BloodHorse Monday 1/26/26 | Francis-Henri Graffard

Hi, yes. Welcome to a Snowden edition of

Blood HORSE Monday at an airport in Miami.

Heshawn Collins. My name is Louis Rebo.

No, Sean was not at the Pegasus this weekend.

That is just where he has ended up.

What a bizarre set of circumstances.

But boy, do we have a fun show for you today.

We'll be joined by one of the world's great trainers.

His name is Francis. All right, Rafael, he'll join us

up first. And of course, we'll welcome Tom

Hashimoto as well from the JRA Fun Show International show this

week. Speaking of the Pegasus, why are

you in Miami? What's going on?

Well this is this is where I got stuck on the way back from

Houston. So I, I forget if they mentioned

it on the show last week or not, but I was at the Houston Ladies

Classic this past weekend, visited Delta Downs on Friday

and visited Sam Houston on Saturday to make 50 race tracks

attended for me. So big milestone there and then

big storm going on in the east. Kind of delayed and canceled a

lot of stuff. So I ended up in Miami if

anybody was watching. I don't know if it made the

national news or not, but the Miami airport yesterday got

evacuated while my plane was in the air coming into Miami.

And so because of that, we ended up being like a line of 50

planes deep waiting the park in the terminals.

And so because of that, I missed the connecting flight to

Louisville. Which I was shocked was even.

Going to Louisville in the 1st place, but that flight took off

without me right before right after we we'll show the Griffard

interview later. Right after that I was on a wait

list for a flight to go to Louisville.

Didn't end up on on that plane either.

So hopefully 9:00 tonight we'll go back to Louisville, so.

If you're let's go ahead and from an.

Airport, I feel you in. Pain.

Shout out, shout out. Let's go ahead and throw a a

throw a track under the bus. If you had to spend a random

Friday at either Delta Downs or Sam Houston, which one are you

choosing? Oh, that's tough.

I actually really like both of them, but.

It's any good answer? I got to say Sam Houston I think

is probably an underrated track. I think that one, that's one of

the nicer tracks that I've been to.

I think I really like the inside of the grandstand.

I like the paddock area. There was an unfortunately it

was a cold and wet day. One of the guys that one of the

guys that works there told me that he's been there for 25

years and I have them to show up on probably the worst weather

day they've ever had for racing so or at least one of the worst.

So. Yep, so but hey, got got them

checked off the list. Got to see a good Houston ladies

classic perfect shot pull in the upset, keeping Steve Athison

streak alive. But yeah, Sam Houston underrated

racetrack. If you're in Houston, if you're

in the area, go to Sam Houston. If they're racing, you're going

to enjoy yourself. I saw the note for the Ladies

Classic and it said Asmussen for Asmussen.

There you go, that's that's what that is.

Asmussen for Asmussen. Must be nice for sure.

But of course eyes were on South Florida this past weekend

outside of the ladies classics, some of the racing of course at

fairgrounds of Santa Anita as well.

The rest of the country largely on the shelf.

No racing at Turfway Park this weekend had to cancel up in New

York City, Maryland, etcetera. And so certainly the eyes of the

sport on the Pegasus this weekend.

And Sean, you know, it's a on this show in quite a bit and I'm

sure if you hang out with the show, you're tired of me talking

about it. But I think one of the better

trends that's happened in the last couple of years in the

sport is that these 4 year olds are sticking around, right?

So we're getting the sovereignties and the

journalisms and the Baezas and the magnitudes and all those

kinds of horses back for this year.

And it's a reminder that amongst the older horses and, and when I

thought about this, Sean, I thought about our colleague

Bobby Hall up there in Connecticut.

God bless you, Bob. I hope you can dig out at some

point talking about the Breeders Cup Classic before this year,

right? He talked about essentially

choosing the four year olds over the three-year olds.

He can remember the 70s, right when you know, when A and a firm

couldn't beat Seattle Slew, etcetera.

Those kinds of matchups where the older horse would inevitably

have the advantage of what do we get on Saturday?

