Horse Racing: Tōkyō Yūshun

The countdown is on for one of the most prestigious horse races in Japan, as the clock ticks down to 3:40 p.m. on Sunday, when the Japanese Derby will be run. This year, with things as they are in the world of sport, the race will be held behind closed doors, taking away its colorful atmosphere and vibrancy. But nevertheless, the horse-racing…

Third pick Jun Light Bolt demonstrated an impressive late charge to win this year's Champions Cup at Japan's Chukyo Racecourse,registering his first Grade 1 win in his only fourth dirt start. The 5-year-old King Kamehameha bay was raced over turf from his debut in July of his 2-year-old season until his 4-year-old season last year, during which he…

Hearts Concerto, Kohei Matsuyama's ride, secured third place by a neck over Bellagio Opera (Kazuo Yokoyama, Takeshi's older brother). Nocking Point placed fifth, one length behind Bellagio Opera, a Lord Kanaloa offspring, in the Japan Racing Association Grade 1 race, the second leg of the Japanese Triple Crown races. (Watch the full race on the…

Equinox (Jpn) was fractionally unlucky to not reel in Do Deuce (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) in the 2022 G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), falling just a neck short after sustaining a long rally from near the end of the field. The flashy colt got the last laugh when named Japan's Horse of the Year, and his sire Kitasan Black (Jpn) has every chance to…

UAE: The Dubai World Cup card has lost one of its biggest names with news that Japanese Derby winner Do Deuce, favourite for the Dubai Turf, has been scratched from the $5 million contest owing to lameness. British-trained Shelir also misses the race for the same reason, leaving a field of 14 headed by Do Deuce's Japanese compatriot Serifos and…

Take, a prolific winner for more than three decades, captured a trio of Japan Dirt Derby titles in a five-year stretch aboard Gold Allure (2002), Big Wolf (2003) and Kane Hekili (2005). The Kyoto native secured the winning prize of ¥60 million JPY (about $432000 USD). In winning Wednesday's featured race under the lights at Oi Racecourse, Take…

The honour roll for the Tokyo Yushun, Japan's Derby and the richest classic in the world, reads like a who's who of Japanese racing and blueblood Leontes can join the elite group in the 2400m feature this afternoon. Hong Kong punters get the rare opportunity to bet on two simulcast races from Tokyo in the next two weeks: the Yasuda Kinen will be…