The Arima Kinen, the opening card at Santa Anita plus a Christmas cracker over jumps at Kempton feature in our weekly digest of recent international racing news
Arima Kinen: Do Deuce slays star-studded field
Japan: Do Deuce entered the world’s Top 20 after beating a field full of fellow G1 winners for the Arima Kinen, Japan’s end-of-season grand prix at Nakayama on Sunday [Dec 24].
Trained by Yasuo Tomomichi, the four-year-old beat world #1 Equinox in last year’s Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby). He held top-class filly Stars On Earth by a half-length to claim Sunday’s ¥1.085bn ($7.62m/£6bn) contest and move to #20 (from #143, +330pt) on Thoroughbred Racing Commentary’s exclusive Global Rankings.
Do Deuce was ridden by 54-year-old legend Yutaka Take, riding the 81st JRA G1 success of his career. Turnover on the Arima Kinen, the world’s biggest betting race, was just short of ¥55bn ($382m/£301m). More here
Dettori out of luck on US return
USA: There was to be no dream start for Frankie Dettori as he began his winter stint at Santa Anita with seven rides on Tuesday’s card [Dec 26].
Indeed, it was a frustrating afternoon for Dettori as he finished second on three mounts, including Big Pond, who was touched off by Daddysruby (Peter Miller/Juan Hernandez) in the G1 La Brea Stakes. Moreover, the Italian was outshone by a pair of compatriots as both Antonio Fresu and Umberto Rispoli had doubles, with the former landing a pair of G2 events on Easter and Watsonville while Rispoli claimed the G1 American Oaks on former British-trained Anisette (Leonard Powell).
The Malibu, the final G1 on a showpiece card, ended in a one-two for trainer Bob Baffert as Speed Boat Beach (Flavien Prat) beat Hejazi.
On-track attendance and betting handle both declined compared to opening day in 2022. A crowd of 37,143 compares to 41,446 last year, while handle [betting turnover] of $2.56m compared to $3.16m; though a record for a Tuesday opener, all-sources handle was also down by about $8m. More here
Pegasus trials at Gulfstream
USA: A stakes-laden card at Gulfstream Park on Saturday [Dec 30] features prep races for both the Pegasus World Cup and the Pegasus Turf at the same venue in four weeks’ time.
O’Connor (Saffie Joseph/Tyler Gaffalione), well beaten in last year’s Pegasus, comes into the G3 Harlan’s Holiday after a career-best in the G2 Fayette at Keeneland. Joseph is also represented by NY Traffic, who steps up in trip under Javier Castellano. More here
British-based David Egan has been named in a pair of Gulfstream stakes this weekend as part of his new agreement with football agent Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing. More here
Hewick takes starring role in Kempton drama
GB: Though it is generally considered small fry around the rest of the racing world, jump racing dominates the winter months in Britain and Ireland.
There is no bigger card ahead of the Cheltenham Festival than the Boxing Day [Dec 26] action at Kempton Park where popular gelding Hewick landed a surprise last-gasp victory in the feature event, the King George VI Chase, for trainer John Joseph ‘Shark’ Hanlon.
The eight-year-old’s name should be familiar to US racefans as he won the Grand National Hurdle at Far Hills in October 2022.
On the same card at Kempton, jump racing’s superstar Constitution Hill took his unbeaten record to eight with a bloodless victory at odds of 1-12 against four rivals in the G1 Christmas Hurdle. More here
Rossa Ryan rides 200 winners
GB: Rossa Ryan, Britain’s winningmost rider for 2023, topped the 200-mark for the season with a double on the Dec 20 card at Lingfield Park.
Subsequent winners at Chelmsford and Wolverhampton took the 23-year-old to 202 by the end of Wednesday’s racing [Dec 27] – 25 more than next-best Oisin Murphy. He enjoyed his first G1 success with Shaquille in the July Cup.
However, although Ryan has ridden more winners than anyone else during the calendar year, the accolade of champion jockey goes to William Buick for his 135 victories in the official ‘championship season’ [May 6-Oct 21].
Elsewhere in racing …
Japan: Regaleira is first filly to win Hopeful Stakes More here
USA: Classic Empire sold to stand in Korea More here
Australia: Top sprinter Imperatriz is ‘better than ever’ More here
New Zealand: Death of G1-winning trainer Paul Harris More here
Bahrain: George Baker targets Bahrain Turf Series with biggest team yet More here
Hong Kong: Tony Cruz eyes HK Derby with Fallon as Hewitson slots three-timer More here
• View all previous editions of Seven Days In Racing
View the latest TRC Global Rankings for horses / jockeys / trainers / sires