Rinaldo Del Gallo, III
By: Rinaldo Del Gallo, III
It is way past time we stop talking about an “up and coming” Japanese breeding industry and henceforth recognize their international dominance.
In this year’s 2023 Saudi Cup, the world’s richest horse race, PANTHALASSA (JPN) b. H, 2017 {9-f} won, and CAFE PHAROAH (USA) b. H, 2017 {1-k} took third. Café Pharoah was American bred and born, but is a horse based in Japan with Japanese connections. The Japanese GEOGLYPH (JPN) ch. H, 2019 {19} was fourth.
Japanese Panthalassa wins the Saudi Cup, handling the inside gate
Japan doesn’t always dominate. While on the Saudi Cup undercard no Japanese horse was in the money in the Neom Turf Cup, last year AUTHORITY (JPN) b. H, 2017 {16-a} won the race while being 3rd last year’s Dubai Sheema Classic.
Authority wins the 2022 Neom Turf Cup on the Saudi Cup undercard
In the $1.5 million 1351 Turf Sprint Stakes (G3T) Feb. 25, 2023 at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Saudi Cup undercard, BATHRAT LEON (JPN) b. H, 2018 {6-f} beat the American runner CASA CREED (USA) b. H, 2016 {5-i}. Last year Bathrat Leon won the 1 mile Godolphin Mile (a dirt race) on the Dubai World Cup undercard. It is worth mentioning, the horse that came in 3rd in this year’s Godolphin Mile, ATLETICO EL CULANO (URU) ch. H, 2016 {9-g}, is one of the last horses of the Teddy/Ormonde sire line. Bathrat Leon did not repeat in the Godolphin Mile though he entered–Bathrat Leon came in 4th in the Godolphin Mile this year (2023).
Bathrat Leon best Cassa Creed in the 2023 Turf Sprint Stakes on the Saudi Cup undercard
Bathrat Leon wins the 2022 Godolphin Mile
It was utterly incredible in Dubai on World Cup night of 2023.
Okay, in the $1 Million dollar Dubai Gold Cup, a 2-mile race in the vein of the Melbourne Cup or Ascot Gold Cup or the Prix Royal-Oak, there were no American, Australian, or Japanese horses. Last year, however, the Japanese horse STAY FOOLISH (JPN) b. H, 2015 {5-g} won it.
Stay Foolish wins the 2-mile, million-dollar, Dubai Gold Cup in a spectacular finish
In the 2023 UAE Derby this year, a dirt race that is a prep race for the Kentucky Derby, Japan took 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th. DERMA SOTOGAKE (JPN) ch. C, 2020 {12} (sired by Mind your Biscuits, 3rd in the Saudi Derby) won, DURA EREDE (JPN) dkb/br. C, 2020 {1-w} took second, CONTINUAR (JPN) ch. C, 2020 {8-f} came in 3rd, and PERRIERE (JPN) b. C, 2020 {3-l} came in 4th picking up his first loss in 4 starts. Last year the Japanese horse CROWN PRIDE (JPN) dkb/br. C, 2019 {5-g} won, who was a respectable 5th in the 15 horse Dubai World Cup field, ahead of Country Grammer. I see an appearance of a Japanese horse in the past UAE Derbies, such as the third by YU CHANGE (JPN) dkb/br. H, 2013 {13-b} in 2016, but nothing like the 1-4 spots of this year.
Japanese horses take 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th in the 2023 UAE Derby
The $2 Million DUBAI GOLDEN SHAHEEN—a sprint race, was American horses for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th, and Japanese horses did not appear until the 5th and 6th spots.
In the $5 Million Dubai Turf (the mile 1/8 race on turf) the best placed American horse was 4th, and a Japanese horse took 2nd–DANON BELUGA (JPN) b. H, 2019 {16-a}. Another Japanese horse took 4th, SERIFOS (JPN) ch. H, 2019 {9-e}. (It was Lord North’s third win at the Dubai Turf—I believe the only time a horse has won the same race thrice, although THUNDER SNOW (IRE) b. H, 2014 {4-k} took the Dubai World Cup twice and won the UAE Derby.) In last year’s Dubai Turf, PANTHALASSA (JPN) b. H, 2017 {9-f} dead-heated with Lord North for first, a race Lord North won again this year.
Panthalassa dead heats with Lord North for the 2022 Dubai Turf
Panthalassa entered the Dubai World Cup after his Saudi Cup win, and went screaming fast to get the lead, and faded because he blew his energy at the start. It was his 2022 Longines Hong Kong Cup all over again—a brilliant rush to the front and fade. Last year VIN DE GARDE (JPN) b. H, 2016 {1-k} was 3rd in the Dubai Turf and in 2021 he was second in the same race. Shirl’s Speight, the only American horse in the race, took 4th.
