#Japan Racing Association

Equinox, guided by Christophe Lemaire, wins the Arima Kinen on December 25, 2022, at Nakayama Racecourse in Funabashi, Chiba Prefecture. (KYODO) Equinox triumphed in two of Japan's biggest horse races in 2022, and those Grade 1 victories helped him garner a pair of prestigious accolades. The Japan Racing Association named Equinox its 2022 Horse of…

CHURCHILL made an eye-catching start to his stallion career, featuring among the leading freshmen sires of 2021 and supplying a double-digit tally of winners that included six blacktype earners; three won listed races. Ladies Church (dam by Rio De La Plata) landed the Marwell Stakes at Naas and finished third in the Group 3 Round Tower Stakes at…

Cheval Grand, shown winning the 2017 Japan Cup, returns seeking a repeat victory in Sunday's renewal. Photo courtesy of Japan Racing Association Nov. 22 (UPI) -- Weekend horse racing action stretches from Tokyo to Bahrain with a stop in England and a quick look at Hong Kong's preparations for its big weekend two weeks down the calendar. The Grade 1…

Keeneland Announces Spring Stakes Schedule (Keeneland / Photos by Holly M. Smith) From the Keeneland Media Team: Keeneland will award a season record $8.05 million for 19 stakes to be run during its 2023 Spring Meet, which will cover 15 days from April 7-28. Leading the schedule are the 99 running of the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass (G1) and 86…

Keeneland will award a season record $8.05 million for 19 stakes to be run during its 2023 Spring Meet, which will cover 15 days from April 7-28. Leading the schedule are the 99 running of the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass (G1) and 86 running of the $600000 Central Bank Ashland (G1), both major targets of the nation's top 3-year-olds. Keeneland has…

Titleholder wins Sunday's Takarazuka Kinen, now targeting the Arc d'Triomphe. Photo courtesy of Japan Racing Association June 27 (UPI) -- Tawny Port's victory in Saturday's Ohio Derby serves notice the scramble among U.S. 3-year-olds is far from over while Westover's dominance of the Irish Derby indicates he's not out of the frame, either, despite…

Triple Crown winner Contrail looks tailor-made for the Osaka Hai over his favoured trip but faces a speedy rival in Gran Alegria The growing sense of anticipation among Flat racing fans in Britain this weekend is felt just as keenly in Japan where the season is also ready to burst into life. The first Grade 1 race of the turf season, the…

Almond Eye, shown winning the 2018 Japan Cup, is the favorite for Sunday's Grade 1 Tenno Sho (Autumn). Photo courtesy of Japan Racing Association Oct. 30 (UPI) -- American horse racing is virtually on pause a week out from the Breeders' Cup World Championships, but plenty of action exists around the globe with Almond Eye returning in Japan,…

Sodashi, shown winning the Sapporo Kinen in her last start Aug. 22, returns in Sunday's Grade 1 Shuka Sho at Hanshin Racecourse. Photo courtesy of Japan Racing Association Oct. 15 (UPI) -- As American horse racing enters its pre-Breeders' Cup "calm before the storm" this weekend, the international contingent ably plugs the gap with the world's…

In January 2022 at Wada Farm in Chiba Prefecture, Oju Chosan slowly made his way back to the stables after completing his training, accompanied by two staff members. The tranquil farm seemed to have a slight tension in the air. "This horse is special," said 48-year-old trainer Shoichiro Wada, who manages Oju Chosan. "Whenever we move him, we always…

Keeneland Barn Notes: Basin Gets Final Prep for G2 Blue Grass Stakes (Trainer Steve Asmussen / Photo by Holly M. Smith) From the Keeneland Media Team: GRADE 1 WINNER BASIN WORKS FOR TOYOTA BLUE GRASS Toyota Blue Grass (G2) hopeful Basin, who races for Terry Green's Jackpot Farm, was the first horse to breeze over Keeneland's fast track Monday when…

Kyprios and Order Of Australia will spearhead what could be a select Qatar Goodwood Festival team for Aidan O'Brien. The Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup is Kyprios' target after he announced his arrival as the latest star of the staying scene with victory in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot last month, with Stradivarius and Princess Zoe poised to renew rivalries…

Loves Only You and Marche Lorraine changed the storyline on a glorious Saturday afternoon in Southern California. Jockey Yuga Kawada, one of the premier riders on the Japan Racing Association circuit (currently No. 2 in wins and overall earnings in 2021, trailing only Christophe Lemaire in both categories) guided 5-year-old Loves Only You, the…

Almond Eye, ridden by French jockey Christophe Lemaire, established a Japan Racing Association record with an eighth Grade I victory on Sunday, November 1. The 5-year-old mare, who has 10 wins in 14 career races, captured the Tenno Sho (Autumn) crown for the second straight year, doing so in electrifying fashion at Tokyo Racecourse. The fifth…

Kyprios is fancied to continue his reign at the top of the staying division in the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup (3.35). Aidan O'Brien's stayer continued his relentless upward curve with a half-length call over Mojo Star in the Royal Ascot feature. The way the race was run marks it down as an excellent renewal and Galileo's son will have no issue with the…

Danon Beluga (right), one of Heart's Cry's offspring, competes in the G3 Kyodo News Hai (Tokinominoru Kinen) at Tokyo Racecourse on February 13. (ⒸSANKEI) This article first appeared on SportsLook, JAPAN Forward's dedicated sports website. It's easy to forget most horse race results due to the bevy of activity and busy year-round schedules at…

The Japan Cup, first held in 1981, is one of the biggest days of horse racing in the country. In addition to drawing an international field of runners, Sunday's race also comes with the added bonus of being held in Tokyo, the nation's capital. Getting to Tokyo Racecourse is a cinch. The Keio Line train goes there from Shinjuku Station in 30…

