly, advanced to 6th, faded after 400m pole

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February Stakes (G1) - Preview14 Feb 4:30 pm


After a great year for Japanese horseracing on the world stage in 2023, the first JRA Grade 1 race of 2024 will be run this coming Sunday (February 18) at Tokyo Racecourse. The February Stakes is one of just two top-level JRA dirt races on the yearly calendar, with the Champions Cup at Chukyo in December being the other.

This Sunday’s race is run over a mile, and is for 4-year-olds and up. It was originally known as the February Handicap when it was first run in 1984 as a Grade 3 race, but has gradually been elevated in class, and it became a Grade 1 in 1997, when it was also opened to runners from overseas. The American-trained Shirl’s Speight took on the race last year, but this year sees no challengers from other countries.

Despite a number of Japan’s top dirt horses (Lemon Pop and Ushba Tesoro to name just a couple) heading to Saudi Arabia to take on the Grade 1 Saudi Cup later this month, there have been 27 early nominations for this year’s Grade 1 February Stakes. To a large extent, prize money earned will decide which horses get a start. A maximum of 16 runners will line up on the day of the race, and the set weight to be carried is 58kg, with a 2kg allowance for fillies and mares. There looks to be a strong challenge from NAR (local government racing) runners this year, together with horses that usually run in turf races switching to dirt, so an interesting race looks assured. It should be remembered that a mile dirt race at Tokyo starts on the turf track.

First favorites have enjoyed a 50% win-strike rate in the past 10 years, and 4-year-olds and 5-year-olds have had the best record in the race during that time with four wins apiece. Record time for the race was set by Cafe Pharoah, when he won in a time of 1 minute 33.8 seconds in 2022. The winner’s check this year is JPY120 million (around USD850,000) out of a total purse of close to JPY260 million.

A couple of races this year leading up to Sunday’s race have been the Grade 2 Tokai TV Hai Tokai Stakes over 1,800 meters at Kyoto, and the Grade 3 Negishi Stakes over 1,400 meters at Tokyo, with both races being run in January.

The 41st running of the Grade 1 February Stakes, which has been a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series race since 2016, will be Race 11 on the Sunday card at Tokyo, with a post time locally of 15:40. Final declarations and the barrier draw will come out later in the week.
Here’s a look at some of the runners expected to be in the line-up:

Wilson Tesoro: The 5-year-old by Kitasan Black must have a good chance on the form of his last two races, where he finished second to Lemon Pop in last year’s Grade 1 Champions Cup, and also placed second to Ushba Tesoro in the last big dirt race of 2023, the Grade 1 Tokyo Daishoten last December. Assistant trainer Masahiro Yokota commented: “He drew widest in his last race and was the last to load, but he got off to a good start, and with no other horse wanting to lead, he went to the front. He ran at his own pace, but was eventually beaten by one of the world’s top horses, so it was a good race for him when you consider this, and that he also beat home some other good horses. Everything’s gone smoothly with him since he returned to the stable after a break at the farm.” Kohei Matsuyama gets the ride on Wilson Tesoro, and it will be the first time for him to ride the horse.

Dura Erede: It has been an interesting career so far for Dura Erede, and in recent races, he’s been showing that he’s possibly better on dirt than he is on turf. It will be his first race of the year on Sunday, but hopes are high that he can run a good race. Trainer Manabu Ikezoe said: “He stumbled slightly at the start last time, and he didn’t pick up so well between the third and fourth corners. He was perhaps still a little tired after his run in the Champions Cup. Since being back at the stable, we’ve just confirmed that his condition is good. It will be his first time over a mile, so we’ll have to see what he can do.”

Champagne Color: Last year’s Grade 1 NHK Mile Cup winner embarks on a new journey this year, when he takes on his first ever dirt race this Sunday. The 4-year-old by Duramente hasn’t been seen in action since last year’s Grade 1 Yasuda Kinen, but trainer Tsuyoshi Tanaka is hoping the horse can start things off well in 2024. “It’ll be his first race on dirt, and with a view to him running overseas later this year, we thought we’d start with this race. He’s had some gate practice, and is getting used to what it’s like racing on dirt, so he should be fine going into the race,” the trainer said. Jockey Hiroyuki Uchida enjoyed Grade 1 success with Champagne Color last year, and is set to ride the horse again on Sunday.

