Exclusive Topics forJAPAN AUTUMN INTERNATIONAL 2023
2nd EditionOctober 2023
The Japan Racing Association

The effects of Covid-19 pandemic, which has seriously impacted the global horse racing industry
since early 2020, have gradually subsided in Japan as restrictions aimed at containing the disease
have been lifted to allow business to return to normal. The Japanese government downgraded thedisease from Class 2 to Class 5 on May 8, placing COVID-19 in the same category as seasonal
influenza under the nation’s Infectious Diseases Control Law.
In response, fans have returned to racetracks and off-track facilities of both the JRA and NAR(National Association of Racing; local public racing) on levels not seen since before February 2020,
with some exceptions. Total attendance at JRA racetracks between January 1 and October 1 was over
3.11 million, a huge increase of more than 81% from the previous year. For Japanese Derby Day atTokyo Racecourse on May 28, which required tickets to be purchased online, nearly 72,000 people
applied.
Meanwhile, wagering revenue as of October 1 amounted to nearly ¥2,393.9 billion, a slight decreaseof 0.25% from the previous year. From 2011, when JRA revenue hit bottom following the Great East
Japan Earthquake in northeastern Japan, wagering grew year-on-year for 11 consecutive years to 2022,
even during the pandemic. With social and economic activity having returned to pre-pandemic levels,
competition from other leisure activities has increased, and rising prices for natural resources andother goods following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is also thought to have had an impact.
Whereas racing wagering now appears to have hit a ceiling, the breeding industry continues toflourish. The Select Sale (Japan Racing Horse Association) held on July 10 and 11 in Tomakomai,
Hokkaido, recorded total sales of ¥28,145 million (excluding taxes, same hereinafter), up 9.2% fromthe previous year, with a clearance rate of 96.0%. Among yearlings, 216 out of 222 registered were1

sold, an astonishing clearance rate of 97.3%. The rate for foals fell to 94.8%, but a foal by Contrailout of Conviction sold for ¥520 million, the third highest price ever for a foal. Contrail (JPN, H6, byDeep Impact) was an undefeated Triple Crown winner in 2020 who was retired to stud after winning
the Japan Cup the following year. All 20 foals in his first crop, born in 2023, sold in the Select Salefor a combined ¥2,572 million, or about ¥128.6 million per horse.
The Select Sale was not the only event to enjoy such success, with the Hokkaido Sale (Hidaka HorseBreeders Association) turning in equally impressive results. The Selection Sale for yearlings, held on
July 25 and 26, achieved a record clearance rate of 91.9% and saw total sales increase by 16.4% to¥5,646.7 million. One yearling sold for ¥94 million yen, second highest in Selection Sale history,
while over 1,000 yearlings registered for the Summer Sale (August 21–25) brought in ¥7,508.5
million, up 17.6%. Excluding the October Sale, the Hokkaido Sale amassed a grand total of ¥15,258.2
million, topping last year’s ¥14,314.9 million.
On the racing side, JRA’s Kyoto Racecourse finallycompleted a major renovation that began in November
2020 and resumed racing on April 22 after a 2.5-yearhiatus. The prestigious Tenno Sho (Spring), the first G1
event to be held after the renovation, attracted 45,580
Kyoto Racecourse
spectators on April 30. This year has also marked the100th anniversary of the promulgation of the Horse Racing Act, which legalized horse racing andwagering in Japan, and was commemorated with various ceremonies and special events.
(contributed by Kenichi Nomoto, Nikkei)

Mama Cocha,
winner of 2023 Sprinters Stakes

In the Sprinters Stakes (1,200m) in October, JRA’s first fall G1
event, third-favorite Mama Cocha (JPN, F4, by Kurofune)landed her inaugural G1 title. The Kurofune filly and Mad Cool(IRE, C4, by Dark Angel), who finished second, are both among
the list of nominations for the Hong Kong Sprint (G1, 1,200m) onDecember 10. Pixie Knight (JPN, H5, by Maurice), the 2021
Sprinters Stakes champion but eighth this year, will also run in theHong Kong Sprint or perhaps the Hong Kong Mile (G1, 1,600m).

Fourth-placed Jasper Krone (USA, C4, by Frosted) will head to the United States for the Breeders’
Cup Turf Sprint (G1, 1,000m) on November 4. Fifth-place finisher Meikei Yell (JPN, M5, by MikkiIsle) will also fly to America for either the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint or the Filly & Mare Sprint (G1,dirt, 1,400m). Nine runners will be contesting the Breeder’s Cup this year, including Ecoro Neo(USA, C2, by Bernardini), entered in the BC Juvenile (G1, dirt, 1,700m); Ushba Tesoro (JPN, H6,2

by Orfevre) and Derma Sotogake (JPN, C3, by Mind Your Biscuits), both entered in the BC
Classic (G1, dirt, 2,000m); Shahryar (JPN, H5, by Deep Impact), entered in the BC Turf (G1,2,400m); Songline (JPN, M5, by Kizuna) and Win Carnelian (JPN, H6, by Screen Hero), both
entered in the BC Mile (G1, 1,600m); and Win Marilyn (JPN, M6, by Screen Hero), entered in the
BC Filly & Mare Turf (G1, 2,000m).
Elton Barows (JPN, C3, by Deep Brillante) captured a narrow
victory in the Mainichi Okan (G2, 1,800m) on October 8, holding
off runner-up Songline by a nose for his second consecutive graderace title following the Radio Nikkei Sho (G3, 1,800m) in July.
The Deep Brillante colt will make his first G1 challenge in theMile Championship on November 19 in which 2021 NHK Mile
Cup (G1, 1,600m) victor Schnell Meister (GER, H5, byKingman), who was a nose behind in third in the Mainichi Okan,
is hoped to turn the tables this time and claim his second G1 victory.

