imaufo
22-02-2002, 12:56
Full article at this link
http://www.racingworld.com/Home.asp?CodeId=2&
Japan has begun to play a larger role in the magnificent history of thoroughbred development. Thanks to recent showings of Japanese horses in Europe, Dubai and Hong Kong, horse people around the world have begun to cast interested looks toward Japanese racing and breeding. The first horse to race overseas from Japan was Hakuchikara in 1958, the Horse of the Year in 1957. While in the U.S., he had 17 starts through 1959, which included the $50,000 Washington Birthday Handicap held at Santa Anita Park. In line with the development of horse racing in the subsequent 50 years, Japan has endeavored to refine the quality of domestic-bred horses and upgrade care, management and training manners. The current capabilities of Japanese thoroughbreds are almost on par with those of Europe and the U.S.
Let's review some of the eye-opening exploits Japanese horses have recorded overseas in recent years. Fujiyama Kenzan (1988 horse by Lucky Cast) won the Hong Kong International Cup (GII) in 1995. Midnight Bet (1994 horse by Housebuster) also won the race in 1998. It was also a good year for Seeking the Pearl (1994 mare by Seeking the Gold) who won the Prix Maurice de Gheest (GI), and Taiki Shuttle (1994 horse by Devil's Bag) who followed with a victory in the Jacques le Marois (GI). In 1999, El Condor Pasa (1995 horse by Kingmambo) captured the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (GI) and the Prix Foy (GII), and came in a close second to Montjeu in the Prix de l'Arc de Triumph (GI). In 2000, Agnes World (1995 horse by Danzig) was victorious in the July Cup and Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp, both Group-I events.
In 2001, Stay Gold (1994 horse by Sunday Silence) defeated Fantastic Light in the Dubai Sheema Classic (G2), while marvelous Sunday Silence's 1996 daughter To the Victory finished a hard-fought second to Americapowerhouse Captain Steve in the Dubai World Cup (GI).
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Promotional Measures
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Japan Racing Association's (JRA) various strategies are behind the increased strength of Japan's horses. In the late 1970s, JRA promoted the cause of producing strong horses to be competitive in the world circuit and worked to advance various issues such as the improvement of breeding resources and advances in production, care and training manners with considerable success. A great epoch began with the establishment of the Japan Cup in 1981, which animated Japan's trainers and jockeys, leading to remarkable improvements in training and riding techniques. The Japan Cup also became a major objective for the breeding industry, with several runners later serving as stallions.
When the Japan Cup was inaugurated, people said even overseas Grade-II contenders were beyond the abilities of Japanese horses. But after Katsuragi Ace (1980, by Boysie Boy) collected the first Japanese victory in 1985, Japan-bred entries have won eight of 20 Cups, and have turned in consecutive victories in the three years since 1998.
Special note should be made of the racing program that has been actively implemented since 1992 to ease restrictions regarding participation of foreign-bred horses in JRA races. This policy led to the importation of many outstanding foreign-bred horses that contributed to the improvement of Japan's breeding resources when they were shifted to the production side after their retirement from racing. A program enacted in 1996 to promote the introduction of superior broodmares, backed by monetary subsidies, has also encouraged the weeding out of poor-quality dams and has been greatly effective in improving the foundations of Japan's bloodlines, as well as boosting the competitive capabilities of the breeding industry internationally.
An additional factor in the influx of foreign horses was the abundant capital that flowed into breeding regions, including those overseas, thanks to the growing amount of prize money deriving from an abrupt increase in pari-mutuel betting turnover and the effects of Japan's healthy economy. At around the same time, the yen's steady rise following the 1985 Plaza Accord made foreign-bred horses seem low-priced. There was a remarkable upward trend in the number of foreign horses, including for racing, imported from 1986 on, exceeding 300 per year around 1990 and rising to 500 to 600 after 1995. The number declined somewhat in 2000 due to Japan's slowing economy.
Improvements to breeding and rearing facilities have been another driving force in the increased strength of Japanese horses. With each successive Japan Cup came growing awareness of the importance of gearing the raising and training from the foal to 2-year-old stage. This work increasingly was undertaken at specialized farms by experts who had accumulated experience in Europe and the U.S. Previously, this aspect had been handled as more or less a side business at breeding farms. Against this backdrop, JRA began construction of a large scale training facility in Urakawa, one of the leading breeding regions, in 1991. Various courses and research facilities were built on approximately 3,500 acres of land received through a government land grant. It was opened to the public in 1993 as the Bloodhorse Training Center (BTC), and construction was completed in 1999. Many of private training stables opened for business around BTC, matching their expertise against each other while supplying young horses to racecourses.
A program of subsidies for construction of jointly-operated raising and training facilities begun by the Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association (JBBA) in 1987 also led to a sharp increase in private-sector investment activity and the opening of many specialized raising and training farms around the country. This resulted in marked advances in establishing foundations for breeding and raising Japanese racehorses.
This progress in raising and training horses and the improved techniques for young horses affected how sales were conducted. Training sales were begun with a small private sale for 2-year-olds in 1994. Following these, three full-scale public training sales for 2-year-olds were inaugurated in 1997. These were supervised by Premier Sale Co., Ltd., the Hidaka Breeders' Association (HBA) and the Hidaka-Higashi Agricultural Cooperative Association (JA Hidaka East).
