Latest news with #MeishoTabaru
UPI
a day ago
- Sport
- UPI
Royal Ascot looms after a weekend of big races from France to Japan
1 of 2 | Meisho Tabaru wins Sunday's Grade 1 Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin Racecourse, earning "Win and You're In" spots in both the Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar and the W.S. Cox Plate in Australia. Photo by and courtesy of Katsumi Saito June 16 (UPI) -- The Royal Ascot started taking firm shape this weekend even as the winners were cooling out from Sunday's "Win and You're In" qualifiers for the Breeders' Cup Turf, the W.S. Cox Plate and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Back in the States, some potentially late-blooming 3-year-olds took steps forward at Monmouth Park and Delaware Park. And Motorious started off his 7-year-old season with another convincing win. Oh boy! Royal Ascot. Around the world, around the clock Royal Ascot The five-day Royal meeting gets underway Tuesday, starting with a bang in the form of the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes. It's worth setting the alarm clock, as familiar foes Rosalion, Dancing Gemini, Lead Artist and Notable Speech top a quality field for the straight one-mile test. Also in the field is the first big American hope, Carl Spackler. The 5-year-old multiple Grade 1 winner, trained by Ciaron Maher, exits a win in the Grade I Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland in April and has been prepping at Saratoga. Also on the Tuesday card are the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes at 5 furlongs, the Group 1 St. James's Palace Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 mile and the Group 2 Coventry Stakes for 2-year-olds. Wednesday's traditional feature is the Group 1 Prince of Wales's Stakes. A flock of retirements has left the Thursday centerpiece, the Group 1Ascot Gold Cup, a bit more open than in recent years. On Friday, it's the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup for 3-year-olds at 6 furlongs and the Group 1 Coronation Cup for 3-year-old fillies. The final Group 1, the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, wraps things up on Saturday. Japan Meisho Tabaru scored a front-running upset win in Sunday's Grade 1 Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin Racecourse, turning back a late challenge by the favorite, Bellagio Opera, and running on to win by 3 lengths. The 4-year-old son of Gold Ship earned "Win and You're In" spots in both the Group 1 W.S. Cox Plate in Australia and the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf. Sadly, lacking a time machine he's not going to contest both, as the Cox Plate is Oct. 25 and the Breeders' Cup is Nov. 1. Meisho Tabaru, last seen finishing fifth in the Group 1 Dubai Turf in April, benefitted from jockey Yutaka Take's decision to go for the lead and see how far he could go. "I knew the other horses were going to make their bid early but my mount had good momentum going around the fourth corner and I was hoping that he would manage to push through," the veteran rider said. France Gezora rallied to the lead inside the 100-meter mark in Sunday's Group 1 Prix de Diane or French Oaks at Chantilly and held safe a late charge by Bedtime Story to win by 1 length. Gezora, an Almanzor filly racing for Peter Brant's White Birch Farm, scored her fourth win following a victory in the Group 2 Prix Saint-Alary at Longchamp on May 11. Bedtime Story, a Frankel filly, won her first four starts last season for trainer Aidan O'Brien, but had been up the course in three intervening starts. The race now is a "Win and You're In" for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in October and Gezora's odds accordingly were whacked down for that race. Meanwhile, back in the States The 3-year-olds Bracket Buster returned to form, and then some, in Saturday's $150,000 NYRA Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park. The Vekoma colt, trained by Vickie Oliver, finished second in the Grade III Lexington at Keeneland two starts back but then finished seventh in an optional claimer at Churchill Downs on Derby Day. In the Pegasus, he dueled for the lead, then took over and won off by 7 lengths. Admiral Dennis took a big step forward in Saturday's $200,000 Delaware Derby at Delaware Park, stalking the pace before kicking away to win by 3 1/4 lengths over Barbadian Runner. On the Triple Crown trail, he finished sixth in the Grade II Rebel at Oaklawn Park after a slow start, then finished fourth in the Grade I Blue Grass at Keeneland. Classic / Dirt Mile Bishops Bay rolled smoothly over a sloppy Monmouth Park track to win Saturday's $150,000 Grade III Salvator Mile be new Steven y 5 lengths over Nelson Avenue. The 5-year-old son of Uncle Mo improved to seven wins and three seconds from 10 starts despite a 17-month, mid-career interruption. Since returning from that hiatus, he's 5-for-6. The 3-year-old fillies Fondly returned from a 13th place showing in the Kentucky Oaks, her first career loss, to win Saturday' $300,000 Grade III Delaware Oaks by 3 lengths after leading from the early going. The favorite, Margie's Intention, started last of