The Japanese filly ALMOND EYE (JPN) b. M, 2015 {8-f} won the race in Dubai Turf in 2019, the year before the pandemic, and the Japanese filly VIVLOS (JPN) blk. M, 2013 {12-c} took second. Vivlos was also second in 2018, and actually won the race in 2017! In 2016, the Japanese horse REAL STEEL (JPN) b. H, 2012 {20} won the Dubai Turf. The filly DEIRDRE (JPN) b. M, 2014 {B3} was 3rd in 2018—a fun pedigree in that her 13th dam is WRANGLE M, 1875 {B3}, a daughter of UMPIRE (USA) ch. H, 1857 {12-b}, whose was a ½ brother to the famous Lexington. JUST A WAY (JPN) b. H, 2009 {2-n} won the Dubai Turf in 2014. Dierdre dead-headed with Real Steel in 2018 for third. Real Steel won the Dubai Turf in 2016 and did not run in the race in 2017.
The Japanese mare Gentledonna wins the 2015 Dubai Turf
Japanese Real Steal wins the 2016 Dubai Turf. A son of Deep Impact, his 3rd dam was Misque, winner of the Breeder’s Cup Mile, the 1,000 Guineas, and the dam of Kingmambo
The Japanese horses in nearly identical silks tie for third in the 2018 Dubai Turf, Diedre and Real Steel (the 2016 winner)
Japan has been well represented in this race. ADMIRE MOON (JPN) b. H, 2003 {7-f} won in 2007 in the Dubai Turf when the Japanese horse DAIWA MAJOR (JPN) ch. H, 2001 {4-d} came in 3rd.
The Japanese horse Admire Moon wins the “Dubai Duty Free,” today called the Dubai Turf–the great Lava Man came in last. Admire’s sire the American bred End Sweep finished his stallion career in Japan
In the $6-million-dollar Longines Dubai Sheema Classic, the 1 ½ mile race, EQUINOX (JPN) blk/br. H, 2019 {16-b} won, who the announcers kept calling the best horse in the world. Perhaps that is too high a praise for a horse that lost to the aforementioned GEOGLYPH (JPN) ch. H, 2019 {19}, but who can deny that his performance was not of the highest caliber. Equinox did set a new course record, but the course is only a few years old.
Equinox, the “Titan of the World’s Turf,” scores for Japan in the Dubai Sheema Classic
Heart’s Cry wins the 2006 Dubai Sheema Classic, while one of the last great descendants of the Byerley Turk sire line, Collier Hill, takes second
Europe took 3-4, and Japanese horses took 5 and 6th. No American horse was entered in the Dubai Sheema Classic. HEART’S CRY (JPN) b. H, 2001 {6-a} won the Dubai Sheema Classic in 2006, a notable sire who sired JUST A WAY (JPN) b. H, 2009 {2-n} mentioned above. The mare GENTILDONNA (JPN) b. M, 2009 {16-f} won the 2014 Dubai Sheema Classic and was second in the 2013 rendition to the ill-fated St. Nicholas Abby (who also won the race and was second the year prior).
Gentildonna wins the 2014 Dubai Sheema Classic. Cirrus Des Aigles takes second after winning the race two years prior–one of the last great Byerley Turk sire line horses
On the big stage this year, the Dubai World Cup, a race that Americans should excel at, when Japan won again. USHBA TESORO (JPN) b. H, 2017 {9-f} won the Dubai World Cup. I once again had the Japanese horse—just the wrong Japanese horse—when I saw Panthalassa charging to the front in a ridiculous burst of speed, suckering me in with his Saudi Cup win.
Ushba Tesoro wins 2023 the Dubai World Cup. Note Panthalassa blowing a lot of breadth at the beginning trying to get the lead from the outside gate–he had the inside most gate in the Saudi Cup.
Panthalassa goes way out front in the Hong Kong Cup and blows the lead as he did in the Dubai World Cup
Horses such as MARCHE LORRAINE (JPN) b. M, 2016 {7-d}, winner of the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Distaff are becoming less and less infrequent. (I almost had her but cancelled and went with a place bet on a favorite, to my regret.) DELTA BLUES (JPN) b. H, 2001 {3-d} won the 2006 Melbourne Cup.
