Posted on 12/03/2025 2:05:26 PM PST by WhiteHatBobby0701
Aga Khan Studs' Calandagan, Europe's newly minted Horse of the Year and world's top-rated racehorse, became the first foreign-based runner in 20 years to win the Japan Cup (G1) Sunday at Tokyo Racecourse and did so in record time.
Ridden by Mickael Barzalona for trainer Francis-Henri Graffard, the 4-year-old Gleneagles gelding unleashed a stout late rally and outbattled favorite Masquerade Ball by a head. In the process, he set course record of 2:20.3 for the 2,400 meters (about 1 1/2 miles), eclipsing the former record 2:20.6 set by Almond Eye in the 2018 Japan Cup. His victory is the first by a foreign-based horse since Alkaased in 2005 and he is the second French-trained horse since Le Glorieux in 1987 to capture Japan's top race.
(Excerpt) Read more at paulickreport.com ...
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NOTE: Please set the audio to "original Japanese" -- it is the English commentary with Australian track announcer Murray Johnson, the English voice of Japanese horse racing with the JRA.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rKE4YIrDRk
Admire Terra crossed the line first, gets DQ'd, Johnson ignored the "loose horse" at his finish call.
38 mph. Wow. I can barely hit that for 100 yards on my best day. 😀
Never saw the horses in Tokyo, but in my day the Yokohama race course was the place to be for the yeas and neighs. (My day was 50+ years ago)
“... the 4-year-old Gleneagles gelding ...”
No stud fees for this horse.
Gelded horses later go to the steeplechase.
“No stud fees for this horse”
Fees to clone him in a test tube. Probably not far from the truth.
RACEHORSES ONLY USE LIVE “COVER”.
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