nine and came on late to finish second. On Saturday at Churchill Downs, Take Charge Milady engaged in a tight stretch duel with odds-on favorite Immersive in the $175,000 Monomoy Girl Stakes for 3-year-old fillies with Take Charge Milady prevailing by a neck at the wire. Immersive, last year's Breeders' Cup and Eclipse Award 2-year-old filly champ, entered undefeated in four previous starts. Distaff Majestic Oops, shipped in from Oaklawn Park, drew off from four rivals in the stretch run of Saturday's $150,000 Lady's Secret Stakes at Monmouth Park and won by 4 1/2 lengths over the favorite, Occult. Malibu Beauty led all the way to a 3-length score in Saturday's $150,000 Obeah Stakes at Delaward Park. Sprint Full Moon Madness enjoyed a bit of class relief in Saturday's $100,000 Alapocas Run Stakes at Delaware Park. The 5-year-old Into Mischief gelding came with a late surge to catch Buccherino and win by a neck. Turf Vote No got the thumbs up in Saturday's $200,000 Cape Henlopen Stakes at Delaware Park. The 4-year-old Divisidero gelding had some rough going early and raced well back in the field but swung four-wide into the lane and made up all the ground to win by 3/4 length over Harrow. Redistricting, the odds-on favorite, led virtually all the way to a 5-length victory in Saturday's $150,000 Monmouth Stakes. Rebel Red won Saturday's $200,000 Chorleywood Stakes at Churchill Downs by 2 lengths. And Nitti came from last of five to win Sunday's 1 3/4-miles Grade III San Juan Capistrano at Santa Anita by 2 1/2 lengths. Filly & Mare Turf Mrs. Astor, the odds-on favorite, had all she could do to handle long shot Mahina in the closing stages of Saturday's $100,000 Possibly Perfect Stakes at Santa Anita. Both rallied from behind a moderate pace set by Kentucky Gal but Mrs. Astor got the better trip and won by a nose. Whiskey Decision, returning from seven months on the sidelines, won Saturday's $150,000 Grade III Eatontown Stakes at Monmouth Park by 2 lengths over the favorite Maggie Go. Turf Sprint Motorious kicked off his 7-year-old season with a convincing 1 1/4-length victory in Saturday's $100,000 Grade III Daytona Stakes at Santa Anita. The British-bred Muhaarar gelding, second in last year's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, swung outside rivals crossing the dirt track, rallied by the leaders and drove home first by 1 1/2 length. He's won three of his last four starts going back to last August. Gata Brazil won Sunday's $100,000 Stormy Blues Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Laurel Park by a nose over the pacesetting favorite, Roja. Super Chow took Sunday's off-the-turf $100,000 Get Serious Stakes at Monmouth Park by 1 3/4 lengths.
Herald Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Herald Sun
Japanese frontrunner Meisho Tabaru books 2025 Cox Plate start
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Meisho Tabaru could be the latest Japanese galloper to have a crack at the Cox Plate after his frontrunning win in the Group 1 Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin. Meisho Tabaru finished fifth in the Group 1 Dubai Turf (1800m) at his previous run before leading throughout under Japanese riding legend Yukata Take to notch his first Group 1 win in the ¥651,000,000 (approx. $A7 million) feature. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'My plan was to take the lead, and although I was unsure about the pace, I think we were able to race at just the right pace,' Take said. 'I knew the other horses were going to make a bid early but my mount had good momentum going around the fourth corner and I was hoping that he would manage to push through.' Australian-based jockey Michael Dee finished third aboard Justin Palace while Damian Lane steered Chuck Nate into fifth. Winning the Takarazuka Kinen earned Meisho Tabaru's connections a subsidised invitation to run in October's Cox Plate at The Valley. • 'I'm just not sure about her this year': Francesca Cumani reveals Royal Ascot doubts for Asfoora Bookmakers installed Meisho Tabaru as a $15 chance in Cox Plate betting after the stallion qualified for the $5 million showpiece. Lys Gracieux won the Takarazuka Kinen before heading to Australia to win the Cox Plate with Lane aboard in 2019, becoming the first Japanese horse to win Australasia's weight-for-age championship. Prognosis was the latest Japanese performer to tackle the Cox Plate but bumped into Via Sistina in peak form, finishing eight lengths adrift when second to the star mare in 2024. Via Sistina is the $2.30 favourite to win the Cox Plate for the second straight year on October 25. The Takarazuka Kinen is the first of three 'win and you're in' qualifying races for the Cox Plate. The Juddmonte International at York in August and the Saratoga Derby in New York on September 1 will also offer subsidised Cox Plate starts to the winner. Originally published as Japanese frontrunner Meisho Tabaru books 2025 Cox Plate start with Takarazuka Kinen win
News.com.au
a day ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Japanese frontrunner Meisho Tabaru books 2025 Cox Plate start with Takarazuka Kinen win