Marche Lorraine 45-1 wins the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Distaff in a desperately close race
Japanese Delta Blues wins the 2006 Melbourne Cup. A Japanese horse also took second, Pop Rocks. It was Japan 1-2 and a very close race
ORFEVRE (JPN) ch. H, 2008 {8-c}, found in the pedigrees of many of the horses today, was twice 2nd in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in 2012 and 2013. NAKAYAMA FESTA (JPN) b. H, 2006 {3-h} was second in the Arc in 2010. American bred horses have won that race, such as PEINTRE CELEBRE (USA) ch. H, 1994 {9} in 1997, or the 4-4 LAMMTARRA (USA) ch. H, 1992 {22-b}(who also won the Derby and the King George), or TREMPOLINO (USA) ch. H, 1984 {26} in 1987 and DANCING BRAVE (USA) b. H, 1983 {3-d} the year prior in 1986, but it has been a while. By the way, Dancing Brave ended his career as a stallion in Japan, and Lammtarra primarily stood in Japan.
Orfevre is the sire of Marche Lorraine, damsire of DURA EREDE (JPN) dkb/br. C, 2020 (2nd in the UAE Derby), and last but certainly not least, the sire of Dubai World Cup winner USHBA TESORO (JPN) b. H, 2017 {9-f}. EQUINOX (JPN) blk/br. H, 2019 {16-b}, winner of the Dubai Sheema Classic and regarded by the announcers as the best horse in the world, has Dancing Brave as the sire of KING HALO (JPN) b. H, 1995 {8-h}, and King Halo in turn in the damsire of EQUINOX (JPN) blk/br. H, 2019 {16-b}. Dancing Brave is in 2021 Breeders Cup Distaff winner MARCHE LORRAINE (JPN) b. M, 2016 {7-d}, as the sire of Marche Lorraine’s second dam. According to pedigreequery.com, Dancing Brave “entered stud in 1987 at Dalham Hall Stud, England; standing at Shizunai Stallion Station, Japan, in 1991.” Dancing Brave died of a heart attack on August 2, 1999.
Japanese Triple Crown winners Orfevre narrowly missed the Arc–short documentary. He would have been the first Japanese to win the Arc
Japanese Triple Crown winner is game to take 2nd in the 2013 Arc in Treve’s first victory
It happened a lot—Arc winner TONY BIN (IRE) b. H, 1983 {19-b} sired Equinox’s second dam, and Tony Bin stood in Japan. So there has been some history of Japan getting top foreign talent.
Tony Bin wins the Arc in 1988 after being second in 1987 to Trempolino. (The great Reference Point was not in the money.) Irish bred, mostly Italian raced, Tony Bin was destined to stand in Japan and is in many pedigrees today. Tony Bin was the leading sire in Japan in 1994, the year before the 13 years Sunday Silence was the leading sire
Dancing Brave wins the 1986 Arc de Triomphe in a great field. Dancing Brave had Japanese crops from 1993-2000. Some consider that race the greatest ever. The video is a big horrible, but Dancing Brave was number 12 and did have a very white face
Equinox’s pedigree. Note Dancing Brave and Tony Bin–two Arc winners who stood in Japan, in Equinox’s pedigree. (Yes, Alleged is in there also, but his daughter was imported in utero and twice Arc winner Alleged did not stand in Japan.)
https://www.pedigreequery.com/equinox29
It is an old story—if you look at MEJIRO MCQUEEN (JPN) gr. H, 1987 {7-c}, in the blood of GOLD SHIP (JPN) gr. H, 2009 {16-h} and Orfervre. Or if you look at KITASAN BLACK (JPN) br. H, 2012 {9-g}, the sire of Equinox, you can find the blood of TSUKITOMO (JPN) ch. H, 1932 {19-b}, a son of Man O’War. There was a horse named ALZADA (USA) ch. M, 1923 {19-b}. She was mated to Man O’War to produce a winner by the name of FLASHING COLORS (USA) ch. G, 1930 {19-b} and then was mated to Man O’War again and sent in utero to Japan—the resulting cold was TSUKITOMO (JPN) ch. H, 1932 {19-b}, which pedigree query dot com describes as “the foundation sire of many Japanese thoroughbreds.” He was unraced by had many stakes winners. Alzada’s female line lasted quite a while as well. TOKAI TEIO (JPN) b. H, 1988 {19-b}, the 1991 Japanese Horse of the Year descends from her.
After the Saudi Cup Day and the Dubai World Cup of 2023, it is time to regard Japan as one of the premier breeds of thoroughbreds in the world. Japan clearly did much better than America this year in the Middle East. As little as 30 years ago, arguably 20 years ago, Japan did not breed horses that could win on the international stage, although they certainly produced racehorses with high winnings because of their purses. Today, as this year’s Saudi Cup Day and Dubai World Cup day demonstrate, Japan produces extraordinary horses capable of beating Europe and North America’s finest.
If current rates continue, I could see more spectacular international wins by Japanese horses, including wins in Breeders Cup Races, more wins in the Saudi Cup and undercard, or wins on Dubai World Cup Day. I can even imagine a win in the Arc.
