Calandagan wins Japan Cup on Sunday at Tokyo Racecourse.. Photo by and courtesy of Katsumi SaitoRobert Kieckhefer, UPI Racing WriterMon, December 1, 2025 at 12:12 PM UTC·8 min readTOKYO, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Calandagan, the world's top-rated horse, scaled new heights Sunday at Tokyo Racecourse, surviving a knock-down, drag-out battle to the finish with Japan's premier 3-year-old to become the first foreign-trained winner of the Grade I Japan Cup since 2005.
That thrilling finish was the capstone on a big, late-season weekend of racing that also featured some of the premier prospects for the 2026 U.S. Triple Crown
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAlong the way, Magnitude added a dash of spice to the 3-year-old wars, beating young and old in the Clark Stakes, and Del Mar wound up its meeting with a turf extravaganza for the main benefit of trainer Chad Brown.
Getting right down to it ...
Magnitude with Clark Stakes on Friday at Churchill Downs. Photo courtesy of Churchill DownsJapan
Satono Voyage wins Cattleya Stakes on Saturday at Tokyo Racecourse, first leg of "Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby". Photo by and courtesy of Katsumi SaitoNo foreign runner had won the Grade 1 Japan Cup for 20 years until French-trained Calandagan came along to take Sunday's 45th running by a dramatic head over top Japanese 3-year-old Masquerade Ball.
And the 4-year-old Gleneagles gelding did it in style, in course-record time after an epic stretch duel.
Further Ado joins Kentucky Derby picture with victory Saturday in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs. Photo courtesy of Churchill DownsCalandagan and Masquerade Ball rallied out near the center of the Tokyo Racecourse turf as the field turned for home in the 2,400-meter event.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMasquerade Ball and jockey Christophe Lemaire put a head in front but Calandagan and rider Mickael Barzalona came back in the final strides to land the gelding's straight top-level victory, over three countries.
Even before Sunday's race, he topped the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings and was crowned Cartier Horse of the Year.
Calandagan is owned by the Aga Khan Studs. The Aga Khan died in February, but under the new leadership of his daughter, Princess Zahara, the organization has thrived, adding a victory by Daryz in October's Group Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe to an imposing roster of success.
"This has been a very good year, thanks to the people sitting next to me," the princess said, referring to Barzalona and trainer Francis-Henri Graffard. "It's the best year we've had in a very long time.
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This year's 3-year-old scramble was exciting enough, but it might have had an added dimension if Magnitude had not been sidelined with an ankle chip after winning the Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds early in the season.
That ruled him out of the Triple Crown races, but since returning, he's won the Iowa Derby, finished a distant third in the Travers and then was second in the $1 million Grade I Pennsylvania.
On Friday, he completed the comeback and showed he belonged at the top level of his generation, defeating fellow 3-year-old Chunk of Gold and Dubai World Cup winner Hit Show in the Grade II Clark Stakes at Churchill Downs.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMagnitude collared frontrunner Chunk of Gold early in the stretch run and held off Hit Show to win by 1/2 length.
On Sunday at Churchill Downs, Moonlight came from last of 11 to capture the $250,000 Cherokee Mile by 1 1/2 lengths from the favorite, Dragoon Guard.
The 4-year-old Audible colt, trained by Chris Block for Town & Country Farms, was timed in 1:34.41 under Jose Ortiz, earning his first stakes win and fifth overall.
Distaff / Dirt Mile
Hope Road, last seen finishing third in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, found her best stride in Sunday's $100,000 Grade III Bayakoa at Del Mar.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe 4-year-old Quality Road filly pressed the pace, took the lead when asked by Juan Hernandez and jetted off to win by 6 1/2 lengths over Simply Joking. The Bob Baffert charge, who also won the Bayakoa in 2024, finished the 1 mile on a fast track in 1:36.38.
Turf
Truly Quality got first run to the lead in the stretch in Friday's $200,000 Grade II Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar, and then held on to defeat late-running long shot Flashiest by 1 3/4 lengths. Nineeleventurbo and Reiquist were in close attendance, third and fourth.
