A year ago, nine runners from Japan participated in the Breeders' Cup. At that time, it was a record. That there would be more horses making the voyage across the Pacific Ocean for the Breeders' Cup wouldn't have surprised anyone.
But rather than incremental change, Japanese connections have kicked in the proverbial door to this year's world championship at Del Mar with 19 contenders making the trip.
The reasons for the growing interest are varied, but no matter who you ask one theme is consistent: the desire to win on the sport's biggest weekend.
With 19 runners in this weekend's Breeders' Cup based in Japan, it's worth noting that the emphasis is on based. That's because six of the 19 were bred in the United States before being sold and relocated to the other side of the Pacific Ocean. Another was purchased while their American-bred dam was in foal.
But that's only part of the story. Not only has there been growing interest in the world championships from Japanese connections but it starts with bringing American-bred horses, or at least ones sired by American stallions, to their country.
Trainer Hideyuki Mori has five runners at Del Mar this weekend. All of them were bred in the U.S. He's made it a point to attend sales in the States to find talent to bring home, especially as dirt racing has grown in popularity in Japan.
"They have very good sires in America," he said through a translator. "That's why I go to American sales—to buy (their offspring)."
One of Mori's runners this weekend, Meta Max, was sired by the top North American stallion Into Mischief .
"Every time I go to an American sale, I always would look at the crops of Into Mischief," said Mori.
But, as the saying goes, money rules the world, and Mori indicated that is a major influence on the decisions of Japanese connections.
"I expect more and more Japanese are coming (to the Breeders' Cup) next year because the yen is weak right now and the prize money is getting higher," he explained.
However, some think it is more aspirational than anything.
Jockey Yutaka Take, who wears purple socks as an homage to the Breeders' Cup, believes the nexus of Japanese interest in the event goes back to 2021 when Loves Only You and Marche Lorraine won races at the event. They were the first Japanese horses to win at the Breeders' Cup.
"Those (wins) are actually making Japanese horsemen to be really motivated to participate in the Breeders Cup," he said.
Those 2021 occurred at the same location as this year's world championships. Could this weekend become a bigger moment for the country's horse racing fans?
Names to Know
Mori is no stranger to the Breeders' Cup. He's had nine previous runners at the world championship and has five this year, the most among Japanese trainers. He's never won a Breeders' Cup race, and if morning-line odds are to be believed, his best chance is with Ecoro Sieg, the 7-2 favorite in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1T).
A son of Twirling Candy , Ecoro Sieg is undefeated in his two starts. First winning by five lengths in a six-furlong debut, finishing 0.2 seconds off the course record. He followed that up by breaking a 23-year-old Nakayama Racecourse record for 1,200 meters, which proved to be the fastest time the Japan Racing Association has recorded in the history of the Canna Stakes (1:07.2).
Mori, speaking through a translator, simply said, "He has great speed so he can handle the race here."
One of the better-known Japanese contenders is Derma Sotogake.
After falling short by one length in last year's Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), the talented 4-year-old is back hoping to avenge that heartbreaking loss.
Sometimes unfamiliarity with the difference in track surfaces in the United States compared to Japan can contribute to a horse's results. But Derma Sotogake is well traveled, having raced at Santa Anita Park and in the Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs last year, as well as other international spots—Meydan Racecourse and King Abdulaziz Racecourse.
Assistant trainer Masatoshi Segawa said the colt is in "very good condition" and has been "very enthusiastic in training."
This year, Derma Sotogake has only raced three times with a focus on some of the sport's bigger events. He finished fifth in the Saudi Cup (G1) and sixth in the Dubai World Cup (G1). Since then, he only had a single tune-up race for the Breeders' Cup in which he finished fifth.
"This is the biggest target for Derma Sotogake and us since he finished second in this race last year," Segawa said through a translator. "We'd like to get revenge for finishing second. We have been targeting this race throughout the year, so we hope to do our best."
Another prominent Japanese runner is Awesome Result. Like many of her compatriots at this year's Breeders' Cup, Awesome Result was bred in the United States, then sold and trained in Japan.
By Justify , Awesome Result is undefeated in seven starts and is only getting stronger. Her rider, Yutaka Take, said that one of the impressive elements of Awesome Result's development has been that she's shown "another ability, another potential" with each race.
As the 4-1 third choice in the Distaff, she may need to find another ability or at least combine all of the ones she has developed in order to run down favored Thorpedo Anna. Take said the Distaff will be the deepest and most talented field his charge has ever faced.
"She needs to fully exert herself 120% to compete against Thorpedo Anna and that type of horse," Take said via a translator.
Other Japanese contenders to keep an eye on include:
- Don Frankie in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1): When you catch a glimpse of this physically imposing horse, it might lead to the question: How does he sprint? The answer is from the front. He's finished first or second in 12 of his 17 career starts. After starting the year with a disappointing ninth in the February Stakes (G1) at Tokyo Racecourse, he bounced back with a second in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1). In that race, he was unable to hold the lead down the stretch. With one warm-up race since then, the 1,300-pound-plus Don Frankie may not leave the rest of the sprint field with another option besides getting out of his way.
- American Bikini in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1): A stablemate of Don Frankie, American Bikini is the daughter of American Pharoah and is the first Breeders' Cup runner for trainer Takashi Saito. The third choice (5-1) in the Juvenile Fillies, American Bikini finished second in her maiden race at six furlongs. Then, after triumphing in a five-furlong follow-up, she won again, this time at seven furlongs. While she is starting to round into form, American Bikini has a potential advantage when she gets into the starting gate: Ryan Moore, arguably the greatest jockey on Earth, will be in the irons.
| JAPANESE HORSES IN THE 2024 BREEDERS' CUP | |
| Horse | Race |
| Alice Verite (JPN) | Distaff |
| American Bikini (JPN) | Juvenile Fillies |
| Awesome Result | Distaff |
| Derma Sotogake (JPN) | Classic |
| Don Frankie (JPN) | Sprint |
| Ecoro Azel | Juvenile |
| Ecoro Sieg | Juvenile Turf Sprint |
| Forever Young (JPN) | Classic |
| Geoglyph (JPN) | Mile |
| Meta Max | Sprint |
| Otomena Shacho | Juvenile Fillies |
| Remake (JPN) | Sprint |
| Rousham Park (JPN) | Turf |
| Satono Carnaval (JPN) | Juvenile Turf |
| Shahryar (JPN) | Turf |
| Shin Believe | Juvenile |
| Ten Happy Rose (JPN) | Mile |
| T O Saint Denis (JPN) | Dirt Mile |
| Ushba Tesoro (JPN) | Classic |
