Calandagan Wins Japan Cup Thriller In Record Time

Paulick Report ^ | 30 November 2025 | JRA press office

[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.

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TOPICS: Sports
KEYWORDS: horseracing; japancup; unseatedrider

[WhiteHatBobby0701]

At the 1 1/2 mile Japan Cup (Tokyo Racecourse) Sunday, Admire Terra unseated its jockey and crossed the line first, naturally disqualified.

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.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

38 mph. Wow. I can barely hit that for 100 yards on my best day. 😀

[chajin]

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)

[kosciusko51]

“... the 4-year-old Gleneagles gelding ...”

No stud fees for this horse.

[WhiteHatBobby0701]

Gelded horses later go to the steeplechase.

[DAC21]

“No stud fees for this horse”

Fees to clone him in a test tube. Probably not far from the truth.

[ridesthemiles]

RACEHORSES ONLY USE LIVE “COVER”.