Elton Barows,
winner of 2023 Mainichi Okan

The Kyoto Daishoten (G2, 2,400m) on October 9 was won by fifth
favorite Pradaria (JPN, C4, by Deep Impact), who marked his
second grade-race victory, following last year’s Aoba Sho (G2,2,400m), only a day after his sire Deep Impact scored a JRA record
2,750 progeny wins to surpass Sunday Silence (Deep Impact’ssire). Pradaria is expected to make his next start in the Japan Cup
Pradaria,(G1, 2,400m) on November 26 or head for the Hong Kong Vase
winner of 2023 Kyoto Daishoten(G1, 2,400m) in December. Vela Azul (JPN, H6, by EishinFlash), seventh in the Kyoto Daishoten, will return to the Japan Cup in a bid to defend his title
following last year’s win.
Lemon Pop (USA, H5, by Lemon Drop Kid), winner of theFebruary Stakes (G1, dirt, 1,600m), claimed the Mile
Championship Nambu Hai (dirt, 1,600m) by an overwhelming 2.0
seconds. Cafe Pharoah (USA, H6, by American Pharoah),winner of back-to-back February Stakes in 2021-22, finished fifth,
while 2022 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas, G1, 2,000m)
Lemon Pop,champion Geoglyph (JPN, C4, by Drefong) came in ninth.
winner of 2023 February Stakes
Lemon Pop will aim for his second JRA-G1 title in theChampions Cup (G1, dirt, 1,800m) on December 3, joined by Hagino Alegrias (JPN, H6, byKizuna), who claimed his second-graded title in the Sirius Stakes (G3, dirt, 2,000m) on September
30.

3Divina,winner of 2023 Fuchu Himba Stakes

Divina (JPN, M5, by Maurice) marked her first grade-race title
in a wire-to-wire victory in the Fuchu Himba Stakes (G2, 1,800m)
on October 14. The five-year-old mare out of Verxina, winner ofthe Victoria Mile in 2013 and 2014, will head for the Queen
Elizabeth II Cup (G1, 2,200m) on November 12 along with Rouge
Eveil (JPN, F4, by Just a Way) and Lilac (JPN, F4, by Orfevre),second and third respectively in the Fuchu Himba.

Liberty Island (JPN, F3, by Duramente) proved her class in theShuka Sho (G1, 2,000m) on October 15, assuming command
before entering the straight and pulling away comfortably for alength victory, making her the seventh filly overall, and the firstsince Daring Tact, to claim all three Triple Crown races. The
Duramente filly will race against mixed field of older G1 rivals in
Liberty Island,the Japan Cup, where she will bid to become the first three-yearwinner of 2023 Shuka Sho
old filly winner since Almond Eye in 2018. Harper (JPN, F3, byHeart’s Cry) and Dura (JPN, F3, by Duramente), respectively third and fourth in the Shuka Sho,will head to the Queen Elizabeth II Cup.
Namur (JPN, F4, by Harbinger) matched expectations as race
favorite in the Fuji Stakes (G2, 1,600m) on October 21, registering
her second grade-race title following last year’s Tulip Sho (G2,1,600m). While the Fuji Stakes is intended as a prep towards theMile Championship, the Queen Elizabeth II Cup could be thefilly’s next start. Meanwhile, 2022 Best Sprinter or Miler Serifos
Namur, winner of 2023 Fuji Stakes(JPN, C4, by Daiwa Major), who was scheduled to make his fallcomeback in the Fuji Stakes but withdrawn due to health reasons,will head directly to the Mile Championship as defending champion.
Durezza (JPN, C3, by Duramente) turned in a classy
performance against a strong field of proven three-year-olds in his
first grade-race challenge, and at long distance no less, in theKikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger, G1, 3,000m) on October 22,
showing both speed and stamina to pull away from both Tokyo
Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1, 2,400m) champion Tastiera (JPN,Durezza, winner of 2023 Kikuka Sho
C3, by Satono Crown) and Satsuki Sho victor Sol Oriens (JPN,C3, by Kitasan Black), neither of whom threatened the winner by finishing second by 3-1/2 lengths
and third by five respectively. Durezza’s first grade-race and G1 victory, which extended his winningstreak to five since breaking his maiden in his second start as a two-year-old, positions him as the4

most prominent colt of his generation.
On the day after Mama Cocha won the Sprinters Stakes, the retirement of her full sister Sodashi(JPN, M5, by Kurofune) was announced. The only pure white horse to land not just one but three
G1 titles at a mile, including the 2021 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas), sustained a leg problem
following a seventh-place finish in the Yasuda Kinen (G1, 1,600m) in June. Another talented mare,Daring Tact (JPN, M6, by Epiphaneia), the 2020 triple crown winning filly, who had been sidelined
after a fourth-place finish in last year’s Japan Cup, was also retired from racing. Both mares willassume broodmare duties—Sodashi at Northern Farm and Daring Tact going to Okada Stud nextspring.

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