We get a couple of old guys kicking her out of Gulfstream

Park for the exacta and it is a rare case that a horse gets his

first win as at a grade one level as a 7 year old for sure.

In the case of skipping Logstocking, do you know, this

kind of reminded me of Sean and I don't know if other people had

this in there, but Tom State, remember how he got really good

much, much later in his racing career, I think some of his best

races at 8-9 years old, that kind of thing.

And, and I thought a little bit about that with Skippy.

Now, I want to be really clear, I don't see him really off like

four or five more grade ones this year or something like

that. But it at least reminded me of

that. And it reminded me, you know, in

the winner's circle afterwards, Safi's real obvious emotion

about running these horses. All these people telling him

that his eyes are lying to him, that what they see is real.

Lots of emotions around the Pegasus here.

But just kind of also just a reminder, horses get better as

they get older. They get stronger, more mature,

that you know, they learn things, etcetera.

And you, I think you saw a lot of that from Skippy this

weekend. Oh yeah, you definitely saw it

from Skippy this weekend. We talked about it last week.

I think he was entered this race A10 time graded stakes winner,

but never gotten that grade one win.

As he said, he's getting better with age.

Just last year he was setting a track record at Tampa Bay Downs

and one of the stakes wins, the Challenger Stakes.

So he's continuing to get better and better as we see.

And he went from that horse that was kind of just like, Oh yeah,

he's in the grade one races when he was a three or four year old

to now it's like, oh, we got to consider him.

And I know last last week, I think we were poking fun at him

a little bit and weren't giving him much of a chance to win

here. I I was watching this the

stretch run in between races at Sam Houston.

I was cheering Skippy on because I was like, Oh my God, he could

have won a great 1. And so it's great to see the

seven-year olds. But we saw we saw this trend.

We spent so much time in the summer talking about how great

the three-year old crop was this year.

And we really as apologies for your hearing whatever

announcement at the airports going on above me.

But you know, we like to keep like to keep it fresh and live

here on the. Show.

But. This is a real show.

This is what we're actually, this is what our lives are

actually like right here. But we talked so much about this

three-year old crop earlier in the year.

And so you know, looking at how the classic shook out with the

four year olds kind of dominating, looking at how even

the Fayette Stakes were hit, show kind of handled Gossgur and

handle handled bracket Buster. And then you look at this race

where you know Japan St. and Disco time and you know, some of

those horses were in this field and you still had the older

horses. Now, these weren't the four year

olds now turned 5 year olds, but you still have these older

horses showing what they do and taking it to them.

So I mean, are you feeling good right now?

If your sovereignty, if your journalism is looking and

seeing, there's still a couple of these older horses.

Yeah, probably. I also, we haven't seen the,

the, the Pegasus translate directly into good success in

the spring races either yet, right?

And so especially, especially stateside, right, if we're

talking Met mile, that kind of thing.

I don't think anybody watched on Saturday and thought, you know

what, that's Skippy. Look at the Matt Mile.

I don't think that happened, right?

I don't think that that happened on Saturday.

I think you saw a couple of horses for course for sure

finished in the top two there. You saw Saffy get, you know, his

two horses across the line first.

But you know, I thought the interesting part of this was

actually how this race was run and the fact that Captain Cook

kept the 4th place spot. If we're going to talk about

four year olds coming out of this one insanely fast up front,

just his own personal echo base chart.

He ran the 1st 2 furlongs in 22.55 and 46.16, finishes the

race in 150 flat. And I look less than a second

and a half behind Skippy after all of that work.

If you wanted to get excited about a four year old in here,

maybe it's the one we talked about the least and it's

actually Captain Cook. Yeah, he he was one that always

showed up last year. He always kind of gave it his

all. We never really got the win, but

you know, he was always part of it in those races.

And so if he could take that step forward now as a four year

old and continue to improve off of this, that'd be big.

Also give a shout out. We you mentioned the older

horses in the exact it was, it was a trifecta full.

Serrano was up and on that pace. He holds on for third.