Mick Fire: One of the stars from the NAR circuit, Mick Fire put together a seven-race winning streak from September 2022 through to October last year, before being beaten into eighth in the Grade 1 Tokyo Daishoten last December. Trainer Kazuo Watanabe said: “It was his first time to run against older horses last time. He was quite restless in the gate and he didn’t run so well overall, but he came out of the race with no problems, particularly regarding his hooves. He’s been at the stable since, and his condition is improving before this next race.” Mick Fire is a 4-year-old colt by Sinister Minister.

King’s Sword: It is seven wins from fourteen starts in dirt races for the 5-year-old, also by Sinister Minister, and although he’s never raced at Tokyo, his form alone is solid enough to give him every chance here. Recent comments from trainer Ryo Terashima were: “I would have liked him to have done a bit better last time, but he didn’t run on when it counted at the end of the race. This time he’ll be racing on a left-handed track, which he hasn’t done in a while, but the one turn in the race and the shorter distance should be in his favor.” Mirai Iwata rides King’s Sword in a bid to win his first ever JRA Grade 1.

Red le Zele: It will be the fourth consecutive Grade 1 February Stakes this year for the now 8-year-old Red le Zele. His best finish in the race was his second-place last year, and he’s still capable of running a big race if things are in his favor, in particular the ground. Assistant trainer Keiichiro Yasuda said: “His run in the Musashino Stakes last November came at a difficult time, after the unusually hot summer last year. He ran quite well, however, considering his condition. He’s better in the winter, and he’ll be in better shape going into this next race.”

Igniter: Another representative from the NAR, Igniter has been racing at local tracks all over Japan, and getting some good results as well, away from his Hyogo Prefecture base. His latest win was in last year’s JBC Sprint at Oi, and the 6-year-old by Espoir City (winner of the February Stakes in 2010) has enough prize money to his name to all but guarantee a run in this Sunday’s race. The world also beckons if he does well enough here. Trainer Masashi Atarashi commented on his stable star: “Since returning from the farm, things have gone well with him. He seems to be in better condition than previously when he was returning from a break, and he should be tuned up nicely heading into this race.”
Another interesting entry is Omega Guiness, a 4-year-old colt by Logotype, who will be having just his sixth career start if he gets into the line-up. With three wins from his five starts so far, including a very easy win in a listed race over a mile at Tokyo last year, he would look to have a good chance, with Christophe Lemaire poised to take the ride.

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Hopeful Stakes (G1) - Preview27 Dec 1:45 pm


The up-and-coming talent holds the spotlight this week with the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes wrapping up the year’s top action at Nakayama Racecourse on Thursday, Dec. 28

It is only the seventh year since the 2,000-meter turf event has been promoted to a Grade 1, but it has, in a variety of forms, spanned 40 years, and is a welcome option to the other two 2-year-old Grade 1s – the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies and the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes, both now run at Hanshin Racecourse over 1,600 meters.

The Hopeful Stakes is especially attractive to those eyeing the Classic races, as it duplicates for distance and venue the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas), the first test in Japan’s Triple Crown. Winners of the race also have a shot at being named top 2-year-old of the year, as was Contrail, who scooped the Hopeful Stakes in 2019 and went on to capture the Triple Crown the following year.

Testing their mettle will be 18 of the 22 Hopeful Stakes nominees, which include four fillies. Only seven of the nominees, however, have secured a spot in the race. Fourteen others are tied for the remaining 11 opportunities to compete in the first G1 of their budding careers.

Two colts who have already claimed their right to race are Shin Emperor and Gonbade Qabus. The field standouts, they are a proven pair, both unbeaten and winners of graded competitions.

The Hopeful Stakes carries a winner’s prize of JPY70 million. Colts will carry 56kg and fillies will carry 55kg. The Hopeful Stakes is the 11th race on the card of 12 at Nakayama. Post time is 15:40 local time.

Here’s a look at some of the expected popular choices.

