2023 Japanese Racing

[tachyon]

--- link to JRA live stream today (maybe with some delay)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4s8Bb0ouo4

[Flanders]

The Hyacinth Stakes, contested at one mile on the Tokyo dirt course today, is the third of four races in the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby.

TOKYO 9R
HYACINTH STAKES(L)

February 19, 2023, 1600m, Dirt, Post time 14:25
INT SD, Special Weight, 3-Year-Olds, Open Class, Value of race: 36,670,000 Yen

-- replay (Japanese)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R88YqFlURJg

He is a descendant of Ski Paradise! Really cool, I remember her finishing 2nd in the 93 BC Mile and racing in the 94 Mile.

[tachyon]

The Hyacinth Stakes, contested at one mile on the Tokyo dirt course today, is the third of four races in the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby.

TOKYO 9R
HYACINTH STAKES(L)

February 19, 2023, 1600m, Dirt, Post time 14:25
INT SD, Special Weight, 3-Year-Olds, Open Class, Value of race: 36,670,000 Yen

-- replay (Japanese)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R88YqFlURJg

He is a descendant of Ski Paradise! Really cool, I remember her finishing 2nd in the 93 BC Mile and racing in the 94 Mile.

[Flanders]

In the February Stakes, I like the son of Lemon Drop Kid, too!!
Lemon Pop should race off the pace.
And I will keep an eye on Red le Zele from the same sire-line as Lemon Pop, too, who should close well with Meisho Hario if a hot pace develops.

Hope you bet.
That Meisho Hario was able to finish 3rd after that start was amazing.

[tachyon]

TOKYO 11R

THE FEBRUARY STAKES(G1)

February 19, 2023, 1600m, Dirt, Post time 15:40
INT DSN, Special Weight, 4-Year-Olds & Up, Open Class, Value of race: 232,860,000 Yen

-- replay (Japanese)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CA06Biijyoo

[tachyon]

In the February Stakes, I like the son of Lemon Drop Kid, too!!
Lemon Pop should race off the pace.
And I will keep an eye on Red le Zele from the same sire-line as Lemon Pop, too, who should close well with Meisho Hario if a hot pace develops.

Hope you bet.
That Meisho Hario was able to finish 3rd after that start was amazing.

Thank you, Flanders!
I had the exacta as well as the trio, luckily.
Lemon Pop(USA) was much the best, good looking winner for Godolphin.
Red le Zele had an excellent lead-up for the Dubai Golden Shaheen.
And what a run by Meisho Hario!!

[tachyon]

Race-favorite Lemon Pop(USA) won the February Stakes 1600m dirt at Tokyo under Ryusei Sakai to grab his first G1 title on Feb 19th 2023, improving his brilliant record to 11: 8-3-0.
The 5yo son of Lemon Drop Kid(USA) has the reputable (in my opinion, haha) Kingmambo - Storm Cat cross.
And his granddam Harpia(USA) is a full sister to the great Danehill(USA)!!!




-- replay (English)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-3S4Lz9eW4
1st 7 Lemon Pop(USA) [Lemon Drop Kid(USA) x Unreachable(USA) by Giant's Causeway(USA)] H5 58 01:35.6
2nd 15 Red le Zele(JPN) [Lord Kanaloa(JPN) x French Noir(JPN) by French Deputy(USA)] H7 58 01:35.8 1 1/2
3rd 6 Meisho Hario(JPN) [Pyro(USA) x Meiho Ohi(JPN) by Manhattan Cafe(JPN)] H6 58 01:36.2 2 1/2
4th 4 Dry Stout(JPN) C4 58 01:36.3 1
5th 8 Admire Lupus(JPN) G6 58 01:36.4 HD
6th 13 Speedy Kick(JPN) F4 56 01:36.6 1 1/2
7th 14 Helios(JPN) G7 58 01:36.6 NK
8th 11 Soliste Thunder(JPN) H8 58 01:36.9 1 1/2
9th 2 Shirl's Speight(USA) H6 58 01:37.2 1 3/4
10th 3 Kenshinko(JPN) H6 58 01:37.3 1/2
11th 12 Sekifu(JPN) C4 58 01:37.3 NK
12th 5 Auvergne(JPN) H7 58 01:37.4 NK
13th 16 Keiai Turquoise(JPN) H7 58 01:37.5 3/4
14th 10 T M South Dan(JPN) H6 58 01:38.1 3 1/2
15th 9 Shonan Nadeshiko(JPN) M6 56 01:38.8 4
16th 1 Jasper Prince(USA) H8 58 01:39.2 2




-- JRA Review
''Favorite Lemon Pop Claims Dirt G1 Title—February Stakes''
https://japanracing.jp/_news2023/pdf/230219.pdf

Lemon Pop(USA)
https://www.jbis.jp/horse/0001314074/

[Starine]

Not shocked at all that Lemon Pop won. But very shocked to hear that the connections think a mile is as far as he wants to go. Being by Lemon Drop Kid out of a Giant's Causeway mare, with the second dam being a full to Danehill... One would think he would love a route of ground.

