It's been nearly 30 years since the first Japan-based horse—Ski Captain—participated in the Kentucky Derby (G1). Since then, five others, including four bred in Japan, have unsuccessfully taken a Run for the Roses.
On May 4, two more Japanese imports aim for the first leg of the American Triple Crown at Churchill Downs, T O Password and Forever Young.
Racing fans in Japan who haven't made the trip around the world for the Derby and dream of seeing one of the country's runners finally break through will have a few options to follow along. The popular choice is the Japan Racing Association's Green Channel.
Established in 1993, the Green Channel is a pay television channel unavailable via terrestrial or over-the-air TV. When fans tune in for the Derby, post time in Japan will be 7:57 a.m. May 5. The Green Channel's coverage of the Kentucky Derby runs from 7-9 a.m.
As a pay channel, the JRA does not have viewership numbers for its past Kentucky Derby broadcasts. But as of March, the Green Channel has 219,000 subscribers to its TV channel and 155,000 to its Internet broadcasts.
The JRA website states that the top objective of the Green Channel is the "operation of outsourced broadcast airing of horse racing and agriculture, forestry, and fisheries programs via communication satellite."
Despite it being a pay channel, the JRA makes some of the Green Channel's racing programming free to watch. This would include its Derby coverage. More than 4.5 million households will have the ability to watch this year's Kentucky Derby via satellite.
Because of the differences between racing in Japan and North America, the broadcasts have a slightly different approach to what NBC produces in the United States.
Daisuke Takayanagi, the trainer for T O Password, said the broadcasters try to explain American racing to the audience, specifically to bettors.
Takayanagi said that watching the Derby on the Green Channel in the past has brought feelings of excitement and nervousness.
"It's a good example (of how to prepare for an American race), to see of course, and also after watching I'm going directly to the trainer and asking what kind of experience they got," he said through Hiroshi Ando, racing manager for both of this year's Japanese entries.
Whether T O Password and Forever Young can complete the task that Ski Captain, Lani, Master Fencer, Crown Pride, Mandarin Hero, and Derma Sotogake fell short of remains to be seen. Whether it is this year or another that a horse bred in Japan wins the Derby, there will be thousands of fans cheering them on watching on the Green Channel.
Sean Collins contributed to this story.