Shin Emperor: Shin Emperor, a French-bred colt by Siyouni, out of the Galileo mare Starlet’s Sister, comes from a blue-blood line. He is full brother to Sottsass, a winner of three Grade 1s, including the Arc in 2020 and half-brother to the filly Sistercharlie, who aced seven Grade 1s in the U.S. In his debut Nov. 4 over 1,800 meters at Tokyo, Shin Emperor topped the field by 3 lengths under Takeshi Yokoyama. Three weeks later, the chestnut colt took on the Grade 3 Radio Nikkei Hai Kyoto Nisai Stakes over 2,000 meters at Kyoto, reared up as the gate opened, resulting in a position toward the back, but after flying over the final 3 furlongs in 35.3 seconds, still managed to win by half a length. Joao Moreira had the ride in the Kyoto Nisai Stakes, but Kazakhstan native Bauyrzhan Murzabayev is expected to be in the saddle this time.

Gonbade Qabus: His sire Bricks and Mortar pocketed five Grade 1s in the U.S., racing on turf over 1,800-2,400 meters. In his June debut, Gonbade Qabus went wire to wire over 1,600 meters at Tokyo under Damian Lane, and topped the field of 12 by 1 3/4 lengths. Next out in the Grade 3 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup over the same course, Gonbade Qabus rounded into the stretch at the back of the nine-strong field, but displayed his fine maneuverability, and had no difficulty winning by 2 lengths. He was ridden by Kohei Matsuyama, who is expected in the saddle again this time. Though not yet tested over anything longer than 1,600 meters, the extra distance for Gonbade Qabus this time looks to be a plus.

Regaleira: Regaleira’s berth in the Hopeful Stakes gate is still not secure, being one of 14 nominees tied for the remaining 11 spots in the Hopeful Stakes, but if she gets in, she is definitely one to watch. By Suave Richard, who won the Osaka Hai and in 2018 the Japan Cup in 2019. Regaleira has one win from two starts, both over 1,800 meters. She aced her debut at Hakodate in early July, then returned to run in the Ivy Stakes, a listed race at Tokyo. In a field of only six and paired with Christophe Lemaire, the Northern Farm-bred filly raced handily and allowed only two colts ahead of her over the line. Her finishing time only 0.2 seconds off the winner. She is trained by Miho-based trainer Tetsuya Kimura, who has tallied three Grade 1 wins this year. Lemaire, who has yet to bag the Hopeful Stakes since it became a Grade 1, is expected up again.

Tariff Line: Another nominee who still needs to make the cut to get in is Tariff Line, a colt by Satono Diamond, who finished third in the Satsuki Sho after experiencing interference in the stretch, but went on to claim the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) and Arima Kinen (The Grand Prix) that same year. Like his sire, Tariff Line can exhibit stunning footwork in a race’s final stage. Despite a late break, Tariff Line reached the winner’s circle after a final 3-furlong time of 33.4 seconds in his debut over 1,800 meters at Tokyo on Oct. 7. Lemaire had the ride then, but Tom Marquand may pilot this time, if Tariff Line gets in.

Century Bond: Century Bond is a colt by Kizuna, who had seven wins and one third from his first nine career starts. Like his sire, Century Bond secured his Hopeful Stakes participation with two wins from his three starts to date. Though the best performance was only at the 1-win class race, all three starts have been over 2,000 meters. On a two-win roll, the Ritto-based colt has shown steady improvement and, in his most recent race, weighed in 10kg heavier than he’d recorded just two months prior. He is packing on power and though it’s a sudden leap to the Grade 1 level, he is expected to be able to rise to the challenge. Looking to also continue a roll is Yutaka Take, who scooped the Arima Kinen for a total career tally of 81 Grade 1 victories. The Hopeful Stakes, having only relatively recently been promoted to its Grade 1 status, is Japan’s only top-level race Take has yet to win.

Win Maximum: By Kitasan Black and another of the 11 still hoping to get in to the Hopeful Stakes is Win Maximum. He has one win and two seconds from his three tests to date, losing by only a head in the first two, then finally breaking his maiden over 2,000 meters at Nakayama on Dec. 3. In the race, taking advantage of his No. 2 gate, he led the field of 18 and held his ground until the end, putting 1 1/4 lengths between him and the second-place finisher.