Six horses have won the filly Triple Crown in Japanese racing history, with Daring Tact the latest to accomplish the feat on Sunday, October 18 at Kyoto Racecourse. Daring Tact's victory in the Shuka Sho, the third leg of the Triple Crown, produced another distinct, too. She became the first unbeaten horse to do so. In the 2000-meter Shuka Sho,…

The 2000-meter Dubai World Cup concluded the day's festivities at Meydan Racecourse, with American trainer Bob Baffert's Country Grammer, ridden by Italian Frankie Dettori, securing a 1¾-length victory over Hot Rod Charlie in 2 minutes, 4.97 seconds. Country Grammer returned to competition after a nine-month layoff following the Saudi Cup in…

The Yokoyama family's success in high-profile races was also in the spotlight just a few months ago. At last year's Tenno Sho (Autumn), Takeshi Yokoyama, Kazuo's younger brother, won the October 31 race by a length over Contrail at Tokyo Racecourse. Bursting out of the 16 gate aboard second favorite 4-year-old bay colt Titleholder, Yokoyama led…

Sodashi, a rare white Thoroughbred shown winning the Artemis Stakes earlier in the season, is among the favorites for Sunday's Grade 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies. Photo courtesy of Japan Racing Association Dec. 11 (UPI) -- Weekend horse racing takes an international turn as Sunday's Longines Hong Kong International Races could see the final runs by…

French-born and Japan-based jockey Christophe Lemaire will try to transfer his international success to the United States when he leaves the starting gate aboard Crown Pride in the 2022 Kentucky Derby on Saturday at Churchill Downs. The 42-year-old Lemaire has led all Japan Racing Association jockeys in wins for five straight years. On Saturday, he…

For details of advised bookmakers and each-way terms, visit our transparent tipping record Stradivarius is the star attraction at Doncaster on Friday as the superstar stayer bids to win his 10th consecutive race in the Group Two Magners Rose Doncaster Cup Stakes. He carries a Group One penalty and he hasn't run at Doncaster since he was beaten into…

Alligator Blood has been banned from racing in the Victorian spring carnival. Picture: Grant Peters-Trackside Photography Headline horse Alligator Blood has been sensationally banned from racing in the Victorian spring carnival. In a bombshell development, News Corp can exclusively reveal the two-time Group 1 winner has been barred by Victorian…

In 2019, Master Fencer became the first Japanese bred horse to run in the Kentucky Derby. Since then Japanese horse racing has quickly seen massive success. Horse racing in Japan has been around since the mid 1800s. The racing as as we know it today was brought in by Europeans. The primary purpose of the races was to be an attraction for out of…

Just Cindy wins the Schuylerville Stakes for 2-year-old fillies on Thursday's opening day at Saratoga. Photo by Chelsea Durand, Cognianese Photos, courtesy of New York Racing Association July 15 (UPI) -- Saratoga is back into action this weekend, with trainer Chad Brown ready to make a statement on the turf course and the usual top-self competition…

Irish champion flat trainer Aidan O'Brien is responsible for 12 of the 72 entries for the QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, England, on Saturday, 1 May 2021. The first Classic race of the British flat season, which will be staged on Newmarket's Rowley Mile course, will see the Irish handler bid for an incredible 10 QIPCO 2000 Guineas success. The…

The Holy Roman Emperor colt did fledgling trainer John O'Donoghue proud at last month's showpiece meeting in Berkshire - belying odds of 80/1 to finish second to Holloway Boy in the Chesham Stakes. David Egan travels across the Irish Sea to keep the ride in Thursday evening's Group Three feature and O'Donoghue is looking forward to seeing how he…

In its second year, British Racing's nationwide celebration of the racehorse will see more than 180 locations up and down the country open their doors to over 11000 members of the public between 10-18 September. Run by Great British Racing, with principal funding from The Racing Foundation and The Horserace Betting Levy Board, National Racehorse…

If you have a confident opinion on which filly or mare will prevail in Saturday's $750000 E. P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine, then let me offer a hearty round of applause. Either through handicapping acumen or sheer bravado, you have found confidence where most bettors are likely to proceed with caution. Let's face it: the Grade 1 E. P. Taylor is…

Toyota Blue Grass returns to $1 million; Central Bank Ashland moves to opening day LEXINGTON, Ky. - Keeneland revitalizes the 2022 Spring Meet with record $7.7 million in awards. 19 stakes will be run during the meet to be held from April 8-29. The new schedule features increased purses for all stakes and significant changes to the season's two…

Japan Racing Association (JRA) has been confirmed as the first international supporting partner of National Racehorse Week. In its second year, British Racing's nationwide celebration of the racehorse will see more than 180 operations up and down the country open their doors to over 11000 members of the public between September 10-18. Run by Great…

Swiss Skydiver takes on a talented field of 12 colts in Saturday's $600000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes; Six fillies vie for Kentucky Oaks points in the $400000 Central Bank Ashland (G1) LEXINGTON, Ky. - Peter Callahan's Swiss Skydiver will try to put herself on the Kentucky Derby (G1) trail Saturday when she takes on males in a field of 13 horses…

There's a simple reason why the $1 million, Grade 1 Ricoh Woodbine Mile Stakes awards a "Win and You're In" berth to the Grade 1 FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile - it's one of the most productive Breeders' Cup Mile prep races in North America. As its name implies, the Woodbine Mile is contested at a distance of one mile on the Woodbine turf course. Since…

Doncaster's St Leger Festival kicks off in style on Wednesday with the Group Three Sceptre Stakes and the must-watch Leger Legends charity race, all live on Sky Sports Racing. The first of nine Group contests to look forward to during St Leger week on Town Moor, the Group Three Japan Racing Association Sceptre Fillies' Stakes (3.35) offers a…