[ February 22, 2002: Message edited by: Imaufo ]
http://www.racingworld.com/Home.asp?CodeId=2&
Japan has begun to play a larger role in the magnificent history of thoroughbred development. Thanks to recent showings of Japanese horses in Europe, Dubai and Hong Kong, horse people around the world have begun to cast interested looks toward Japanese racing and breeding. The first horse to race overseas from Japan was Hakuchikara in 1958, the Horse of the Year in 1957. While in the U.S., he had 17 starts through 1959, which included the $50,000 Washington Birthday Handicap held at Santa Anita Park. In line with the development of horse racing in the subsequent 50 years, Japan has endeavored to refine the quality of domestic-bred horses and upgrade care, management and training manners. The current capabilities of Japanese thoroughbreds are almost on par with those of Europe and the U.S.
Let's review some of the eye-opening exploits Japanese horses have recorded overseas in recent years. Fujiyama Kenzan (1988 horse by Lucky Cast) won the Hong Kong International Cup (GII) in 1995. Midnight Bet (1994 horse by Housebuster) also won the race in 1998. It was also a good year for Seeking the Pearl (1994 mare by Seeking the Gold) who won the Prix Maurice de Gheest (GI), and Taiki Shuttle (1994 horse by Devil's Bag) who followed with a victory in the Jacques le Marois (GI). In 1999, El Condor Pasa (1995 horse by Kingmambo) captured the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (GI) and the Prix Foy (GII), and came in a close second to Montjeu in the Prix de l'Arc de Triumph (GI). In 2000, Agnes World (1995 horse by Danzig) was victorious in the July Cup and Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp, both Group-I events.
In 2001, Stay Gold (1994 horse by Sunday Silence) defeated Fantastic Light in the Dubai Sheema Classic (G2), while marvelous Sunday Silence's 1996 daughter To the Victory finished a hard-fought second to Americapowerhouse Captain Steve in the Dubai World Cup (GI).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Promotional Measures
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Japan Racing Association's (JRA) various strategies are behind the increased strength of Japan's horses. In the late 1970s, JRA promoted the cause of producing strong horses to be competitive in the world circuit and worked to advance various issues such as the improvement of breeding resources and advances in production, care and training manners with considerable success. A great epoch began with the establishment of the Japan Cup in 1981, which animated Japan's trainers and jockeys, leading to remarkable improvements in training and riding techniques. The Japan Cup also became a major objective for the breeding industry, with several runners later serving as stallions.
When the Japan Cup was inaugurated, people said even overseas Grade-II contenders were beyond the abilities of Japanese horses. But after Katsuragi Ace (1980, by Boysie Boy) collected the first Japanese victory in 1985, Japan-bred entries have won eight of 20 Cups, and have turned in consecutive victories in the three years since 1998.
Special note should be made of the racing program that has been actively implemented since 1992 to ease restrictions regarding participation of foreign-bred horses in JRA races. This policy led to the importation of many outstanding foreign-bred horses that contributed to the improvement of Japan's breeding resources when they were shifted to the production side after their retirement from racing. A program enacted in 1996 to promote the introduction of superior broodmares, backed by monetary subsidies, has also encouraged the weeding out of poor-quality dams and has been greatly effective in improving the foundations of Japan's bloodlines, as well as boosting the competitive capabilities of the breeding industry internationally.
An additional factor in the influx of foreign horses was the abundant capital that flowed into breeding regions, including those overseas, thanks to the growing amount of prize money deriving from an abrupt increase in pari-mutuel betting turnover and the effects of Japan's healthy economy. At around the same time, the yen's steady rise following the 1985 Plaza Accord made foreign-bred horses seem low-priced. There was a remarkable upward trend in the number of foreign horses, including for racing, imported from 1986 on, exceeding 300 per year around 1990 and rising to 500 to 600 after 1995. The number declined somewhat in 2000 due to Japan's slowing economy.
Improvements to breeding and rearing facilities have been another driving force in the increased strength of Japanese horses. With each successive Japan Cup came growing awareness of the importance of gearing the raising and training from the foal to 2-year-old stage. This work increasingly was undertaken at specialized farms by experts who had accumulated experience in Europe and the U.S. Previously, this aspect had been handled as more or less a side business at breeding farms. Against this backdrop, JRA began construction of a large scale training facility in Urakawa, one of the leading breeding regions, in 1991. Various courses and research facilities were built on approximately 3,500 acres of land received through a government land grant. It was opened to the public in 1993 as the Bloodhorse Training Center (BTC), and construction was completed in 1999. Many of private training stables opened for business around BTC, matching their expertise against each other while supplying young horses to racecourses.
A program of subsidies for construction of jointly-operated raising and training facilities begun by the Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association (JBBA) in 1987 also led to a sharp increase in private-sector investment activity and the opening of many specialized raising and training farms around the country. This resulted in marked advances in establishing foundations for breeding and raising Japanese racehorses.
This progress in raising and training horses and the improved techniques for young horses affected how sales were conducted. Training sales were begun with a small private sale for 2-year-olds in 1994. Following these, three full-scale public training sales for 2-year-olds were inaugurated in 1997. These were supervised by Premier Sale Co., Ltd., the Hidaka Breeders' Association (HBA) and the Hidaka-Higashi Agricultural Cooperative Association (JA Hidaka East).
[ February 22, 2002: Message edited by: Imaufo ]