Sirius Colt: Posting two wins from his three starts thus far, Sirius Colt rose from a debut win over 1,200 meters to the Grade 3 Niigata Nisai Stakes (fifth place). His most recent win was in the Fuyo Stakes over 2,000 meters at Nakayama on Sept. 30. He returns after three months off, but is looking good in trackwork. Kosei Miura, who is chasing his first Grade 1 win, is expected up on Sunday.

Admiral Ship: The Gold Ship-sired Admiral Ship aced his debut, topping a field of eight by a nose over 2,000 meters at Kyoto on Nov. 12. Based at Miho, he’ll have a much shorter distance to travel to the Nakayama venue. He will be partnered with Holly Doyle, who is taking on her second Grade 1 bid on her current short-term license in Japan. Her 10 rides over the past weekend at Nakayama brought her two wins, a second and a third. Doyle rode work on Dec. 13, taking first contact with the colt over 6 furlongs. “He is a very straightforward horse. He was relaxed and responded well to my signals. He takes a good interest in his work,” Doyle said. “Most importantly, he moves very well. I think the course is a tricky one for 2-year-olds, but from the way he moves, I think he’ll be able to handle it.”

Others of interest:

Velociraptor, whose spot in the race is secure, is also by new stallion Suave Richard, whose progeny have already laid claim to a graded-stakes winner. Velociraptor has two starts and two wins to his name. He now leaps from the open-class Nojigiku Stakes over 1,800 meters at Hanshin to the top level.

The following three colts still need to get into the gate.
Mr G T, a brother of Grade 2 winner Touching Speech, debuted over 2,000 meters at Kyoto on Nov. 5. Amid a very slow pace, the colt headed into the stretch from toward the back but unleashed a fine 33.7 final 3-furlong time that took him to the top to win by the margin of a neck. Di Speranza may, as the nominee with the most race-specific experience, make good use of his prior three runs, all over 2,000 meters. Ritto-based, this would be his first run at Nakayama. A huge Rulership colt already topping 520kg, Di Speranza has posted one win, a fifth and a sixth in his three starts, including the most recent the Grade 3 Radio Nikkei Kyoto Nisai Stakes. Shonan la Punta, a Shadai Farm-bred colt out of Grade 1 winner Furia Azteca, brought JPY1 million at the 2022 Select Sale. After winning his debut over 2,000 meters at Hanashin, he took on the Grade 2 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes over 1,800 meters at Tokyo. Slow out of the gate, Shonan la Punta was able to finish fourth with the field-fastest time of 33.9 seconds over the final 3 furlongs.

[See more]

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Pro Tipster MAX - provides racing tips in the competitive horseracing world, with completely transparent wins/losses -

Pro Tipster MAX is a service that allows you to buy the racing tips of elite Umanity professional tipsters--starting at just 100 yen/race. The racing tips of Umanity-approved professional tipsters aren't just symbols that indicate the outcome, but a proper racing tip that indicates the betting combination and how to allocate funds--racing tips whose wins/losses are completely transparent in this head-to-head world. That's a clear distinction from the racing tips of other sites, which do not publish their wins/losses.

Simply registering as a member (free) allows you to buy the racing tips of professional tipsters.

Last week Results

  • Highest Payout
  • Return Rate
  •  
Rank Tipster Race Payoff
(JPY)
Payout
(JPY)
Tip
1 Ace No.2 Ace No.2
16 Mar Hanshin12R
4yo&UpAllowance
173,620 747,320
573,700
2 Priest Ranzan Priest Ranzan
16 Mar Hanshin12R
4yo&UpAllowance
28,690 576,760
173,620
3 mihimalist mihimalist
16 Mar Chukyo1R
3yoMaiden
5,580 314,500
710
4 K.Nishino K.Nishino
17 Mar Nakayama8R
4yo&UpAllowance
9,930 258,180
5 Ace No.1 Ace No.1
16 Mar Hanshin12R
4yo&UpAllowance
8,650 256,320
3,080
173,620