He's a 7 year old as well and you remember him winning the

Dirt Mile a few years ago and so you don't don't really think of

him necessarily as that mile and an eighth force.

Even though he ran well at Santa Anita against Nevada Beach last

year at a mile and an eighth. He he showed, he showed a step

forward in this race as well, I believe.

Yeah, $281,000 for full Serrano for finishing third in the race

that that is the full and I'm not putting anyone down, but

that is the full purse for a grade one in California.

That's why you ship, that's why you take the shot for sure.

Is that kind of payday? I thought in some other races,

Sean, on the card, we learned some interesting things as well.

If you went back to some of those turf races potentially,

you know, emerging if you will, kinds of stars on the turf side

and both of them out of the motion barn.

You heard Grand Motion talk about it and he used the word he

used, you know, the word pride over and over talking about test

score, talking about 1 stripe even flew in Gavin Lorena to fly

in this one from southern Southern California, from South

Africa. But test score look gets out

there and this is where a guy like Manny Franco, who's as good

on the front as anyone in the country gets out front kind of

skids to a 24 flat open, has to speed it up a little bit.

They go, you know, 23 and one for the second.

But then he slows it back down, gets it to the pace he wants.

And then he had enough horse and the stretch, frankly, very

impressive. I thought one strike might get

there. The race got really close at the

end. But man, just to just to show

that a lot of the horses who did the best this weekend were based

on the East Coast. And it just it seemed to work

out that way. What'd you make a test score

score here? I really liked his race.

This is a horse I've been high on since last year.

I know you were high on him too last year as well.

He was kind of that one. That was always, he was in

pretty much every kind of every big spot at that distance for

the three-year olds last year. So it's great to see him take

that step forward here at 41 stripe.

As you mentioned, he ran really well as well.

I like seeing these South African horses coming up and

having some success here. I hope we see some more of that

going forward just because I mean, they they bring a lot of

attention with them from South Africa.

I got to talk to a couple of the connections when they had the

two horses and Breeders' Cup in 24 and they kind of had they had

a whole contingent that we're out here to watch.

So the South African racing fans pay attention.

So it'd be nice to see one strike maybe come up here, get

that grade one win at some point in the United States and you can

look at, you know, some of these South African horses having that

top success. And I break up those East Coast

horses because obviously Test Score has run his last two races

out West. He was at San Anita, won the

Twilight Derby, the Grade 2 tried the Hollywood Derby, ran a

good third in that one before running just now.

And we were talking about four year olds.

Here's one for you. Test Score moves into his first

race as a four year old, goes ahead and wins the Grade 1

Invitational. There over half, 1,000,000 bucks

in the Kitty for him. I mean, really, really

impressive stuff, Sean. And if he's one that puts it

together, I don't, I don't want to put this kind of pressure on

him. But this feels a little like, I

don't know if you were how into racing you were at the time.

Yeah, yeah, you were, never mind.

But like a bricks and mortar starting off this kind of way

and then getting into a longer campaign in the spring races at

places like Keeneland, Churchill, etcetera, I think

make a lot of sense for him. Interested to see if he gets a

little bit of time off here because he did run in November,

runs back in this one. Does he get a little bit of time

off here or do they look at him and go, cripes on my, you know,

get that horse back out there somewhere at this point, whether

it's Fairgrounds back at, you know, back out West at San Anita

or something like that. But man, oh man, just really,

really impressive over the weekend, 1-2 in the Pegasus for

Safi Joseph and 1-2 in the Invitational on the turf side

for Grand Motion as well. Anybody else stand out on the

day? I thought Knightsbridge is

turning into one of those we're going to have to watch kind of

horses, Sean. Yeah, and just on test score

there, I think the plan is they're going to, they're going

to, they're going to wait till the Turf Classic on Kentucky

Derby day for that. So I think that's what they were

coming out of there saying. But yeah, I thought

Knightsbridge, this is a horse that I was high on when he broke

his maiden and thought he was going to be a real Kentucky

Derby contender back then, that he's had some problems staying

on the track and staying healthy.

