Daiwa Scarlet went one better than 12 months ago, landing the 53rd renewal of the Arima Kinen at Nakayama racecourse Sunday.
The 12 1/2-furlong event on turf is an invitational race, with the runners selected by Japanese racing fans by ballot.
Boasting top-class form throughout her career, Daiwa Scarlet was a lock for a place in the field, and her fans backed her down to be 16-10 favorite.
Legendary French trainer Maurice Zilber died on Thursday at the age of 87 after a long battle with cancer.
Born in Cairo, Egypt, where he began his career as a Thoroughbred trainer, Zilber in 1956 moved to France where many of his best horses were owned by Nelson Bunker Hunt, Daniel Wildenstein, and Marcel Boussac.
SAN ISIDRO, ARGENTINA - Life of Victory was up late to win the 114th running of the Grade 1 Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini by a half-length on Saturday. The Pellegrini, the most important race on the Argentine calendar, was raced under perfect late spring weather at Hipodromo San Isidro outside of Buenos Aires.
A 6-year-old son of Incurable Optimist out of La Gran Portada, Life of Victory closed fastest of all to claim victory over Negro Da Gaita. Reraise was another half-length back in third. Latency, last year's winner, finished sixth, four lengths back of the winner.
Good Ba Ba and Doctor Dino scored repeat victories in the Hong Kong Mile and Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin on Sunday before Eagle Mountain cruised to a handy score in the Hong Kong Cup. The four American runners all finished out of the money in their two races, Kip Deville the most disappointing of all in finishing ninth behind the record-settting Good Ba Ba in the Mile.
Kip Deville steps into the deep waters of Far Eastern competition at Sha Tin on Sunday, when he will be facing a first-class field in the $2 million Hong Kong Mile, one of four Group 1 races presented by the Hong Kong Jockey Club on that day.
Kip Deville drew wide in post 12 for his tilt at the $2 million Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin on Sunday, but that outside post should not pose a problem for the 4-1 favorite, as there is a long straight run of four furlongs before the first and only turn on the right-handed turf course.
Cornelio Velasquez, who won a race at Happy Valley on Wednesday night as part of the Cathay Pacific International Jockeys Challenge, will take his regular place in the saddle for trainer Rick Dutrow Jr.
Kip Deville has been installed as the 4-1 favorite for Sunday's Hong Kong Mile by two of Britain's leading bookmakers, Ladbrokes and Coral, ahead of defending Mile winner and Hong Kong's Horse of the Year, Good Ba Ba.
The Group 1, $2 million contest at Sha Tin Racecourse has attracted seven Group 1 winners and five Group 2 winners from seven different countries and is the deepest of the four big races on the Hong Kong International Raceday card.
Kane Hekili became the first horse to win the Japan Cup Dirt twice as he held on gamely for a head victory Sunday in the ninth running of the Grade 1, $2.7 million contest at Hanshin . In what proved to be yet another fruitless trip to the Far East for the American contenders, Frost Giant finished 12th in the 1 1/8-mile race and Tin Cup Chalice 13th after Mast Track had been scratched on Sunday morning due to lameness in his shoulder.
Defending title holder Vermilion locks horns with the potentially superb Casino Drive at Hanshin on Sunday in the $2.7 million Japan Cup Dirt, in which American challengers Tin Cup Chalice, Frost Giant, and Mast Track will have to produce career-best efforts if they hope to find the winner's circle in this 1 1/8-mile Grade 1 event.
The three American challengers continued their preparations for Sunday's $2.5 million Japan Cup Dirt at Hanshin Racecourse on Thursday, prior to the draw for the 1 1/8-mile Grade 1 contest that saw Frost Giant land in post 2, Tin Cup Chalice in 8, and Mast Track in 13 in the 16-runner field.
With his regular rider, Pedro Rodriguez, unable to receive a passport in time to make the trip to Japan, Tin Cup Chalice has lucked out in picking up the services of Edgar Prado, who is at Hanshin this weekend representing America in the World Super Jockeys Series.