17 January, 2023
This spring saw the Japanese travel to the Middle East in droves; whether it was their sheer numbers or the increasing strength of the Japanese thoroughbred, they dominated both the Saudi Cup on February 26th and the Dubai World Cup on March 26th.
In the middle of February this year, a record 12 horses made the flight over to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, more than double either of the two previous years. The Saudi Cup has quickly become a major draw for Japanese horses looking for a place to travel during a down period in top-level JRA racing.
The Japanese participated in six major races from the eight-race card; all awarded graded stakes status this year. The night kicked off with an authoritative performance by Authority (JPN) by Orfevre (JPN) in the 2100m G3 Neom Turf Cup, winning by a length and a quarter over Kaspar (GER) by Pivotal (GB). He broke sharp and never looked back, going wire to wire as if he was just out for an easy gallop.
It didn't take long for the Japanese to be back in the winners circle again, as the second race on the card, the 1351m G3 1351 Sprint Turf, was captured tantalizingly by Songline (JPN) by Kizuna (JPN). She came storming down the middle of the track battling Happy Romance (IRE) by Dandy Man (IRE) and holding off Casa Creed (USA) by Jimmy Creed (USA) to keep her neck in front. Two other Japanese participants in the race finished further down the field, with G1 winner Lauda Sion (JPN) by Real Impact (JPN) finishing 4th and Entscheiden (JPN) by Deep Impact (JPN) finishing 12th.
The hits didn't stop coming as immediately in the next race, Stay Foolish (JPN) by Stay Gold (JPN) put in a lifetime best performance when he too wired the 3000m G3 Red Sea Turf. For a second, as they turned for home, there was a moment where the race might have gone another way, but the six-year-old, who had not won a graded stakes race since May 2018, turned on his back burners and just pulled away from the field to win by four and a quarter lengths over Sonnyboyliston (IRE) by Power (GB).
The local population got a brief break from the Japanese domination with a handicap for local horses and a race for Arabians. Still, the Japanese were right back at it with Sekifu (JPN) by Henny Hughes (USA) and Consigliere (JPN) by Drefong (USA) a close second and third to Pinehurst (USA) by Twirling Candy (USA) in the 1600m G3 Saudi Derby.
In race seven, the Japanese earned an astonishing fourth visit to the King Abdulaziz Racecourse's winners circle when Dancing Prince (JPN) by Pas de Trois (JPN) dominated the competition in the 1200m G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint to win by five and three-quarters lengths. Chain of Love (JPN) by Heart's Cry (JPN) put in a fantastic performance as well, finishing third, and last year's Riyadh Dirt Sprint winner Copano Kicking (USA) by Spring at Last (USA) overcame a bad trip to finish fourth. Breeders' Cup Distaff Heroine Marche Lorraine (JPN) by Orfevre (JPN) finished 6th, and 2021 JRA Champion Dirt horse T O Keynes (JPN) by Sinister Minister (USA) finished 8th in the 1800m G1 Saudi Cup to close out the event.
21 Japanese horses prepared to take on Dubai World Cup night a month later. Much like in Saudi Arabia, the Japanese managed to win the majority of races on the Dubai World Cup card, taking home trophies for five from nine races. Starting with the second race, the 1600m G2 Godolphin Mile, Bathrat Leon (JPN) by Kizuna (JPN) turned in an impressive performance going wire to wire in only his second dirt race. Soliste Thunder (JPN) by Toby's Corner (USA) finished 4th, and Full Flat (USA) by Speightstown (USA) finished 14th.
Stay Foolish (JPN), who had traveled straight from Saudi Arabia to Dubai, pushed his impressive win streak to two with another career-best performance in the 3200m G2 Dubai Gold Cup. Though he was boxed in for much of the race, he managed to slip out down the stretch to capture the race by half a length over Manobo (IRE) by Sea the Stars (IRE). Veloce Oro (JPN) by Gold Ship (JPN) finished 7th.
Unfortunately, the next race wasn't one the Japanese were able to dominate with Lauda Sion (JPN) and Entscheiden (JPN), who both came over from Saudi Arabia and finished 9th and 12th in the 1200m G1 Al Quoz Sprint.
The Japanese were back on top again, however, in the 1900m G2 UAE Derby when Crown Pride (JPN) by Reach the Crown (JPN) punched his ticket to the Kentucky Derby in the United States with a dominating two and three-quarters lengths win. Other Japanese runners Reiwa Homare (JPN) by Deep Brillante (JPN), Sekifu (JPN), and Combustion (JPN) by Discreet Cat (USA) finished 6th, 8th, and 11th, respectively.
Throughout the initial stages of the 1200m Dubai Golden Shaheen, it looked like the Japanese were not going to be a factor due to bad starts for the pair of runners in the field. But showing brilliant speed, Red le Zele (JPN) by Lord Kanaloa (JPN) flew down the stretch to finish second to Switzerland (USA) by Speightstown (USA) by just a length and three quarters. Chain of Love (JPN), who came straight from Saudi Arabia, also made up a massive amount of ground to finish a respectable 4th.
The Japanese were far from over for the night, however, and in one of the most significant moments of the night, Panthalassa (JPN) by Lord Kanaloa (JPN) dead-heated with Lord North (IRE) by Dubawi (IRE) to take home the 1800m G1 Dubai Turf for Japan as well. Vin de Garde (JPN) by Deep Impact (JPN) put in a stellar performance as well, finishing just a nose away to be placed third. Schnell Meister (GER) by Kingman (GB) finished 8th.
The second to last race on the card had the most Japanese horses entered. The 2410m G1 Dubai Sheema Classic hadfive fantastic Japanese runners hoping to take home the top prize against some of the world's best stayers. Still, it was 2021 Japanese Derby hero Shahryar (JPN) by Deep Impact (JPN) who found his way to the lead in the final strides getting his neck in front of Yibir (GB) by Dubawi (IRE). Authority (JPN), who had come straight from Saudi Arabia, was half a length back in third. The other Japanese contenders Uberleben(JPN) by Gold Ship (JPN), Glory Vase (JPN) by Deep Impact(JPN), and Stella Veloce (JPN) by Bago (FR) finished 5th, 8th, and 9th, respectively.
There was only one Japanese runner in the 2000m G1 Dubai World Cup, the night's last race. Chuwa Wizard (JPN) by King Kamehameha (JPN) had impressed last year, finishing second, and was back hoping to finish one better this time. However, it was Country Grammer (USA) by Tonalist (USA) who took home the main prize with Hot Rod Charlie (USA) by Oxbow (USA) a length and three quarters back in second. Chuwa Wizard (JPN) did perform admirably on the day finishing just a half a length back in third.
The month and a half long Middle Eastern odyssey earned the Japanese a fantastic amount of international admiration and attention from all sectors of the global horse racing industry. They won nine graded stakes races and had a pair of seconds, five third-place finishes, and two fourth-place finishes. It was a back-to-back tour de force that the racing world will be talking about for years to come and a herald of what is likely a lot more glory the Japanese will be seeking on the international stage.
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Satomi Oka (Ms)
Satomi Oka Bloodstock Pty Ltd
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