>>See more

Rank Tipster No.of
Races
Return
Rate
Hit
Rate
Winnings
(JPY)
Payoff
Ave.
1 Ace No.2 Ace No.2
45R 266% 33% 721,610 77,034
2 Creek Creek
31R 192% 54% 116,520 14,236
3 Ace No.1 Ace No.1
45R 182% 46% 354,450 37,388
4 Priest Ranzan Priest Ranzan
72R 156% 43% 394,520 35,384
5 K.Souma K.Souma
54R 146% 33% 82,610 14,411
6 kyosukejrdb kyosukejrdb
28R 127% 32% 71,500 36,855
7 Sugadai Sugadai
60R 125% 46% 66,210 11,489
8 murakichi murakichi
17R 125% 17% 5,360 8,920
9 mihimalist mihimalist
70R 123% 28% 163,400 43,165
10 4c6bba4b36 4c6bba4b36
70R 115% 32% 45,890 14,782
11 Z No.1 Z No.1
45R 107% 28% 34,390 35,768
12 syouri no megami syouri no megami
72R 102% 45% 5,300 6,142

>>See more

Tip Coliseum --Japan's Biggest Racing Tips Arena! Are you Going to Compete? Or just Watch?

Over the course of a year, some 5 million racing tips are registered in the Tip Coliseum, Japan's largest and highest-level racing tip event. Different people use it in different ways--from participating in the tournament and competing for rankings, to watching the tips of top rankers.

Just registering as a member (free) allows you to use the functions of the Tip Coliseum for free.

 Tournament Info:Tournament 217 finished! The high achievers are recognized! Next tournament will be held from 23 Mar!

Tournament 217 Award

Rank Tipster Level
Class
Deviation Return
Rate
Winnings
(JPY)
1
dessyo dessyo
Lv.98
85.6 1298%
67%
855,800
2
shinzanmono shinzanmono
Lv.104
79.4 232%
33%
1,998,710
3
nozonozo nozonozo
Lv.108
79.0 556%
20%
811,950
4
93e4a97949 93e4a97949
Lv.78
78.6 524%
4%
1,337,770
5
yasuchan yasuchan
Lv.102
77.4 169%
24%
1,814,550

>>See more

To Beginners
--Smart Ways to Use Umanity--from Racing Tips to Horse Racing Romance--

Umanity offers all kinds of services to meet the different needs of racing fans, but on the other hand, some people feel "there are so many services, I don't know where to begin." For that reason, we introduce ways to use Umanity according to the type of user. We know you'll find a way that fits you perfectly♪

Data Cruncher

You are the type who assembles information useful for making tips, especially on high-stakes races, such as GI races, and refer to them as you make your own racing tips.
Suitable service

Graded race Page
U index

Recommend using!

[High Stakes Strategies] is packed with useful information for making racing tips, such as the latest information, like pre-race training times on the horses scheduled to run in high stakes races, the expected odds in the racing card, the columns of professional tipster, results from the past 10 years, etc. Then there is Umanity's proprietary racehorse performance index, the U-index, which many people pay to use for its accuracy; members can use it free, but just for high-stakes races, so using it in conjunction with the High Stakes Strategies makes for a perfect combo.

Racing Tip
Addict

Likes racing tips better than 3 squares a day! You're the type who makes tips on lots of races per day, not just the main ones!
Suitable service

Tip Coliseum
Race Info

Recommend using!

First off, try registering your tips in the [Tip Coliseum]. Of course there's the fun of competing for rankings and the racing tips bragging rights for all of Japan--but with our auto-tallying tools you can keep track of your results and bump up your racing prediction prowess through objective self-analysis. What's more, Umanity's [Racing Card (for VIP Club members)] is full of tools for increasing the accuracy of your tips, such as our proprietary speed index, the U-index, as well as “Stable Comments” and “Training Evaluation” and so on provided by Horseracing 8.

Horseracing
Investor

You see the horses as a vehicle for investing and you don't hold the your purse strings tight when it comes to high-quality information--you're looking for a high return!
Suitable service

Pro tipster "MAX"
Sugouma Robot

Recommend using!

With Pro Tipster MAX over 20 well-known professional tipsters provide their racing tips for a fee (from 100 yen/race). And their tips aren't just symbols that indicate the outcome, but proper racing tips that indicate the betting combination and how to allocate funds--racing tips whose wins/losses are completely transparent in this head-to-head world--a totally different critter from other horseracing tip sites, which only post their wins, but not the balance of wins/losses. The racing tips software [Sugouma Robot] is equipped with expected value theory for automatically buying only betting tickets with high expected yields.

