Japan Cup  Sun 26 Nov 6.20 am

[wit]

…with just Ouija Board (looking to better last year’s fifth place) and Freedonia (John Hammond) the international reps.

[Since latter is a European horse, assume its named after Groucho’s European "Land of the Spree, and the Home of the Knave":

<!– m –>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedonia<!– m –>

rather than these guys in Texas:

<!– m –>http://www.freedonia.org/&lt;!– m –>     ]

<br>Anyway, briefest of form:

<!– m –>http://japanracing.jp/_news2006/pdf/061114-02.pdf<!– m –>

General info page, with news updates at foot:

<!– m –>http://japanracing.jp/jc/index.html<!– m –>

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><br>The JRA revealed on October 19 the shocking allegation that national hero Deep Impact (4c, by Sunday Silence, JPN) raced in the Grand Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1, 2,400m) under the influence of ipratropium, a banned substance in France….

France Galop, the nation’s horseracing authority, is investigating the matter and should issue a ruling on the Triple Crown champion this month.     Deep Impact’s connections had already announced his retirement at the end of the season, and a syndicate of breeders worth a record 5.1 billion yen was scheduled to be formed for his stud career starting next season. They have continued to refuse any comment or explanation of the issue until a final decision is made by France Galop.

At some point, however, a reasonable explanation will need to be issued to vindicate Deep Impact’s innocence, protect his honor and pacify the colt’s many millions of fans.

Since Deep Impact passed up the Tenno Sho Autumn (GI, 2,000m), his next start will most probably be the Japan Cup, by which time France Galop’s ruling is expected.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

best regards

wit

[deltaman]

Wit,<br>      Thanks for the word on ‘Deep Impact’  there is light at the end of the tunnel.

[wit]

hi deltaman

yes, the French have opined:

http://www.france-galop.com/PRESSE/docp … 161106.pdf

and now we wait to hear from connections.

<br>Ed Dunlop now has the only international runner in this Sunday’s Hanshin Cup, and vibes seem positive:

http://japanracing.jp/_news2006/pdf/061116.pdf

best regards

wit

[wit]

JRA press release now issued re Deep Impact:

http://www.jra.go.jp/news/200611/111610.html

<br>For those whose Kanji is a bit rusty 😉 it says:

–   The  horse can run in Japan because the French have imposed no ban on it

–   The trainer has already been punished by the French and there will be no duplicate punishment from the JRA.

<br>The joint findings of the French and Japanese authorities were:

–   DI’s  Japanese vet  noticed a breathing problem after the horse worked on Sep 13th and consulted the French vet at the quarantine facility

–  the Japanese vet obtained the drug using a prescription from the French vet

–  the drug  was administered for 5 days from Sep 21 – 25, using an inhaler borrowed from the French vet

–   during those 5 days of  treatment, the  French inhaler fell apart twice, with the  tube linking the container to the mask coming away and the drug being sprayed as a mist onto the litter, the hay, the box generally

–   the horse was in that box until the day before the race

–   it is possible that, despite regular cleaning of the box,  this is how the horse remained exposed to the drug until September 30 and why it showed up in its post-race urine test on October 1

Responsibility for this situation ultimately had to rest with DI’s trainer.

Trainer is then quoted as:

–   apologising profusely to everyone, including DI’s fans,

–   accepting the buck stops with him

–   pointing out it there was no illegal use, but there was carelessness in tidying up the spills

–   promising to be careful that this would not be allowed to happen again

–    being very grateful to the French and apologising for causing all this kerfuffle

–   saying this is no reflection on the splendid horse

–  again asking for the understanding of all concerned

<br>The chief exec of the JRA is then quoted saying:

–    much international interchange of horses these days

–    need to be alive to local rules [ a reference to the fact the drug is not illegal in Japan, but is in France]

–   very regrettable to the horse

–   must always strive for highest standards in managing the horse properly

<br>best regards

wit <br>

[indocine]

So given that Atrovent (I understand) is not banned nor tested for in Japan, is Deep Impact going to be running on it again in the JC, like he probably has, all his career.

Unfortunately (or fortunately) my mother nebulises this stuff 3 times a day and if this is not considered worthy of being a banned drug then I don’t know what should be.

The JRA are an arrogant complacent country club mentality crock of s**t
. Neil Drysdale’s, Sarafan was caught positive for steroids a couple of years ago in a pre race test for the Hong Kong Vase. This was two weeks *after* Sarafan ran in the Japan Cup and the steroid was administered in the USA before it left to run in the Japan Cup!

The JRA need to dragged over some hot coals in public over their pathetic drug rules and testing, they are pride ridden arseholes so it would hurt them good.<br>

[Zorro]

Why would he have been running on it all his career if the breathing problem only appeared in September?<br>It was an error. Nothing more. I wonder whether the horse should have run.

