Fleetstreet Dancer and Outta Here are the two American challengers in a field of 16 for the Grade 1, $1.98 million Japan Cup Dirt over 1 5/16 miles at Tokyo Racecourse on Saturday.
Fleetstreet Dancer, third in the Pacific Classic in August, finished second to subsequent Breeders' Cup Classic winner Pleasantly Perfect in the Oct. 4 Goodwood Handicap at Santa Anita, and then ran sixth in the Seabiscuit Handicap there Oct. 25. He will break from post 5 under Jon Court.
A disappointingly small group of just four American-trained horses has been selected to run in the Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin on Dec. 14.
And as all four of those invitees, Johar in the 1 1/2-mile Hong Kong Vase, Denon in the 1 1/4-mile Hong Kong Cup, and Sarafan and Mister Acpen in the Hong Kong Mile, are running this weekend, there is a possibility of even fewer American runners appearing at the Hong Kong Jockey Club's showcase event, as every one of them would have to run back on just two weeks notice.
Both Breeders' Cup winners who will compete in Sunday's Japan Cup had their last works at the Shiroi Quarantine Center before departing for Tokyo Racecourse on Tuesday.
Johar, a son of Gone West who shared victory with High Chaparral in the Breeders' Cup Turf, merely galloped on Sunday and Monday. Awaiting trainer Richard Mandella's arrival in Tokyo on Tuesday, exercise rider Niphon Nilluang was pleased with the colt's progress.
Rain and the French invader Jair du Cochet combined to deny Best Mate a repeat victory in the Grade 2 Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon in England on Saturday.
Best Mate, Britain's champion steeplechaser, was never happy on the ground and suffered his sixth defeat in 17 tries. He was beaten by eight lengths but has still never been worse than second.
All six of America's challengers in next weekend's Japan Cup and Japan Cup Dirt have arrived safely in Tokyo.
The two most prominent among them, Johar, the Breeders' Cup Turf winner, and Sarafan, last year's Japan Cup runner-up, arrived at Narita International Airport on Thursday morning in good order along with Denon. Slew Valley arrived on a separate flight from New York, while Japan Cup Dirt hopefuls Fleetstreet Dancer and Outta Here touched down together on Wednesday.
Two of the biggest sporting figures in Europe, Alex Ferguson and John Magnier, have locked horns in a legal battle over the immense wealth being created by the much sought after stallion Rock of Gibraltar.
On Tuesday, Ferguson, manager of the world's most valuable professional sports club in soccer's Manchester United, filed suit in Dublin against Magnier's Coolmore Stud, for which Rock of Gibraltar stands. Sir Alex claims that since he had owned a 50 percent share in Rock of Gibraltar as a racehorse, he is entitled to that same percentage in stud fees.
Best Mate will embark on what could be an historic jumps season in the 2 9/16-mile Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon Racecourse, 70 miles north of London, on Saturday.
Britain's champion steeplechaser, Best Mate is in the position of becoming the first horse to win three consecutive Cheltenham Gold Cups since the legendary Arkle turned the trick between 1964 and 1966. He has been installed as the 1-2 choice for the Grade 2 Peterborough, which will be his first start since he cruised to a 10-length victory in his second Cheltenham Gold Cup on March 13.
Pleasantly Perfect, winner of the Breeders' Cup Classic, heads a list of 84 nominees to the $6 million Dubai World Cup, which will be run for the ninth time at Nad Al Sheba on March 27.
If Pleasantly Perfect, a 5-year-old son of Pleasant Colony, goes to Dubai, he will be trying to break a run of close calls in the world's richest race for trainer Richard Mandella. Mandella trainees Soul of the Matter, Siphon, and Malek finished second to Cigar, Singspiel, and Almutawakel in the Group 1 race at 1 1/4 miles.
A pair of Sunday Silence fillies battled through the final furlong of the Grade 1, $1,798,000 Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup at Kyoto on Sunday, with Admire Groove getting the nod on a head bob from Still in Love
Separated by a nose at the line, those two had 1 1/2 lengths on French invader Tigertail, whose effort earned her an invitation to the Japan Cup. Another Gallic challenger, Ana Marie, came home eighth, 3 1/4 lengths behind the 7-2 winner.
Ridden by Yutaka Take, Admire Groove covered the 1 3/8 miles on firm ground in 2:11.80.