But he's every time he's been on the track, he's been showing

talent. Now he's finally putting that to

the greatest level. He's finally put three races in

a row together. So that's good to see from him

as well. And I mean, he they, they took

it to him early and he just kept on going.

So I really liked his performance.

I also want to give a shout out talking about the turf division

layabouts, the stories that I liked a lot coming out of the

Tropical Park Derby, even though that was a close finish.

He stretches that to a mile and a half, goes quick fractions and

just keeps on going up there on the lead.

This is a horse that I think they've really figured out.

He wears those. They're not blinkers.

They're cheaters or whatever they call them.

Sure, yeah. Pacifiers, I think is what Andy

B and Cohn who? FanDuel TV, Everybody knows her

from there. Her father is a trainer to

horse. I think she called them

pacifiers the other day. So kind of just something to

help him keep a little bit more focused.

I guess. He just doesn't like looking at

things, from what I can tell. I got to talk to his owners and

his breeder on for a story that we did on Blood Horse a couple

weeks ago and they were saying he's always been a very quirky

horse. And it looks like they finally

figured him out. And if he can repeat that effort

that he did in the William McKnight, I mean, why not throw

him into consideration for some of these longer turf races as

the year goes on? Yeah, David Eagan was just an

absolute master ride on the front there.

I mean, just got the lead proper fractions, did all the the

proper things with the horse. Really, really great ride.

I think, if not the best ride of the day alongside Tyler in the

in the in the Pegasus. I I thought Tyler's ride on

Skippy was it was great, literally great.

And and the only way to put it for sure that way.

I did think the ride on on one stripe was pretty, pretty good,

just didn't get there at the end of the day.

Well, let's let's get it to our guest for the day, Francis Sari

Grafard needs no introduction. Winner of 14 Group One races

last year. Set the French record by a

trainer from that country Last year.

He was just honored at the Longy World Racing Awards.

That happened on January 20th. Of course, Kalandigan was named

the top horse on the planet as part of that one, the Japan Cup

last year. Here's our conversation from

earlier in the day with him. So, so glad he was able to make

time. But Sean, I got out of bed early

for this one, so this better be a great interview.

I hope everyone enjoys it. Here's Francis Henri Grafar from

earlier today. All right, followed up on our

conversation surrounding the Longines World Racing Awards

happened last Tuesday. And of course, one of the big

winners in that was Kalandigan. Really, really pleased to to

have Francis Henri Grafar with us here on Blood Horse Monday.

Francis Henri, thank you so much for joining us.

Thank you for having me well. Congratulations on Kalandigan's

great success last year. There's only so many

superlatives we could say about him.

Almost certainly one of the great horses we've seen the last

5-10 years anywhere on the planet.

What's it been like working with him?

Well, I'm very happy and blessed to have a horse of his caliber

in my yard and under my care. So we are very lucky to have

him. It has been an incredible

journey with him and and it's not finished so it's very

exciting. What does it mean to you to have

a horse be named the world's best racehorse like he was last

week? And that's got to be quite an

accomplishment for you as a as a young trainer.

Yeah, it's, I mean, we have had so, so many big winners last

year. It was just incredible.

But to top it up with like the title of being the best

racehorse in the world is very incredible and we were so happy.

It's just every time I look at him in the morning now, I'm

thinking like you are the best race horse in the world and you

are here with me. So it's cool, you know.

That's very cool. Francis, are you going fire with

us here on Blood Horse Monday? Appreciate him jumping on.

We're talking about Kalandigan, the world's best racehorse

according to the Longines Awards.

You made the decision to run him in the Japan Cup.

He became the first foreign trained winner of the Japan Cup

in two decades. Francis Andre what?

What went into that decision making process?

I've been to this race three time, three time already 2000

and five 2006 with Erupt and I went last two years ago with

Goliath. It's a race that I, I have big

goals and challenge. I like to challenge myself and I

love racing internationally. So since the beginning of my

career, anytime I had a, a horse able to, to travel, I was really

keen to do that. So this race is very special.