[davidjohnson]

I wonder if his loyal supporters, that backed him into odds on on the pari mutuel would have liked to have known the horse had been diagnosed with a breathing problem less than a month before the race.

[davidbrady]

Quote: from davidjohnson on 9:06 am on Nov. 17, 2006[br]I wonder if his loyal supporters, that backed him into odds on on the pari mutuel would have liked to have known the horse had been diagnosed with a breathing problem less than a month before the race.

Not to metion Zorro!

[wit]

Cup write-up on site:

http://japanracing.jp/_news2006/061117-02.html

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

This year’s Japan Cup field will be small, but whatever it lacks in quantity it looks set to more than compensate with quality.

Joining the Japanese entrants (there are only 10 nominations, and only 8 have declared they will be running) are two foreign entrants – Ouija Board from the UK and Freedonia from France.

Ouija Board finished 5th in this race last year after probably being too close to the ferocious pace, and has continued to prove a wonderful benchmark for horses over the globe this year. Only this week she was named Europe’s Horse of the Year at the 2006 Cartier Racing Awards, for the second time!

Freedonia will be huge odds in Japan, but she has shown she is competitive at Group 1 level overseas, finishing 2nd in the Turf Classic Invitational Stakes at Belmont Park last month over this trip.

Of course, all eyes will be on Deep Impact in the Japan Cup. He will once again start a short favorite, but it will be interesting to see if the Arc controversy has had any major effect on his millions of Japanese fans. Although it was a shock for them to see him beaten in France (he has since been officially disqualified), he was beaten less than a length, away from home, by two of the best horses in the world, and it is terribly hard to imagine that a fit Deep Impact could be beaten by any horse over the 2400m Tokyo course.

Heart’s Cry is one of only 3 horses in the world to have beaten Deep Impact, when he held off the champion’s determined charge from the back of the field in the 2005 Grade 1 Arima Kinen. That is the only time the two horses have clashed, and it would not be surprising if a significant number of Japanese racing fans gamble that he can repeat the dose in the Japan Cup. Since going with a nose of winning this race last year, French jockey Christophe Lemaire has been able to change the race tactics of Heart’s Cry, who previously needed to be ridden from the tail of the field. He caught Yutaka Take (Deep Impact’s jockey) by surprise last year in the Arima Kinen when he sat just behind the leaders, but this time – especially with the small field – very few people would be surprised if he was very close to the lead.

Meisho Samson won the first two legs of the 3yo classic Triple Crown in Japan this year, the Grade 1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) and the Grade 1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby). This is his first time racing against the older horses, so it is a little hard to line up the different form lines. On times, and based on the brilliant performance of the 3yo Admire Moon (who Meisho Samson beat easily in both classics they contested together) in the Grade 1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) late last month, there seems little doubt that Meisho Samson will be competitive against the older horses. He was beaten into 4th last start in the 3000m Grade 1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger), the last leg of the Triple Crown, but he looked as though the 3000m may have possibly been too far for him, and he does have a tendency to improve with racing.

Dream Passport is another top 3yo. He is yet to miss a place in 11 outings, the last 5 of which have been Grade 1 and Grade 2 races. He finished 2nd in the Satsuki Sho, 3rd in the Japanese Derby (when he was the only horse making any real ground at the finish) and 2nd in the Kikuka Sho. Many fans feel that he has the most ability of this year’s 3yo crop, but so far he has had trouble breaking through to win at Grade 1 level. An interesting side note about Dream Passport is that he has had a jockey change every single race, and it appears that Melbourne Cup winning jockey Yasunari Iwata may be on board for the first time in the Japan Cup.

Cosmo Bulk: Fairytale galloper who won the $3 Million Singapore Airlines International Cup in may this year. Is officially registered with the NAR (National Association of Racing) which is run by local governments – and began his career racing for much less prizemoney than is available in the JRA (his 2nd career win earned him just 200,000 yen – less than US$2,000!). His domestic career so far has seen him win one JRA Grade 3 and two JRA Grade 2 races, as well as 2nd placings in two of the most prestigious JRA Grade 1 races – the Satsuki Sho (2000 Guineas equivalent) and the Japan Cup, in 2004. He showed he was back to form with a close up 4th behind Heart’s Cry, Deep Impact and Lincoln in the Arima Kinen last December and then was successful in Singapore this year, but failed behind Deep Impact in the Grade 1 Takarazuka Kinen in June. He seemed to have his chance in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) last start, but is sure to have supporters here again.

