Racing in Japan

[BaroqueAgain1]

Well, that was brutal, but Kitasan Black showed every bit of his class to hold off the 2nd horse, who I think was Satono Crown. His rider may have made the winning move by bringing KB up the rail, which everyone else was avoiding. The ground he saved may have made the difference.

[lurkey mclurker]

omfg I can't believe it the Dubai Racing stream (which is abt 10 minutes delay) cut out JUST AS THEY WERE GOING TO THE GATE.

!@#$%$#@#$#@#$%$#@#$%$#$%!!!!!!

(I was already spoiled by twitter but I still wanted to SEE IT!!!!)

[tachyon]

1st. Kitasan Black
2nd. Satono Crown
3rd. Rainbow Line

2016 HOTY Kitasan Black was always Kitasan Black!!
Yutaka Take gave him the best ride, too.

[tachyon]

Kitasan Balck became the second richest racehorse in the Japanese racing history following TM Opera O.

-- replay (Japanese)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vOj1aG5FA8
1st 7 Kitasan Black(JPN) [Black Tide(JPN) x Sugar Heart(JPN) by Sakura Bakushin O(JPN)] H5 58 02:08.3
2nd 2 Satono Crown(JPN) [Marju(IRE) x Jioconda(IRE) by Rossini(USA)] H5 58 02:08.3 NK
3rd 8 Rainbow Line(JPN) [Stay Gold(JPN) x Regenbogen(JPN) by French Deputy(USA)] C4 58 02:08.7 2 1/2
4th 4 Real Steel(JPN) H5 58 02:09.5 5
5th 15 Makahiki(JPN) C4 58 02:09.5 HD
6th 9 Soul Stirring(JPN) F3 54 02:09.7 1 1/2
7th 6 Decipher(JPN) H8 58 02:09.9 3/4
8th 1 Sakura Empereur(JPN) H6 58 02:10.2 2
9th 13 Greater London(JPN) H5 58 02:10.4 1 1/4
10th 12 Staphanos(JPN) H6 58 02:10.5 1/2
11th 5 Yamakatsu Ace(JPN) H5 58 02:10.8 2
12th 10 Mikki Rocket(JPN) C4 58 02:10.9 NK
13th 3 Neorealism(JPN) H6 58 02:12.0 7
14th 11 Lord Vent d'Or(JPN) C4 58 02:14.4 DS
15th 18 Sciacchetra(JPN) C4 58 02:15.1 4
16th 16 Cadenas(JPN) C3 56 02:15.8 4
17th 17 One and Only(JPN) H6 58 02:16.3 3
18th 14 Satono Aladdin(JPN) H6 58 02:16.9 3 1/2

[lurkey mclurker]

Thanks for the replay, tachyon! Looks like both Yutaka Take & Mirco Demuro benefited from stalking up the rail... what a great finish! I think Mr Black knew *exactly* where the finish was.

Watching him on the trot back, with ears pricked & looking around, you could tell he knew he'd won.

ETA: a gorgeous series of photographs here:

https://twitter.com/kiyo_makarios/statu ... 6392815618

ETA this too (via twitter):

[lurkey mclurker]

Posted today to Twitter... Mr Black was very, very fortunate to overcome some trouble at the start of the Tenno Sho. Gate malfunction, or did he break early & then get nearly hit by it? Either way, one lucky boy (two if you count Yutaka Take!)...

https://twitter.com/NW8626/status/924929757749198848

[tachyon]

I watched the 1991 replay as I had not seen Mejiro McQueen actually race... I saw in the post-race inquiry that he came over a little bit, but surely not enough to be placed LAST??? The inside horse with the blaze came out at the same time and seemed to me to contribute far more to the pinch & pile-up (which was very scary, I'm glad nobody went down!), but it was Mejiro McQueen who was disqualified??

Here's the patrol video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L27mhEErYLA

That was remembered by the Japanese fans as one of the most controversial decisions ever made by the JRA stewards.
Mejiro McQueen became the first horse in JRA history to be disqualified from the first place in G1 events.
Personally I don't disagree with the final decision in the 1991 Tenno Sho Autumn.
Yutaka Take could have been a bit more careful as he rushd into the first corner from the outside post especially riding at 2000m turf at Tokyo Course whose lead-up straight to the first corner was unusually short.