Horseracing
Socialite

You love the fun of horseracing with all your friends! You're the type who wants friends to go to the track with!
Suitable service

Horseracing Diary
offline get-togethers

Recommend using!

It's surprising how many people have nothing to say about horseracing on SNS, such as on Facebook. Umanity is a community just for horseracing fans, so don't hold back in talking about horseracing, such as in your Horseracing Diary. What's more, Umanity rents guest rooms at the Tokyo Race Course and holds horseracing offline get-togethers in both Spring and Fall. As these get-togethers are of like-minded horseracing fans, you're sure to make friends. Come along and have fun.

Horseracing
Novice

You're the type who wants to get into horseracing but you don't know where to start!
Suitable service

Graded race Page
Tip Coliseum

Recommend using!

First of all, you should try focusing on high-stakes races because you can get lots of information. [High Stakes Strategies] is packed with useful information for making racing tips, such as the latest information on the horses scheduled to run, the racing card, columns and results from the past 10 years. Next, try registering your tips in the [Tip Coliseum]. Simply registering a tip on a race will double the fun of watching them run. And up to this point it won't even cost you a single penny. You have nothing to lose as it's all free and you can take part in horseracing without betting any money.

Horseracing
Romantic

More than for picking races or investing, you like horseracing because the horses are so beautiful! You're the type who wants to start as a partial owner!
Suitable service

Umanity POG

Recommend using!

[POG] stands for Paper Owner Game. Even though it's a virtual game, the horses are all real--several thousand JRA registered thoroughbreds. You select from among them and if your bid wins the auction, it's registered as your POG horse. You can keep up to 20 POG horses in your stable and the game is in competing for prize money with those horses. Apart from the game, pictures of about 400 race horses have been posted, and appreciating their beautiful bodies is one more pleasure.

FAQ

Q1:
Does it cost anything to use Umanity?
A1:

No, registering with and using Umanity is free. Once you become a member (free), you can participate in the Tip Coliseum, and use functions that are helpful in making tips, such as the U-index (Umanity's proprietary speed index) on high-stakes races, U-Favorites (tip odds ), which show what's popular among Umanity users, register horses to watch, betting ticket purchasing tools, etc.--not to mention enjoying horseracing community functions, such as diaries, messaging and circles--all the basics for free.

Q2:
What do I have to do to register as a member?
A2:

Registering is simple--all it takes is an email address.
Once you register your email address, follow the instructions and you'll be registered as a member in 1 to 2 minutes flat! You can also register as a member via an account, such as your Yahoo! JAPAN ID.

Q3:
Do I have to register to use the site?
A3:

No, some functions (such as news) can be used without registering.
However, most of the functions require becoming a member (free) and then you can use them for free, so we recommend becoming a member.
[Free Functions Available to Umanity Members]
-Participate in the Tip Coliseum (registering tips, rankings and auto tallying of results)
-U-index of high-stakes races (Umanity's proprietary racehorse performance index with some 10,000 regular users)
-U-Favorites (tip odds), which show what's popular among Umanity users
-Plus, functions useful for making tips, such as registering horses to watch and betting ticket purchase support
-Community functions like diaries, messaging and circles

Q4:
Can I see racing tips for free?
A4:

There are both free tips and those you pay for.
You have to pay for the racing tips of professional tipsters.
Doing so requires the Umanity virtual currency, Gold (G).
Gold can be purchased with credit card.
Although you can view the racing tips of non-professional tipsters for "free," in some cases you need to use Umanity points, which you can get for free by being active on the site, such as by logging in, posting tips in the Tip Coliseum, etc.

Q5:
What is the U-index?
A5:

It is an index developed exclusively by Umanity to indicate the performance of a racehorse.
The value is based on the time over the distance of each horse to date, and estimates whether and how well they will perform in this race; as such, the higher the index, the better the race performance is expected to be.
The U-index is provided to Umanity members free for high-stakes races. To use it on all races, you have to become a member of the Umanity VIP Club, which is a paid service.

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