Published by Japan Association for International Racing and Stud Book (JAIRS)
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2011 Vol. 19 No. 2 Published by Japan Association for International Racing and Stud Book (JAIRS) 2 〜 4 5 〜 6 7 8 “Fascinating and Emo- Japan’s Racing Industry Deep Impact’s Successful G1 Race Results tional One-Two Finish after the Great East First Crop by Japanese Runners in Japan Earthquake Dubai”by Naohiro Goda 7 Messages from the New and Former Presidents and CEOs of JAIRS ©Yoko Kunihiro “Fascinating and Emotional One-Two Finish by Japanese Runners in Dubai” by Naohiro Goda ©Yoko Kunihiro Japanese were very thirsty for good news hearing encouraging news prior to starting the the inundation, but all the horses had to be relo- since March 11th, when an earthquake of an reconstruction of the nation. cated to other places immediately, because the unprecedented scale, magnitude 9.0, struck Ja- Japan sent a strong team formed by five Japa- supply of water and electricity stopped. pan and a tsunami after the quake devastated the nese runners to Dubai for the World Cup night. Another Champion included in the Japanese northern part of “Honshu,” the mainland of Ja- Four of them had left Japan before the earthquake. delegation in Dubai was Buena Vista, five-year- pan. March 26th, only two weeks after the tragic One of the runners who left Japan on March old mare by Special Week, reigning Horse of catastrophe that claimed more than 14,000 pre- 9th was Victoire Pisa, Best Three-Year-Old Colt the Year, and awarded as Champion at two and cious lives, was the day of the Dubai World Cup, in 2010. The colt by Neo Universe won the Sat- three as well. The five stakes with premier grade the richest horse race in the world. While more suki Sho (G1; Japanese 2000 Guineas) and the that Buena Vista had won include the Tenno Sho than 10,000 people were still missing, many of Arima Kinen (G1), the year-end championship (Autumn; G1) in 2010, where she beat the best the survivors could not receive the normal sup- race in Japan. The colt is owned by Yoshimi Ichi- males in training in Japan. In addition, the mare ply of water, electricity, and food, and more than kawa, an Osaka-based successful businessman bred by Katsumi Yoshida’s Northern Farm and 250,000 people were forced to live in evacuation who has been involved in the ownership of thor- owned by Sunday Racing, a racing syndication shelters. The nuclear power plants at Fukushima, oughbreds since 1989. He had won seven races run by the breeder, finished first in the Japan Cup which were damaged by the quake and tsunami, by then, including the Nakayama Kinen (G2) on (G1) last autumn, but was demoted to second were not fully under control, and a red alert to February 27th at Nakayama Racecourse, which after a controversial disqualification. This is the leakage of radioactivity was placed in the region. was his seasonal debut. second trip to Dubai for Buena Vista, trained by Although Japanese have been receiving prayers Teruya Yoshida’s Shadai Farm, the breeder of Hiroyoshi Matsuda at Ritto, as she visited there and support from people from around the world, Victoire Pisa, owns Yamamoto Training Center, a in the spring of 2010, when she was narrowly which is indeed tremendous encouragement for private training facility for the horses owned and beaten by Dar Re Mi in the Dubai Sheema Clas- the victims, Japan was still looking forward to bred by Shadai, in the vicinity of Sendai City in sic (G1) on turf. Buena Vista has already earned Miyagi Prefecture, the region seriously damaged more than 1 billion yen plus 1 million US dol- by the quake and tsunami. Victoire Pisa has been lars, had she managed to add the 6 million dol- there occasionally for easy training. One of the lar winning prize of the Dubai World Cup, she team members who traveled to Dubai with Vic- would have broken the world record for earn- toire Pisa and one of the three Japanese entrants ings. The bookmakers in the United Kingdom in the Dubai World Cup was Martin Rainey, regarded the mare as holding the best chance New Zealand-born exercise rider who has been among the three Japanese runners in the World working at Yamamoto Training Center for twelve Cup, giving an 8/1 quote, the third favorite in the years and who joined the team upon a request betting market. from Katsuhiko Sumii, trainer of Victoire Pisa Transcend, the third horse that took part in based at JRA’s Ritto Training Center near Kyoto. the “Team Japan” for the World Cup, is owned ©Yoko Kunihiro The horses’ grooms