Exclusive Topics forJAPAN AUTUMN INTERNATIONAL 2021
2nd Edition

October 2021
The Japan Racing Association

Through strict observance of COVID-19 protocols, JRA has gratefully managed to continue holding
horse races for much of 2021. The year didn’t start out to look that way, however, when JRA wasobliged to turn away spectators for a race meeting at Nakayama Racecourse from January 9, the day
after states of emergency were declared in Tokyo and three other prefectures due to a third wave ofinfections hitting Japan from the end of 2020. Thereafter, a plan to accept limited spectators in theKanto area until early April was cancelled and all attendance at races was cancelled again from April
25 to May 9 when another state of emergency was announced. Thereafter, however, JRA waspermitted to accept limited attendance, except for the summer meeting at Fukushima after thegrandstand was damaged during an earthquake in February.
The postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games finally opened on July 23, followed by the Paralympic
Games on August 24, amid divided public opinion on the advisability of staging a major international
event during an ongoing global pandemic. JRA played a major role in helping to ensure the successof the equestrian event, not only by providing use of Equestrian Park (Baji Koen) in Setagaya-ku,
Tokyo as the main venue, but also by providing its own veterinary specialists and horse transportationvans to ensure safe, smooth operations.
Due to concerns about Tokyo’s hot and humid summer weather, the Olympic Games organizers
shifted the marathon on August 7 and 8 to Sapporo on the northern (cooler) island of Hokkaido. Inresponse, JRA races in Sapporo, which normally begin in July, had to be broken into two separate
periods—three weeks from the second week of June and four weeks from the third week of August.
While attendance has been restricted to a maximum of 5,000 at each venue, JRA has seen anexpansion of online wagering after introducing a new system during the seven-month period of racing1without spectators. As a result, total sales have recovered strongly since the initial setback brought onby the pandemic. As of October 3, day 218 in the 288-day annual schedule, sales totaled ¥2.27 trillion,
a 5.1% increase over the same period last year. For perspective, sales slumped sharply after the Great
East Japan Earthquake in 2011 and then recovered slowly in the ensuing nine years. The best two
increases were 4.4% in 2012, mainly due to a resumption of the regular schedule, and 3.7% in 2014.
The last time the 5% mark was exceeded was back in 1996. In fact, 2021 could be the first year toreach ¥3 trillion, a feat not accomplished since 2003.
Although going abroad to race was virtually halted for Japanese horses early last year, overseas
endeavors have gradually resumed since last fall. Normcore (JPN, by Harbinger) and Danon Smash(JPN, H6, by Lord Kanaloa) won the Hong Kong Cup (G1, 2,000m) and the Hong Kong Sprint (G1,1,200m), respectively, last December. This year, overseas challenges kicked off in March for fourJapanese runners, all of whom finished second in their respective races on Dubai World Cup Day,including Chrono Genesis (JPN, M5, by Bago) in the Dubai Sheema Classic (G1, 2,410m). In Hong
Kong’s Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1, 2,000m) in April, Japanese runners in a seven-horse fielddominated the top four finishes, led by winner Loves Only You (JPN, M5, by Deep Impact). In thePrix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1, 2,400m), Chrono Genesis and Deep Bond (JPN, C4, by Kizuna)
both struggled with the soft turf and were unable to meet the high expectations, finishing seventh andlast, respectively, in a 14-horse field. JRA wagers on the French G1 race, however, approached ¥ 5.39
billion, highest ever since JRA began selling overseas-race tickets in 2016.
(contributed by Kenichi Nomoto, Nikkei)The Sprinter Stakes (1,200m), JRA’s first fall G1 event, was won
by Pixie Knight (JPN, C3, by Maurice), who became the first
three-year-old since Aston Machan in 2007 to claim the fall sprint
title. The Maurice colt will head for the Hong Kong Sprint together
with Danon Smash, who will attempt a second consecutive winin Hong Kong despite having finished sixth in the Sprinters Stakes
due to a lack of finishing speed.

Schnell Meisterin the 2021 Mainichi Okan

Pixie Knight in the 2021 Sprinters Stakes

In the Mainichi Okan (G2, 1,800m) at Tokyo Racecourse on
October 10, NHK Mile Cup (G1, 1,600m) winner Schnell Meister(GER, C3, by Kingman) won by a head at the wire to Yasuda
Kinen (G1, 1,600m) champion Danon Kingly (JPN, H5, by Deep
Impact). Both horses are expected to start in the Mile
Championship (G1, 1,600m) on November 21. Meanwhile, Dubai
Turf (G1, 1,800m) runner-up Vin de Garde (JPN, H5, by Deep2Impact) finished eighth in the Mainichi Okan and is now slated to fly to the US for the Breeders’
Cup Mile (G1, 1,600m) on November 6.
The Kyoto Daishoten (G2, 2,400m), held on the same day as theMainichi Okan, was won by ninth-favorite and 2016 TokyoYushun (Japanese Derby, G1, 2,400m) champion Makahiki(JPN, H8, by Deep Impact), who picked up his first victory infive years. Race-favorite and last year’s Kikuka Sho (Japanese St.
Leger, G1, 3,000m) runner-up Aristoteles (JPN, C4, byEpiphaneia) missed by a nose in second to deny him a second Makahiki in the 2021 Kyoto Daishoten
grade-race title after the American Jockey Club Cup (G2, 2,200m) in January. Both Makahiki andAristoteles will start in the Japan Cup (G1, 2,400m) on November 28.
The Tenno Sho (Autumn) (G1, 2,000m) on October 31 will feature 2020 Triple Crown winner
Contrail (JPN, C4, by Deep Impact), whose connections have announced his retirement following
final starts in the Tenno Sho and the Japan Cup. Other notable runners will include the Tenno Sho(Spring) (G1, 3,200m) victor World Premiere (JPN, H5, by Deep Impact), 2020 Best Sprinter or
Miler Gran Alegria (JPN, M5, by Deep Impact) and the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, G1,2,000m) champion Efforia (JPN, C3, by Epiphaneia).
In the Fuchu Himba Stakes (G2, 1,800m), the trial race held on
October 16 towards the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1, 2,200m) on

