Calandagan is on a three-race winning streak, all Group 1 races in France and Britain since early summer, an achievement that led to him being recognized as the 2025 European Horse of the Year earlier this month. It may take a Horse of the Year such as Calandagan to win Sunday’s Grade 1 Japan Cup at Tokyo Racecourse against a tough field of local horses. Calandagan, trained in France by Francis-Henri Graffard, is part of a field of 18 in the $6.97 million Japan Cup at 1 1/2 miles and the only foreign-based runner. A win would be a milestone, the first horse from outside of Japan to win the country’s premier international race for 3-year-olds and older horses since Alkaased’s victory for British-based trainer Luca Cumani in 2005. The last foreign-based horse to finish in the top three was Britain’s Ouija Board in 2006. Last year, there were three foreign-based runners in the Japan Cup. The Graffard-trained Goliath had the best result, finishing sixth. :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. Calandagan, owned by the family of the late Aga Khan, has the credentials to win the Japan Cup. A 4-year-old Irish-bred gelding, Calandagan’s winning streak consists of the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud at 1 1/2 miles in Paris on June 29; the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at 1 1/2 miles at Ascot on July 26; and the Champion Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Ascot on Oct. 18. The Japan Cup is Calandagan’s first start in Asia since a second-place finish by 1 1/4 lengths behind Japan’s Danon Decile in the Group 1 Sheema Classic at 1 1/2 miles on turf in Dubai in April. The well-traveled Danon Decile, Japan’s champion 3-year-old colt of 2024, is one of three principal home country runners who can beat Calandagan, along with the 3-year-olds Croix du Nord and Masquerade Ball, who is expected to be favored. Danon Decile, winner of the 2024 Japanese Derby, has started once since April, finishing fifth of six in the Group 1 International Stakes at about 1 5/16 miles at York Racecourse in England in August. Croix du Nord, Japan’s champion 2-year-old colt of 2024, and Masquerade Ball were first and second in the Grade 1 Japanese Derby at 1 1/2 miles at Tokyo in May. Croix du Nord has started twice in France since that race, winning the Group 3 Prix du Prince d’Orange at 1 1/4 miles by a short head against the Graffard-trained Daryz at Longchamp on Sept. 14 and finishing 14th behind Daryz in the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on Oct. 5. Masquerade Ball has started once since the Japan Derby, winning the Group 1 autumn running of the Tenno Sho at 1 1/4 miles at Tokyo on Nov. 2. Masquerade Ball closed from ninth in a field of 14, winning in a manner that lofted the colt to top of the list of contenders for the Japan Cup. Post time for the Japan Cup is 1:40 a.m. Eastern on Sunday, or 10:40 p.m. Pacific on Saturday. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.