and exercise riders were by Koji Maeda and was bred by North Hills, the shocked to watch the news and reports of the cri- breeding operation owned and run by the owner. sis, which were broadcast on television even in The five-year-old horse by Wild Rush won the Dubai, and Martin Rainey was very much wor- Japan Cup Dirt (G1) on December 5th 2010 ried about his friends and horses at Yamamoto and the February Stakes (G1) on February 20th Training Center, located less than two kilometers 2011, both of which are prestigious races on dirt from the Pacific Ocean. Communication tools, in Japan. Although the glory of Japanese Dirt including telephone lines, were completely down Champion in 2010 went to Espoir City, who won at the area, and it was four days after the earth- two G1s, including the February Stakes, it is quake when Martin found out that the horses and widely recognized that Transcend, who has natu- staff members at Yamamoto were fine, includ- ral speed and techniques, is the best dirt horse in ing at the house ©Yoko Kunihiro he lives in. The training center is built on the top of a hill, but the tsunami came up to the edge of the starting point of the uphill training track, the lowest point at the site. Fortunately, most of the facilities ©Yoko Kunihiro were saved from ©Yoko Kunihiro ©Yoko Kunihiro 2 ©Yoko Kunihiro ©Yoko Kunihiro ©Yoko Kunihiro training at the moment in Japan. North Hills and owned by Yoko Maeda, wife of to make a move to the front. Although Rulership Although Victoire Pisa, Buena Vista, and Tran- the breeder, had a difficult time at Miho, where stayed strongly in front, he tired at the closing scend had never run a race on a synthetic surface the water supply was stopped and some of the stage of the race and finished sixth, beaten by six before, none of them had difficulty handling the training tracks were closed for a couple of days and three quarters lengths by Rewilding, the win- Tapeta footings at Meydan Racecourse, and they due to cracks on the surface. Many airports in ner of the 5-million-dollar race. While there is no trained very well since they arrive at Dubai. Japan, including Narita, were temporarily closed, doubt that Rulership is a very talented horse, he Rulership, solo Japanese entry in the Dubai and there was great confusion on the schedule of may need more time to mature before competing Sheema Classic (G1), is the stable mate of Vic- cargo flights arriving at and leaving from Japan. with horses of the caliber of international events. toire Pisa in Katsuhiko Sumii’s barn at Ritto The connection of Laser Bullet was warned by Analysis indicated that the field of the 16th Training Center. The rising star in Japan who the cargo company that the flight to Dubai could running of the Dubai World Cup was the best collected his first Graded Stakes win on Decem- be canceled or there might be no room for live ever. This field included 10 Graded/Group One ber 4th, 2010 at Hanshin, where he won the Na- bloodstock on the plane even if the flight were Stakes winners. Twice Over, representing the ruo Kinen (G3), he has the most beautiful pedi- arranged. Then, as the cargo company confirmed United Kingdom, is the winner of three Group gree in the field of the Dubai Sheema Classic. that the flight to Dubai could be arranged on One Stakes, including a back-to-back victory of The four-year-old colt is by King Kamehameha, March 17th, Koji Maeda bought a space for La- the Champion Stakes (G1) at Newmarket. Cape leading sire in Japan in 2010, despite the fact ser Bullet on the flight at his own expense, and Blanco, representing Ireland, is the winner of that his first crop are still four-year-olds, and is the winner of two races on dirt arrived at Dubai two Group races, including the Irish Champion out of Air Groove, Japanese Horse of the Year on March 18th, eight days before the race. Stakes (G1), where he earned a rating of 126, in 1997. Admire Groove is by Sunday Silence, In the morning of the days leading up to the the highest among 14 starters. Gio Ponti, rep- is the half sister of Rulership, and is Best Older Dubai World Cup night, all involved in the camp resenting United States, was the Eclipse Award Filly or Mare in 2004. Forgettable is by Dance in of five Japanese runners wore black polo shirts Male Turf Champion in 2009 and 2010. Golden the Dark, is half brother to Rulership, and is the with stickers bearing the Japanese flag and the Sword, representing South Africa, is the track winner of two Graded Stakes. Rulership, bred by word “HOPE” on the arm or on the back.