On Saturday, Call Sign Seven was by far the longest shot in the $200,000 Grade II Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar and had only one rival beaten as the field rounded the turn. Not to worry. He paid $139 to win after diving to the rail and running by them all.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSalamis came with a late, deep run to capture Saturday's $300,000 Grade I Hollywood Derby at Del Mar by a neck from Tom's Magic and another neck over the favorite, Test Score.
Salamis is trained by Brown, whose forces took two of the day's three stakes events.
Filly & Mare Turf
Lush Lips won Friday's $300,000 Grade II Mrs. Revere for 3-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs as odds-on favorite. After following Classic Q around the stretch turn, Lush Lips tipped out, got by that rival and held off Pretty Picture, who edged Classic Q for second.
On Sunday at Del Mar, Segesta stalked the pace made by fellow East Coast visitor In Our Time through the early part of the 1-mile $300,000 Grade I Matriarch, shot by and won by 2 1/4 lengths over him. Flavien Prat rode for Brown, who truly had a nice weekend.
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Unconquerable Keen returned from a seven-month layoff to win Sunday's $100,000 Stormy Liberal at Del Mar by a neck in a four-horse photo.
Big Trouble swept by most of the field to win Saturday's $100,000 Pan Zaretta for fillies and mares at Fair Grounds by 2 3/4 lengths over Cart Girl Sam.
Two-year-olds
Satono Voyage kicked off the "Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby" with a front-running score in Saturday's Cattleya Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse, the first leg in the four-race series.
The Into Mischief colt was stretching out to the mile for the first time, and it remains to be seen if he could handle the 1 1/4 miles of the Run for the Roses. But trainer Hiroyasu Tanaka, already experienced on the international front, wasn't ruling out a Derby trip.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"It's not easy to say at this moment that we have that target," Tanaka said in the tunnel outside weighing room. "Before the race, we thought if he ran well, we would consider the Saudi Derby. He has a lot of potential and we're just happy to be here with him today."
Further Ado entered the Kentucky Derby picture with a bang Saturday, rallying around an embattled pair of rivals in the Churchill Downs stretch to win the $400,000 Grade II Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes by 1 3/4 lengths.
A Gun Runner colt from the Brad Cox barn, Further Ado finished the 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:43.33 with Irad Ortiz Jr. in the irons. The colt has shown steady improvement through four starts, winning his last two.
Also: Boyd won Saturday's $225,000, 6 1/2-furlong Ed Brown Stakes at Churchill Downs by 1/2 length and Strategic Risk took Saturday's $300,000 In Reality for Florida-breds at Gulfstream Park by 9 lengths.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementFire and Wine won Saturday's $250,000 (Canadian) Coronation Futurity for Canadian-breds at Woodbine by 5 lengths and Glorious Boy was awarded victory in Friday's $100,000 Pulpit Stakes at Gulfstream after finishing in a dead heat.
Stewards ruled that the other horse in the dead heat, Bronze Bullet, caused interference in the final strides. As a result, Bronze Bullet was placed second, making Glorious Boy the sole winner.
Two-year-old fillies
Bella Ballerina bided her time behind the breakaway early leader in Saturday's $400,000 Grade II Golden Rod Stakes at Churchill Downs, took the lead early in the stretch run and opened a daylight lead of her own. She then held off Atropa by 1/2 length at the finish.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAlso: On Time Girl won Saturday's $225,000 Fern Creek Stakes at Churchill Downs by 3 1/2 lengths; Mythical parlayed her summer success at Saratoga into a 2 1/2-length win in the My Dear Girl at Gulfstream Park; and Piper's Gift landed Saturday's $250,000 Canadian) Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Woodbine.
2-year-old turf
Just Aloof won her debut at Aqueduct on Oct. 16 and trainer Brown shipped her across the continent for her next start, added another weekend Del Mar win to Brown's tally -- Saturday's $100,000 Grade III Jimmy Durante -- drawing off to score by 2 1/2 lengths. Sunday, Unrivaled Time won the $100,000 Grade III Cecil B. DeMille for 2-year-old turfers.
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