Meisho Tabaru could be the latest Japanese galloper to have a crack at the Cox Plate after his frontrunning win in the Group 1 Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin. Meisho Tabaru finished fifth in the Group 1 Dubai Turf (1800m) at his previous run before leading throughout under Japanese riding legend Yukata Take to notch his first Group 1 win in the ¥651,000,000 (approx. $A7 million) feature. 'My plan was to take the lead, and although I was unsure about the pace, I think we were able to race at just the right pace,' Take said. 'I knew the other horses were going to make a bid early but my mount had good momentum going around the fourth corner and I was hoping that he would manage to push through.' Australian-based jockey Michael Dee finished third aboard Justin Palace while Damian Lane steered Chuck Nate into fifth. Winning the Takarazuka Kinen earned Meisho Tabaru's connections a subsidised invitation to run in October's Cox Plate at The Valley. Bookmakers installed Meisho Tabaru as a $15 chance in Cox Plate betting after the stallion qualified for the $5 million showpiece. Lys Gracieux won the Takarazuka Kinen before heading to Australia to win the Cox Plate with Lane aboard in 2019, becoming the first Japanese horse to win Australasia's weight-for-age championship. Prognosis was the latest Japanese performer to tackle the Cox Plate but bumped into Via Sistina in peak form, finishing eight lengths adrift when second to the star mare in 2024. Via Sistina is the $2.30 favourite to win the Cox Plate for the second straight year on October 25. The Takarazuka Kinen is the first of three 'win and you're in' qualifying races for the Cox Plate. The Juddmonte International at York in August and the Saratoga Derby in New York on September 1 will also offer subsidised Cox Plate starts to the winner.
Japan Forward
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Japan Forward
Takarazuka Kinen: Meisho Tabaru Claims Wire-to-Wire Victory
Although threatened by Bellagio Opera, Meisho Tabaru pulled away for a three-length victory. It was jockey Yutaka Take's fifth Takarazuka Kinen win. Yutaka Take rides Meisho Tabaru en route to victory in the 66th Takarazuka Kinen on June 15, 2025, at Hanshin Racecourse in Takarazuka, Hyogo Prefecture. (©SANKEI) Meisho Tabaru led wire-to-wire to capture his third graded and first G1 title in the Takarazuka Kinen on Sunday, June 15 at Hanshin Racecourse. In his previous start, the son of 2014 Takarazuka Kinen champion Gold Ship finished fifth in the Dubai Turf (G1, 1,800 meters) on April 5. On Sunday, trainer Mamoru Ishibashi, who won the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) as a jockey in 2006 and opened his yard in 2014, registered his third graded and first G1 victory. Jockey Yutaka Take earned his 84th Japan Racing Association G1 title. It was Take's record-extending fifth win in the Grand Prix (All-Star) race. He also triumphed in the Takarazuka Kinen aboard Inari One (1989), Mejiro McQueen (1993), Marvelous Sunday (1997) and Deep Impact (2006). A winning combination: jockey Yutaka Take and Meisho Tabaru. (©SANKEI) Quick out of stall 12, 4-year-old Meisho Tabaru promptly took the front to set the pace and continued to lead the All-Star field through the backstretch. Although threatened by Bellagio Opera (Kazuo Yokoyama's ride) in the final corners, the Gold Ship colt found another gear after entering the stretch and pulled away tenaciously to capture his first G1 title with a comfortable three-length victory. ( Watch the 66th Takarazuka Kinen on the JRA's YouTube channel. ) Winning jockey Yutaka Take (©SANKEI) "My plan was to take the lead, and although I was unsure about the pace, I think we were able to race at just the right pace," the 56-year-old Take said. "I knew the other horses were going to make a bid early but my mount had good momentum going around the fourth corner and I was hoping that he would manage to push through." Meisho Tabaru completed the 2,200-meter race in 2 minutes, 11.1 seconds. Horses jockey for position as they reach the fourth corner in the 66th Takarazuka Kinen. (©SANKEI) Race favorite Bellagio Opera broke smoothly and settled in fourth, 2-3 lengths behind the front three runners. As the field approached the final corner, the Lord Kanaloa bay shifted to the outside to make a bid. Then he entered the lane in second and, though unable to display his usual late charge, he managed to hold off the strong charge from behind to secure the runner-up seat. Tenth choice Justin Palace (Michael Dee) saved ground around 14th, gradually switched to the outside in the backstretch and circled wide to enter the lane in 15th. The son of Deep Impact launched the fastest kick over the last three furlongs (35.1 seconds). And, while having too much ground to catch the front two finishers, he crossed the wire a neck behind the runner-up to finish third. Shonan la Punta (Hideaki Miyuki) and Chuck Nate (Damian Lane) finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in the 17-horse race. The Sprinters Stakes is the JRA's next G1 race on September 28 at Nakayama Racecourse. Read the full report , including details on each of the Takarazuka Kinen entrants, on JRA News. Author: JRA News