Swift Current is a 5yo Sunday Silence stallion who has burst onto the Grade 1 stage in Japan this year. After finishing 2nd in a Grade 2 2500m race in January, he was given a rest until the summer and he has been performing very well every since. He showed that he could be at competitive at Grade 1 level last start, when he finished strongly along the inside to finish 2nd behind Daiwa Major, but realistically this does look much more difficult. He is also nominated for the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase in December, so there is a possibility he may head there directly.

Fusaichi Pandora put in a bad run in the Grade 1 Oka Sho (1000 Guineas equivalent over 1600m), but was consistent after that against the top 3yo fillies in the classics behind Kawakami Princess in particular. That form looks good as Kawakami Princess seems to be a very special filly, even though she was relegated to 12th place in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup earlier this month. That regulation allowed Fusaichi Pandora to pick up her first Group victory, and while she does look promising, there are some very good horses in this field!<br><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

best regards

wit

[indocine]

Running him back on drugs in Japan proves nothing, cept to the legions of Nipponese numpties that anthropomorphise him. If connections had any notion of recovering face they would run him in the HK Vase where he’d need to run drug free.  But no, probably get beaten by a girl again. <br>    

[Zorro]

running him back on drugs?<br>you obviously know nothing about japanese racing, indo.

[indocine]

Quote: from Zorro on 12:21 am on Nov. 18, 2006[br]running him back on drugs?<br>you obviously know nothing about japanese racing, indo.

Yes zorro, insults are the best rebuttals, when you own emptiness.<br> <br>

[FlatSeasonLover]

Wow indocine your first 3 posts have certainly marked you out that’s for sure.

What I don’t understand is, if you’ve been a memeber since 1970 how have you managed to stay so quiet?:biggrin:

[wit]

IMO, Indo has a point.

Deep Impact is widely considered the best ever Japanese horse, having won 10 of his 11 starts in Japan, including the triple crown.

His only other lifetime start to date has been his sole appearance outside Japan, in the Arc.

<br>He has a respiratory problem, and was on inhalers before the episode in France.

The drug he’s been administered, ipratropium, is legal everywhere so long as its cleared from body by the time of the race.

But in Japan, its also legal for it to be present during the race.

That is not the case in jurisdictions outside Japan.

So how do we know it hasn’t always been there in his Japanese runs ?   Since its not prohibited, it presence will not have been remarked on in Japan.

<br>The US and Canada list ipratropium as a Class 3 drug in the ARCI five classes of drugs.     Absent mitigating circumstances, its presence means a recommended suspension of the horse for 60 days to 6 months, plus fine and loss of purse:

http://www.arci.com/druglisting.pdf

And that’s in jurisdictions which allow Bute and Lasix.

So its not as if the potential effect of the drug on racing capacity is considered insignificant.    True, its not at the top of the scale, but nor is it at the trivial end.

<br>Dare one say France Galop seems to have extended a kindness to the way in which DI can now play out his racing career – with two more races in Japan – without putting the JRA in an awkward position?

<br>Would there have been as much need for what perhaps was the application of a certain pragmatism, had the horse not been such a legend in, and important to, its home industry?

<br>best regards

wit

[Zorro]

If wit’s right – and he usually is – I stand corrected.:(  Can I withdraw my rudeness to indocine and offer an apology instead?<br> I thought he was suggesting that the JRA runs an "anything goes" party, when I was sure the opposite is true. I’ll try and find out more when I’m there next week.

[wit]

hi Z

you’re absolutely right that under the IFHA International Agreement, Japan is strictest of the lot on prohibited substances.

It (and Norway) are the only racing jurisdictions that do not accept paragraph 16 of Article 6, by which the other signatories agree that in their jurisdictions  " prohibited substances" are not actionable if present  below certain threshold levels:

http://www.horseracingintfed.com/resour … se_eng.pdf

<br>….which obviously makes even more perplexing the situation revealed by the Arc in relation to ipratropium.

How many (if any) drugs which are prohibited raceday elsewhere are not prohibited raceday in Japan ?    What are their names (checked against the ARCI list plus bute and lasix, as a starting point) ?

How many (if any) of his Japanese starts did DI make carrying traces of any such drug(s) ?

Its an issue that potentially goes to the heart of the regard in which one country’s racing stars are held in other countries.

How can it be that the strictest regime on the book internationally may not be the strictest on the ground domestically in terms of what drugs it actually prohibits?

Some prickly questions that local journalists may not be inclined to pursue too vigorously ……….good luck !

best regards

wit<br>

(Edited by wit at 12:53 pm on Nov. 18, 2006)

[wit]

Court Masterpiece ran 7th this morning in the G1 Mile Championship at Kyoto under Frankie.

Full details and video shortly at the foot of this page:

http://japanracing.jp/information/list2006.html

best regards

wit

[Author]

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