We may also conclude that it was rather JRA's fault who ran the important G1 at a course with such a risky setting.
After that incident in 1991, Tokyo Course has been renovated and its 2000m turf course now has a little bit longer lead-up before the first corner. But it remains a very difficult run for the jockeys.
Tokyo Course has sometimes been compared to the Belmont Park Course.
But I believe that Tokyo's 2000m turf's start remains more dangerous than the Belmont's 10F dirt start.

Tokyo course (now)


Belmont Park

[lurkey mclurker]

Getting excited about the potential field of fillies & mares for next week's G1 QEII Cup!

[tachyon]

I'm all for Rouge Buck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (of course)
The four-time GSW gets Ryan Moore in quest for her first victory at the highest level.

[Kurenai]

I didn't look if someone already posted a link to this documentary. It's really worth watching! From breeding to racing, to the organization, showcasing the greatest japanese Thoroughbreds... was wonderful to watch.

Global Impact - The Rice Of the Japanese Thoroughbred

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IywC3QwJJuk

[Ridan_Remembered]

Posted today to Twitter... Mr Black was very, very fortunate to overcome some trouble at the start of the Tenno Sho. Gate malfunction, or did he break early & then get nearly hit by it? Either way, one lucky boy (two if you count Yutaka Take!)...

https://twitter.com/NW8626/status/924929757749198848

Wow, that's one nasty break. He was lucky, indeed, both at the gate and moments afterwards when he collided with the other horse.

[Ridan_Remembered]

Kurenai, thank you so much for posting the link to "Global Impact - The Rice Of the Japanese Thoroughbred." What a wonderful treat it was to watch it. We here in the U.S., birthplace of Sunday Silence, could benefit greatly by adopting some of the Japanese methods of raising and training our Thoroughbreds, and of managing our racing industry. I am so impressed with how the JRA manages racing and betting, and with the huge interest the Japanese people have in the sport. It's heartbreaking to me to see the decline in our sport as no one in the industry here has stepped up to do even half of what JRA does for Japanese racing.

[Kurenai]

I admire the whole racing product in Japan and I 100% agree with you. Glad you liked it as much as I did!

[lurkey mclurker]

G‏ @LongBallToNoOne 17h 17 hours ago

G1 2200m Queen Elizabeth Cup at Kyoto on Sunday worth ￥200,480,000

So many favorites, but I'm going to go with Lys Gracieux since she gets a 2kg allowance.

[lurkey mclurker]

G‏ @LongBallToNoOne
8h 8 hours ago

KITASAN BLACK 11 days out from mayhem #JapanCup

Sebastian Hahn‏ @SebHahn
11h 11 hours ago

Guignol (GER) and Iquitos (GER) enjoying there first steps in Japan! @HorseRacing_JPN #japancup

http://www.pedigreequery.com/guignol5
http://www.pedigreequery.com/iquitos7


Also... apparently the JRA has commissioned a robot horse to promote the Japan Cup...

G‏ @LongBallToNoOne
10h 10 hours ago

The horse is a robot clone of 2009 G1 February Stakes winner SUCCESS BROKEN (Symboli Kris S) who is now a JRA clerk horse, show jumper etc

https://twitter.com/twitter/statuses/930731732331929600

[Starine]

Guignol and Iquitos are lovely horses and it's exciting to see them run outside their native Germany. Although I'm probably one of the few who prefers Guignol.

[nikita]

Guignol and Iquitos are lovely horses and it's exciting to see them run outside their native Germany. Although I'm probably one of the few who prefers Guignol.

Well, then I'll join you in the 'club of the few'. I really love Guignol's pedigree and a good run in Japan would give a boost to his value as a stallion later on.

Besides his pedigree, he seems like a sweet character -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJwJNOMgOt0

[Kurenai]

Funnily enough, I know Guignol's trainer from way back when I used to work/help out at the track (grooming, hot walking, riding etc) and he was a jockey in Austria (under trainer Gerard Martin). Hard to believe that was 25 years ago already. Guess I kinda have to root for him, although (to be honest) I don't think he'll win this. However, nice to see them try!

[lurkey mclurker]

Here's another of the popular Guignol (GER)


source: https://twitter.com/SebHahn/status/931054777298976775

[Starine]

Thanks for the video and photo of Guignol. I too am a fan of his pedigree. But I wouldn't be unhappy to see Iquitos triumph either.