#Sakae Kunieda

So who is the real Beast from the East now? Much to the disappointment of the home fans, the title changed hands in a Sha Tin showstopper yesterday as Japanese star Maurice climbed off the canvas to better Able Friend and take the mantle as Asia's best miler. When Able Friend went three parts of a length up on me, I just couldn't go with the big…

Maximum Security, the colt disqualified from victory in the Kentucky Derby, returns to the winner's circle Saturday at Belmont Park. Photo courtesy of New York Racing Association Oct. 28 (UPI) -- It was a very good weekend of horse racing for Japan as Lys Gracieux landed the Group 1 Cox Plate in Australia and Almond Eye returned to her dominant…

Oisin Murphy: six winners from 11 rides at Nakayama Oisin Murphy celebrated a sensational six-timer at Nakayama on a memorable Monday for Britain's champion Flat jockey. Murphy, who won the Japan Cup aboard Suave Richard in November, enjoyed a five-timer at Tokyo last year but went one better with six victories from 11 rides on the card following a…

It was an amazing finish to an extraordinary career. A storybook finish, a finish that seemed predestined to happen as the year marched on. And when the favorite Almond Eye, guided with supreme confidence by the brilliant Gallic equine conductor Christophe Lemaire, stormed past a field of 14 other horses in the 40th Japan Cup at Tokyo Racecourse on…

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…

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…

Almond Eye (Christophe Lemaire) adds the Yushun Himba to her Oka Sho success Report: Japan, Sunday Tokyo: Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) (Grade 1) 1m4f | 3yo fillies Hours after Justify moved one race away from claiming America's historic Triple Crown, Almond Eye (Sakae Kunieda/Christophe Lemaire) moved herself into prime position for Japan's…

Almond Eye: could not reach Gran Algeria Tokyo: Yasuda Kinen (Grade 1) Less than 24 hours after Pinatubo suffered a shock defeat in the 2000 Guineas, international superstar Almond Eye could only finish second in the Yasuda Kinen behind Gran Alegria (Kazuo Fujisawa/Kenichi Ikezoe). Almond Eye was once again red-hot favourite for the…