Kitasan Black (Jpn)

A winner over 1400 metres versus newcomers on June 22, Satono Carnaval (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) defended his perfect record with a 1 1/4-length win in the G3 Hakodate Nisai Stakes at Hakodate on Saturday. Sporting lather along his neck in the preliminaries, the bay sat in fourth position early in this cut back in trip. The 12-5 favourite, who moved fluidly throughout, took dead aim on long-time leader Nishino Lavanda (Jpn) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}) at the furlong pole and easily edged ahead of the filly by the line. Endless...

Sugar Kun (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn})--a half-brother to Kitasan Black (Jpn) (Black Tide {Jpn}), Japan's Horse of the Year in both 2016 and 2017--put himself in contention for top honours with a narrow victory in Saturday's G2 TV Tokyo Hai Aoba Sho at Tokyo Racecourse, cementing his place in next month's G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) over the same course and distance. Trained by Hisashi Shimizu, Sugar Kun was partnered by legendary jockey Yutaka Take, the regular rider of Kitasan Black and a six-time winner of the Tokyo Yushun. Take had...

The dramatic victory of the world's highest rated racehorse Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic in March has been voted the World Pool Moment of the Year. It is the second year of the award, which was given to G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and her groom Annabel Willis in 2022. The groom of near black superstar, Tomohiro Kusunoki, is the recipient of a VIP trip to the 2024 Hong Kong Derby or the 2024 Champions Day along with...

There have been 27 individual World Pool Moment of the Day winners in the 2023 season--each winning groom receiving a £4,000 award--and an independent panel from the Hong Kong Jockey Club narrowed that list down to four finalists who will compete for a VIP trip for four to Hong Kong next year via a public vote. The finalists are Tomohiro Kusunoki, the groom of Japanese globetrotting superstar Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn); Paige Harrison, the groom of MG1SW Shaquille (GB) (Charm Spirit {Ire}); Raj Rasiah, groom of G1SW Quickthorn (GB)...

Japanese superstar Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) has topped the rankings at 129 in the ninth edition of the 2023 World's Best Racehorse rankings followed closely by Arc winner Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}) and Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who are tied for second with a rating of 128 each. Noteworthy movement in the rankings include dominant G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. victor Big Rock (Fr) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}), now the co-fourth highest along with Hukum (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). The Breeders' Cup had its impact on the...

There had been hints that reigning Japanese Horse of the Year Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) was not your average champion, most especially with his geared-down tour-de-force in the desert in March, but the Silk Racing Company's colourbearer was in a zip code all his own with his course-record breaking performance in defence of his G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) title at Tokyo on Sunday. He covered the 2000-metre trip over a firm Tokyo course in 1:55.20, 0.9 seconds faster than the previous record. Carrying a rating of 129 on the...

By the same sire as the stunningly dominant Japanese Horse of the Year and multiple Group 1 victor Equinox (Jpn) in Kitasan Black (Jpn), Skilfing (Jpn) appears he could be any kind with a half-length win over Hearts Concerto (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) in the G2 TV Tokyo Hai Aoba Sho at Tokyo on Saturday. The 2400-metre G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) pointer was covered in a slick 2:23.90 over firm turf. Favoured at 3-5, the formerly two-for-three Carrot Farm colourbearer settled near the rear of the field behind fairly...

Japan's Horse of the Year Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) took a huge step towards global recognition with a dominant victory in the G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic, routing his nine rivals under a motionless Christophe Lemaire. Despite being eased down towards the line, the Tetsuya Kimura-trained 4-year-old lowered the course record previously held by Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) by exactly a second to stop the clock at 2:26.65. G1 Irish Derby winner Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) gave chase in vain, running home best of the rest to reduce...

Japanese Horse of the Year Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) galloped over the Meydan dirt track on Tuesday in advance of a start in the 2400-metre $6-million G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic on Saturday. "This is his first overseas trip and he's still getting used to his new surroundings, although I think he's getting better day by day and I am happy with how he moved this morning," said trainer Tetsuya Kimura. "I know that this horse has plenty of talent and I hope that he can live up to...

The Shadai Stallion Stallion roster was headed by Epiphaneia (Jpn) (Symboli Kris S {Jpn}), who will stand for ¥18,000,000 (approx. €123,762--1 JPY=0.00687568€--0.00708US) in 2023. A trio of stallions will stand for ¥12,000,000 (€82,490)-champion and leading sire Kizuna (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), multiple champion and Triple Crown hero Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Lord Kanaloa (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}), the sire of Classic-winning filly Almond Eye (Jpn). Rounding out the eight figure sires, Kitasan Black (Jpn) (Black Tide {Jpn}) will command a ¥10,000,000 (€68,736) fee next season. The 2023 fee...

Striving to maintain her unbeaten record in Saturday's G3 Artemis S., Ravel (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) managed that feat by a neck over the favoured Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) in the 1600-metre feature in Tokyo. Sent off as the 6-1 third choice on the back of her one-length triumph in a Kokura maiden in July, the Northern Farm-bred and U Carrot Farm colourbearer was not the quickest away and dropped anchor last but one as Alice Verite (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) established a slight advantage over the pressing duo of...