And when you, you're there and you experience it, it's, it's a

country, it's a racing country and people are completely mad

about it. And, and I think the quality of

the horses is, is so strong now in Japan.

We can see that anywhere they go now.

So, so that was a big challenge and, and I'd love to try that

and calendar again. Obviously in 2000 and in 2025 we

decided to campaign him over a mile and 1/2 and at the back of

my hand for for the hotel, the Japan Cup was his big target.

He's a gelding, so his prize money expectation is, is quite

big. So he has to travel.

So definitely the Japan Cup was was on the on the calendar for

him. Now, he started off the season

with two Grade 1 placings in the Dubai Shima Classic in the

Coronation Cup, but then he really hit his best stride after

that, winning the Grand Prix de St.

Cloud, the King George the Six and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, and

then the Champion Stakes and the Japan Cup, which both were named

the best race in the world by Long Jeans during that ceremony

as well. Just how did you see him develop

and get stronger as the year went on?

It was he was 20K light in Dubai than he was in Japan.

He's a light friend horse. I think he needed a race for

Dubai before that which I didn't gave him and and also Miguel

Barcelona was discovering him and he's a tricky horse.

You know you need to. But to be fair I think he has

improved all season and he was looking back you know I probably

physically and mentally he was very immature horse and he has

never stopped improving for the season and in each races he has

won. Corpus St.

Clue was incredible and we kept him at home for first time, just

an hour drive to go to the races and I think that was a very good

decision and help us for the rest of the season.

After that. King George was a logical entry.

He did an incredible performance there and I wanted to go to

Japan and then he did a race before that not to make the same

mistake at Dubai. So the Champions League was the

only option because it was a group 2IN Lashom would have

carried a lot of weight and there was no no Ash point.

So we and we know he loved Ascot and I saw that day in the

Champions Stakes, he was very impressive, very impressive over

10 fellow. Prince is already Grafar with us

here on Blood Horse Monday. Clandigan's accomplishments

helped you along to 14 Group One wins this single season.

It's a record for a French trainer.

What does that mean to you? As you know, the French are very

proud in their in the racing history to be the first to have

fourteen Group One wins in a season.

Look, it's, it's just incredible every time, every year I said to

my dad, I need to win at least one Group 1 to keep me going,

you know, and being at the top. And this year, I mean,

everything went our way. So the stable was in very good

form from from the 1st of January up to the end.

And, and my horses were tough. I think we probably did train

them well because I won a lot of Group One just by the shorthand

and they never stopped. So it was, it was, it was good.

But and also it's not in small Group 1, you know, and to beat

the recording with the Japan Cup is just everything went

perfectly in 2025 really. So I've been very lucky.

Well, you had a lot of success across the globe, but you also

had success in France's big race as well the the Arc de Triomphe

with Derez. Just tell us about what it was

like to win that race with him. It, it was a big day because

it's, it's a, it's a massive race to win.

There is, there was 17 runners, a lot of Group 1 winners.

It's lotion. It's a big yellow pink track.

And you really feel like it's compared to the King George who

were five runners. You know, it's very different.

And this race is you have the Japanese runners and everybody's

coming with a chance having won the trial or there's no, nobody

is taking a, a bet on on having a runner in the arc compared to

Royal Escott, for example. So, so you really feel like

you're it's a special day, it's a special race.

And when you see all these horses coming into the straight

under the rain with a rainbow and fighting it's, it's

incredible. So we were, we were delighted,

obviously the year of the death of the AIA Khan.

It's in the AIA Khan, so it was incredible and and the race

also, the fight in the straight was just beautiful to watch.

And so I really realized how big the the Ark was.

And we're so happy to to win it. But the same year as the Japan

Cup and Callan Degen getting all the credit for the season you we

almost forgot we we won the ark, you know, with a with a three

years old. So which was a a big thing to do

in 2025 S Look, it's all positive anyway.

With Dara's, there's some talk his next start at the Pre Ganai.

Is that the the target there in April?

Is there another spot you might be looking at?

Yeah, I think I'm going to put him back here over 10 furlong

for the spring and go back over Marlan or Flat one in the season

unless the horse says something different to me.

