Kitasan Black

Croix du Nord (Kitasan Black) claimed the fourth Group 1 success of his career when clinging on by the barest of margins to win Sunday's Tenno Sho (Spring) at Kyoto, justifying short odds but not without giving his supporters a huge scare as longshot Wurttemberg (Kitasan Black) rattled home to force a photo finish. Racing beyond 2,400 metres for the first time in his career, Croix du Nord raced enthusiastically for Yuichi Kitamura in the early stages of this 3,200-metre showpiece, before settling into his rhythm with only five ahead...

Last year's G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) hero Croix Du Nord was back to his brilliant best in Sunday's G1 Osaka Hai at Hanshin. The Northern Farm-bred claimed his third lifetime Group 1 in the 2000 metre affair by three-quarters of a length over last year's G1 Takarazuka Kinen victor Meisho Tabaru (Gold Ship). Fellow Japanese Derby winner Danon Decile (Epiphaneia) was another length back in third. Drawn widest of all in 15, the near-black colt sidled closer to the fence, but was still punching the breeze about three deep...

Northern Farm hosted its mixed sale at the Northern Horse Park on Tuesday which featured a 100 per cent clearance rate for the 66 weanlings offered. These were led by the Kitasan Black colt out of the Listed winner and G1 British Champion Fillies and Mares Stakes runner-up Delphinia (Galileo), who was bought by Louisville Racing for ¥460m (approximately €2.6m). The same buyer had also signed up the first foal through the ring, a colt by Epiphaneia from the champion Argentinean two-year-old filly Carta Embrujada (Storm Embrujada) for ¥220m (€1.25m)....

Champion Croix Du Nord, freshened since winning the G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), has resumed training at Ritto Training Centre in advance of a start in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in October. Trainer Takashi Saito told Net Keiba, "We have brought him back into training, working backwards from the two planned races in France. It's still hot, but from here we will make sure to get him into peak condition before heading to France." A winner of the G1 Hopeful Stakes during a three-for-three juvenile season, the...

HOKKAIDO, Japan -- "I expected it would be lively," said Katsumi Yoshida, in what may have been the understatement of the day at the conclusion of the yearling section of the JRHA Select Sale. Even by its own lofty standards, Japan's premier sale of bloodstock managed to raise the bar higher still, with only two of the 227 yearlings to pass through the ring on Monday failing to find a buyer. A 99 per cent clearance rate would be the envy of any sales house, and with the turnover of...

HOKKAIDO, Japan -- At the Shadai Stallion Station, it's not so much a changing of the guard, more a succession plan. In 2023, the late Duramente caused a temporary break in the passing of the baton from Sunday Silence to Deep Impact to Kizuna. But that was rectified last year, and Kizuna is now the reigning champion sire of Japan. He only has to achieve that 10 more times to match the reign of his father, or 12 to equal Sunday Silence's long run of championships. Signs were promising from...

HOKKAIDO, Japan -- At Northern Horse Park, one of the great tourist attractions of Hokkaido, the next few days will be all business.  Japan's most prestigious bloodstock auction, the JRHA Select Sale, springs back to action with a session of yearlings on Monday, but what many observers will be waiting to see is the reception given to the first foals of world champion Equinox.  Twenty-five of his debut crop are set to sell on Tuesday, including a colt from American champion dirt mare Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute). His reserve, which...

After losing his unbeaten record when second in April's G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas), Croix Du Nord was on something of a recovery mission, and he delivered when it counted, running out a three-quarter length winner of the G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) on Sunday. Masquerade Ball (Duramente), third in the Satsuki Sho, charged home second, 1 1/2 lengths to the good of Shohei (Saturnalia). The betting public felt the 2400 metres of the G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) was well within the son of Kitasan Black's scope, and...

3rd-Chukyo, ¥10,600,000 ($68,720), Maiden, 3yo, 1900m, 2:01.3, ft. RHINO (JPN) (c, 3, Into Mischief--Princess Noor {'TDN Rising Star', GISW, $363,500}, by Not This Time) was not disgraced when fourth in a pair of starts on the turf to begin his career, but was switching to the surface for which he was bred this time around and looked a different proposition altogether. Sent forward from gate one, Rhino was content to allow a rival to take up the running and sat a comfortable stalking trip from second down the backstretch. Awaiting...

It was inevitable really. Kizuna (Jpn), the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) winner of 2013 and champion first-season sire in 2019, has now followed the example set by his feted sire Deep Impact (Jpn) to become Japan's champion sire for the first time. The Shadai stallion had finished in the top four in the championship in the three previous years and took the laurels this time from 2023 champion, the late Duramente (Jpn). He in turn had finally ended the 11-year domination of Deep Impact, who was also the champion freshman...

MV Magnier has described the Japan Cup as "the main aim" for Auguste Rodin (Ire) where the six-time Group 1-winning son of Deep Impact (Jpn) will bid to bridge a gap of almost two decades to the last European-trained winner of the race.  Speaking at the JRHA Select Sale in Japan last week, Magnier firmed up plans for Auguste Rodin, who is the culmination of over 10 years of Coolmore breeding mares to Japanese-based stallions.  He also confirmed that Coolmore has supported Kitasan Black (Jpn), the sire of Equinox (Jpn),...

HOKKAIDO, Japan-The demand for the progeny of Kitasan Black (Jpn) continued at the JRHA Sale on Tuesday as, just 24 hours after supplying the top lot of the yearling session, a half-brother to G1 NHK Mile Cup winner Schnell Meister (Ger) topped the foal segment for the Shadai Station-based stallion at ¥410 million [roughly $2.59 million]. Lot 364, who was consigned by Northern Farm, is out of the German Oaks winner Serienholde (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), and was bought by prominent Japanese-based owner Toshihiko Tabata. Of the 239 foals offered,...