A 12 months in the past, 9 runners from Japan participated within the Breeders’ Cup. At the moment, it was a document. That there can be extra horses making the voyage throughout the Pacific Ocean for the Breeders’ Cup this weekend wouldn’t have shocked anybody.
However reasonably than incremental change, Japanese connections have kicked within the proverbial door to this 12 months’s world championship at Del Mar with 19 contenders making the journey.
The explanations for the rising curiosity are assorted, however irrespective of who you ask one theme is constant: the will to win on the game’s largest weekend.
The final time the Breeders’ Cup was in Del Mar in 2021, it was a trigger for celebration in Japan. Loves Solely You turned the primary Japanese-based horse to win a Breeders’ Cup, capturing the Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Then, Marche Lorraine adopted up with an upset win within the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
Might this weekend change into a much bigger second for the nation’s horse racing followers?
Coach Hideyuki Mori isn’t any stranger to the Breeders’ Cup. He’s had 9 earlier runners on the World Championships and has 5 this 12 months, probably the most amongst Japanese trainers. He’s by no means received a Breeders’ Cup race, and if morning-line odds are to be believed, his greatest probability is with Ecoro Sieg, the 7-2 favourite within the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Dash which kicks off the 14 race sequence Friday afternoon.
A son of Twirling Sweet, Ecoro Sieg is undefeated in his two begins. First, he received by 5 lengths in a six-furlong debut, ending 0.2 seconds off the course document. He adopted that up by breaking a 23-year-old Nakayama Racecourse document for 1,200 meters, which proved to be the quickest time the Japan Racing Affiliation has recorded within the historical past of the Canna Stakes (1:07.2).
Mori, talking by way of a translator, merely stated, “He has nice velocity so he can deal with the race right here.”
One of many better-known Japanese contenders is Derma Sotogake.
After falling brief by one size in final 12 months’s Longines Breeders’ Cup Traditional, the gifted 4-year-old is again hoping to avenge that loss. He joins Endlessly Younger, a near-miss third on this 12 months’s Kentucky Derby Offered by Woodford Reserve, and Ushba Tesoro, who ran fifth within the 2023 Longines Traditional, as Japan-based contenders for the $7 million Traditional Saturday night.
Typically unfamiliarity with the distinction in monitor surfaces in the USA in comparison with Japan can contribute to a horse’s outcomes. However Derma Sotogake is nicely traveled, having raced at Santa Anita Park and within the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs final 12 months, in addition to different worldwide spots – Meydan Racecourse and King Abdulaziz Racecourse.
Assistant coach Masatoshi Segawa stated the colt is in “superb situation” and has been “very enthusiastic in coaching.”
This 12 months, Derma Sotogake has solely raced thrice with a deal with among the sport’s larger occasions. He completed fifth within the Saudi Cup and sixth within the Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline (Ushba Tesoro was second in each races). Since then, Derma Sotogake has solely had a single tune-up race for the Breeders’ Cup by which he completed fifth. He’ll put on blinkers within the Traditional.
“That is the largest goal for Derma Sotogake and us since he completed second on this race final 12 months,” Segawa stated by way of a translator. “We’d wish to get revenge for ending second. We have now been concentrating on this race all year long, so we hope to do our greatest.”
One other outstanding Japanese runner is Superior End result. Like lots of her compatriots at this 12 months’s Breeders’ Cup, Superior End result was bred in the USA, then bought and skilled in Japan.
By Justify, Superior Result’s undefeated in seven begins and is just getting stronger. Her rider, Yutaka Take, stated that one of many spectacular components of Superior End result’s growth has been that she’s proven “one other capability, one other potential” with every race.
Because the 4-1 third selection on the morning line within the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff, she may have to seek out one other capability or no less than mix all the ones she has developed in an effort to run down favored Thorpedo Anna. Take stated the Distaff would be the deepest and most gifted subject his cost has ever confronted.
“She wants to totally exert herself 120% to compete in opposition to Thorpedo Anna and that sort of horse,” Take stated through a translator.
Different Japanese contenders to control embrace:
Don Frankie within the Cygames Breeders’ Cup Dash: Once you catch a glimpse of this bodily imposing horse, it would result in the query: How does he dash? The reply is from the entrance. He’s completed first or second in 12 of his 17 profession begins. After beginning the 12 months with a disappointing ninth within the February Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse, he bounced again with a second within the Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored by Nakheel. In that race, he was unable to carry the lead down the stretch. With one warm-up race since then, the 1,300-pound-plus Don Frankie could not depart the remainder of the dash subject with another choice moreover getting out of his manner.
American Bikini within the NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies: A stablemate of Don Frankie, American Bikini is the daughter of American Pharoah and can change into the primary Breeders’ Cup runner for coach Takashi Saito when she leaves the gate. The third morning-line selection (5-1) within the Juvenile Fillies, American Bikini completed second in her maiden race at six furlongs. Then, after triumphing in a five-furlong follow-up, she received once more, this time at seven furlongs. Whereas she is beginning to spherical into kind, American Bikini has a possible benefit when she will get into the beginning gate: Ryan Moore, arguably the best jockey on Earth, will likely be within the irons.
