Yoshito Yahagi

For U.S. expatriate Kate Hunter, the GI Kentucky Derby is about relationships. Hunter, who is based in Japan when she's not traveling the globe, is the founder of Marugai Racing. She is the Japan representative for a number of American racing organizations including Churchill Downs. Her journey with the connections of Derby contenders Derma Sotogake (Jpn)(Mind Your Biscuits) and Continuar (Jpn) (Drefong) began early this year as she traveled with them from Japan to Saudi Arabia in February, then on to Dubai in March, and finally to Kentucky, where they...

GI Kentucky Derby contender Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) registered his first published work at Churchill Downs Wednesday going a half-mile in :49.60 (16/20). With exercise rider Masatoshi Segawa in the saddle, Derma Sotogake went through his routine 25-minute warm-up in the one-mile chute prior to beginning his work. The chestnut colt exited the chute and began galloping around the six-furlong pole. He started to pick up his momentum around the three-furlong pole and worked through fractions of :13 and :37.20, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols. "I...

When Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) provided Japan with a breakthrough victory in the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup, Tom Ryan, one of the key men behind the lucrative two-day meeting, punched the proverbial air. Of all the results possible in the big race, a Japanese victory would have been right up there as the most desirable for a relatively new fixture on the international racing circuit, as extravagant the prize-money may be. Nobody understands this better than the County Tipperary native who swapped managing Naas racecourse for his current role...

Going into Saturday's Saudi Cup meeting at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, there was approximately one way that this year's results could better the massive success achieved by Japan in 2022. And who better to orchestrate it but trainer Yoshito Yahagi, who has won major races everywhere with the possible exception of Mars, as Hiroo Race Co. Ltd's Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), one of six top-shelf gallopers signed on from the Land of the Rising Sun and making just the second start of an already successful career on the...

2022 G1 Dubai Turf dead-heater Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) will be pointed at the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup in Riyadh on Feb. 25, www.tospo-keiba.jp reported on Tuesday. The news was revealed by the 5-year-old's trainer Yoshito Yahagi. Panthalassa, who races for Hiroo Race Co., Ltd., was originally aiming for a defence of his G1 Dubai Turf title. If his Saudi expedition goes well, Panthalassa will then head to the G1 Dubai World Cup on Mar. 25. Yahagi told Tospo-Keiba, "He is rated 121, and a one-turn left-handed 1800 meters...

His 22 career victories is an all-time record in Hong Kong racing history. His HK$116 million (£12.2 million/US$14.7 million) in career earnings makes him not only the richest racehorse to look through a bridle in the Special Administrative Region, but also one of the richest Thoroughbreds, ever. Stanley Chan's Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) can make even more history this Sunday when he starts a long odds-on proposition in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile, a victory in which will tie Good Ba Ba (Lear Fan) with three straight wins...

Lot 301 became the sixth seven-figure lot during Wednesday's Book 1 session at Tattersalls when selling for 1.6 million to Japanese trainer Yoshito Yahagi. Yet another son of Dubawi (Ire), the colt is a half-brother to GI Turf Classic S. hero Digital Age (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), and the duo are out of the unraced Lemon Drop Kid mare Willow View. Also, a half-brother to G3 Prix La Rochette heroine Acer Alley (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), he was bred by Merry Fox Stud and consigned by Fittocks Stud. Under the second...

Several of Japan's G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe challengers galloped on Wednesday morning, led by Classic winner and three-time Group 1 victor Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}). Successful in the G1 Japanese St Leger back in October of 2021, the 4-year-old is riding a three-race winning streak, having taken the G2 Nikkei Sho, G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) and G1 Takarazuka Kinen in March, May and June this term, respectively. Carrying the silks of Hiroshi Yamada, the son of five-time winner Mowen (GB) (Motivator {GB}) has not raced since. "We...

By Emma Berry and Brian Sheerin DEAUVILLE, France--If two of the certainties in life are death and taxes, the third, in the world of bloodstock at least, is that if a yearling out of Starlet's Sister (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) turns up at the Arqana August Sale then he or she will steal the limelight. This time it was a colt (lot 154), a full-brother to the G1 Prix du Jockey Club and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) no less, whose arrival in the ring...

Japanese trainer Yoshito Yahagi has had quite the year on the international stage and his next target is this Saturday's G1 Darley July Cup with King Hermes (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}). The 3-year-old colt, winner of the GII Keio Hai Nisai S. last season, arrived in Newmarket on June 24 with his stablemate Bathrat Leon (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), who is set to run in the G1 Qatar Sussex S. at Goodwood. King Hermes got his first taste of the July Course on Tuesday morning when working five furlongs under jockey...

In a race for the ages that three horses deserved to win, the brave pacesetter Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) and defending champ Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) could not be separated and a dead-heat was eventually declared. A full eight minutes passed after a course-record smashing renewal of the $5-million G1 Dubai Turf before a stunned Meydan Racecourse audience knew which of the trio had emerged victorious in a desperately close finish. Sparkling trainer Yoshito Yahagi, who was savoring his third win on the card, exclaimed, "We've had a...

Japan's Bathrat Leon (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) led his foes on a merry dance in the $1-million G2 Godolphin Mile Sponsored by Nakheel, and gave his renowned trainer Yoshito Yahagi--yet another victory on the international stage at Meydan on Saturday. The second winner to fly the flag of the Land of the Rising Sun since Utopia (Jpn) (Forty Niner) in 2006, Bathrat Leon carries the colors of Hiroo Race Co. Ltd. Desert Wisdom (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) tried to make a race of it in the stretch, but was never really getting...