[tachyon]

I'm pretty sure that Lemon Pop(USA) will be a popular stallion when he enters stud in Japan.

Lord Kanaloa(JPN)


Lemon Pop(USA)

[tachyon]

Thanks Evers@A_Evers for all these photos!

https://twitter.com/A_Evers/status/1629151631630794752

I'm happy to hear the 2024 Breeders Cup is returning to Del Mar, too!!

[tachyon]

Panthalassa(JPN) became a national hero in Japan!
To be honest, I couldn't imagine he would win the Saudi Cup at all.
But Yoshito Yahagi was totally right.
I know that many Japanese fans stayed up until 03:00 a.m. to witness Panthalassa's historic victory.




-- from @WHR

''Relive the 2023 Saudi Cup with team Panthalassa''
https://twitter.com/WHR/status/1629625791079411712

-- from BloodHorse Channel on youtube

''Saudi Cup Press Conference - Panthalassa''
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IP_3GYfPWfM

-- from racingpost

''There are no words to describe it' - glory for Japan as Panthalassa lands Saudi Cup''
https://www.racingpost.com/news/interna ... K08C6gRox/

Panthalassa moved up to Japan's second richest horse in history, with the first being Almond Eye.
Both champions are sired by Lord Kanaloa.

[Starine]

I felt confident a Japanese horse would win it; I just couldn't figure out which one. Didn't expect it to be Panthalassa though - especially since his one prior start on dirt did not show much. Kudos to the connections though for sending him in this spot. Hope to see him in the Dubai World Cup and Breeders' Cup Classic.

[tachyon]

I felt confident a Japanese horse would win it; I just couldn't figure out which one. Didn't expect it to be Panthalassa though - especially since his one prior start on dirt did not show much. Kudos to the connections though for sending him in this spot. Hope to see him in the Dubai World Cup and Breeders' Cup Classic.

Panthalassa has arrived at Dubai.
https://twitter.com/RacingDubai/status/ ... 1884773381

I guess that DWC will be his next start, even if Yahagi has not revealed the plan.
After Dubai, I personally hope he will be shipped to Europe to run in the Prince of Wales in Royal Ascot meet.
And I have a gut feel that he will run his swansong in the BC Classic (if he runs well again on the dirt in the DWC).
I suspect that his best distance is 9F, but he may stretch out to 10F with a loose lead.

[Mylute]

I would like it if Cafe Pharoah came to the US.

[tachyon]

Panthalassa moved up to Japan's second richest horse in history, with the first being Almond Eye.

I'm sorry I was not accurate on this.

JRA has announced that Panthalassa's career earnings was JPY1,844, 663,500, applying US$/JP¥ exchange rate quoted by Francegalop at the beginning of this year (1$ = 131.865¥) for all the money earned by Japanese horses outside of Japan this year.
Panthalassa is now Japan's third richest horse in history.

-- Top ten Japan-based horses by money earned (as of Feb 28th 2023)

1. Almond Eye(JPN)(Lord Kanaloa) JPY1,915,263,900.
2. Kitasan Black(JPN)(Black Tide) JPY1,876,843,000.
3. Panthalassa(JPN)(Lord Kanaloa) JPY1,844, 663,500.
4. T M Opera O(JPN)(Opera House) JPY1,835,189,000.
5. Gentildonna(JPN)(Deep Impact) JPY1,726,034, 000.
6. Orfevre(JPN)(Stay Gold) JPY1,576,213,000.
7. Buena Vista(JPN)(Special Week) JPY1,478,869,700.
8. Deep Impact(JPN)(Sunday Silence) JPY1,454,551,000.
9. Gold Ship(JPN)(Stay Gold) JPY1,397,767,000.
10. Vodka(JPN)(Tanino Gimlet) JPY1,333,565,800.

[tachyon]

Lemon Pop(USA)(Lemon Drop Kid) will be shipped to Dubai.
His connections are still undecided about which race (Golden Shaheen or Godolphin Mile) he will be aimed at.

[barbaro111]

I would like it if Cafe Pharoah came to the US.

Me too!

[tachyon]

-- from japanracing.jp

''Panthalassa lands Saudi Cup amid Japan hat-trick on Saudi Cup day''
https://japanracing.jp/_news2023/230227.html

[tachyon]

Breaking news!!
OMG! What an interesting move by a NAR trained horse!!

Mandarin Hero(JPN), 2020C. Shanghai Bobby(USA) x Namura Nadeshiko(JPN) by Fuji Kiseki(JPN), will run in the G1 Santa Anita Derby on April 9th. His record is 5: 4-1-0.
https://www.jbis.jp/horse/0001321663/

This is going to be the first time a NAR trained horse ships to the US to run in a stakes race over there.
I like his bold challenge!!!

-- from Tokyo City Keiba news (Japanese..)
https://www.tokyocitykeiba.com/news/58911/



-- replay of the Haiseiko Kinen 1600m dirt at Oi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gehwKftJK40

chart
https://www.jbis.jp/race/result/2022111 ... LjMxLjAuMA..

[Mylute]

Crazy and I love it.