Shadow Divain the 2021 Fuchu Himba Stakes

November 14, Shadow Diva (JPN, M5, by Heart’s Cry) claimed
her first career grade-race title. Race-favorite Magic Castle (JPN,F4, by Deep Impact), who was third in the Victoria Mile (G1,1,600m), and second-favorite Des Ailes (JPN, F4, by DeepImpact), who won the Hanshin Himba Stakes (G2, 1,600m),
disappointed to 15th and 16th, respectively.

The last leg of the three-year-old fillies Triple, the Shuka Sho (G1,2,000m) on October 17, was won by Akaitorino Musume (JPN,F3, by Deep Impact), following in the footsteps of her dam
Apapane, who also won the title (and thereby became a triple
crown filly) in 2010. The Deep Impact filly will next challenge her
seniors in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup.

Akaitorino Musumein the 2021 Shuka Sho

The Queen Elizabeth II Cup field will also include Win Marilyn (JPN, F4, by Screen Hero), theOsaka Hai (G1, 2,000m) victor Lei Papale (JPN, F4, by Deep Impact), and the Victoria Mile runner-3

up Rambling Alley (JPN, M5, by Deep Impact), who finished first, fourth and seventh, respectively,in the All Comers (G2, 2,200m) on September 26.
In one Mile Championship trial, the Fuji Stakes (G2, 1,600m) on
October 23, the NHK Mile Cup runner-up Songline (JPN, F3, byKizuna) marked her first graded victory while racing against not
only older runners but also males. 2020 Best Two-Year-Old Colt
Danon the Kid (JPN, C3, by Just a Way), 2020 NHK Mile Cup
winner Lauda Sion (JPN, C4, by Real Impact) and Sekiya Kinen
Songline in the 2021 Fuji Stakes(G3, 1,600m) victor Lotus Land (USA, F4, by Point of Entry)
were fourth, eighth and 10th, respectively.
The Swan Stakes (G2, 1,400m), another Mile Championship trial, will be held on October 30 but
2019 winner Indy Champ (JPN, H6, by Stay Gold), Salios (JPN, C4, by Heart’s Cry) andGrenadier Guards (JPN, C3, by Frankel), respective winners of the Asahi Hai Futurity Stakes (G1,1,600m) in 2019 and 2020, are already slated to start in the Championship.
Titleholder (JPN, C3, by Duramente), who pulled off a wire-towire victory by an impressive five lengths in this year’s Kikuka
Sho, might make a return appearance depending on his condition.
Tokyo Yushun victor Shahryar (JPN, C3, by Deep Impact)
passed up the Kikuka Sho to challenge his seniors in the JapanCup.

Titleholder in the 2021 Kikuka ShoSunrise Hopein the 2021 Sirius Stakes HaiMajor dirt events this fall began with the Sirius Stakes (G3, dirt,1,900m) on October 2, which was won by Sunrise Hope (JPN,C4, by Majestic Warrior). Arctos (JPN, H6, by Admire Aura)scored a repeat win in the Mile Championship Nambu Hai (dirt,1,600m) on October 11. In fourth was 2019 February Stakes (G1,dirt, 1,600m) champion, Inti (JPN, H7, by Came Home), andfifth, sixth and seventh places were taken respectively by 2020

Kashiwa Kinen (dirt, 1,600m) victor Wide Pharaoh (JPN, H5,by Henny Hughes), Air Spinel (JPN, H8, by King Kamehameha), who was second by 3/4-length
to Cafe Pharoah (USA, C4, by American Pharoah) in this year’s February Stakes, and 2019 MileChampionship Nambu Hai victor Sunrise Nova (JPN, H7, by Gold Allure).
Cafe Pharoah, who finished ninth in his last start, the Hakodate Kinen (G3, 2,000m) in July, will go
straight to the Champions Cup (G1, dirt, 1,800m) on December 5. Others likely to aim at the4Champions Cup include runners in the JBC Classic (dirt, 2,100m)
on November 3, the Miyako Stakes (G3, dirt, 1,800m) on
November 7 and the Musashino Stakes (G3, dirt, 1,600m) on
November 13. The 2019 Champions Cup victor Chrysoberyl(JPN, H5, by Gold Allure) retired to stud after being diagnosed
with stage four laryngeal hemiplegia following a sixth-place finish
in the Nippon TV Hai on September 29.

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Arctos in the2020 Mile Championship Nambu Hai