But but so looking at the program this way, I think

starting to Brigandia could be a could be a should be should be

the first time for him. And obviously if he prove he's

competitive, we go to Ascot with him for the Prince of Wales or

the Eclipse in Sandown. You picked up your first

Breeders' Cup win this year as well with Ghazora and the Philly

and Mare Turf. What?

What was that race like for you and what did you learn about

bringing a horse over to the Breeders Cup by getting your

first win? We talked about the Japan Cup

being a special, special race, but for me the Breeders Cup is

fantastic. It's the atmosphere is really,

really positive around the Breeders Cup, especially it's in

November, most of the trainers, their season is is is done

really in terms of results. So we all pretty relaxed I would

say and seeing each other on the morning. the Breeders Cup is

doing a fantastic job to make, to make it being a special

event. So, so I always have been loved

to have runners there. I started to be frustrated not

to win one and not being competitive enough in this race,

in these races. So so and I had four runners

that day and didn't really go my way.

So I was questioning myself if I was doing the right thing to be

able to win. And then then came along Gezora

in the paddock. She was half the size of she

feels pretty. So I was like, Oh my God.

But this Philly had a big heart and she has been incredible

through the season. And and I was, I was over the

moon to win a breeder skip with Gezora from Peter Brandt.

We're talking with Francis Henri Graffard after the Longines

World Race Awards are awarded Kalandigan best racehorse on the

planet. Again, we're talking with

Francis Henri. I have to ask then if it being

at the Breeders Cup is such a great experience, Is the Turf in

your sights as a race to target, especially 2026?

Some British skeptic? Yeah.

No, definitely I will I will target all of them don't worry,

even even with the two years old term and I was you know when I

was in Hong Kong, I spoke with Brian Moore and he he said well

done for the Japan Cup and he said that this the two hardest

races to win are the British as a Japan Cup and the British Cup

and the Kentucky Derby. So I would be looking for dirt

horses now also and hopefully I can win a big one one day.

So here we come. Let's.

Go. I love that.

Charlotte. We're going to get a little

Derby runner out of the Graffard Barn.

I like that. Yeah.

So I love to hear that. We're definitely looking forward

to that for sure. Well, you're a graduate of the

Godolphin Flying Start program. Just how did that really kind of

help to kind of elevate your career, kind of get you, get you

going? 1st I met my wife on the program

and she's a big part of the success.

You know, she's a behind the scene a little bit too much from

my point of view, but no, she's, she's really helping me a lot.

And all my owners knows how knowledgeable she is.

So it's a, it's a teamwork really.

So that the Flying Star helped me to do that, find the the

right wife. And also it exposed me to racing

worldwide, big meetings, important people and I learnt

English, which was very important for me and I met a lot

of people. And yeah, and I think it exposed

after the flying start. I got a job with Darley in

England and I was going racing. So it exposed me to the big

meetings, especially in England and in France.

So as a trainer, I never worried about running a horse in a, in a

Group One or group 2 because I was exposed to it and I've been

on podium in a different role. But I I definitely think all

these previous experience and international experience really

helped me for for the future of my career.

All right, so you mentioned that you you talk with your, your

your dad and you say, hey, I have to get one of these group

ones every year to move on. Is there any motivation to to

get one more and get 15 this year?

Is that in the? Is that in the in the cards for

you? Definitely.

You know, we have. Let's go.

We have I mean, we have ambition.

We have a lot of very nice horses in the yard, the support

of big honor breeders and people send me a beautiful horses.

So I think if we keep doing the same job, we we should be able

to be competitive again in the big, big races worldwide.

So I hope, I hope we we win plenty of Group 1 Is this is

this is what I love about the game, you know, winning races

and at any level. But I don't know if Andre 5 had

the record of 13 in 92. So it proved how hard it is to

to beat these records. But Eden has 28 record and he

did 25 last year. So it's still possible.

You know, we have to keep trying anyway.

Yeah. Well, all the best in 2026.

Yeah, Sean, go ahead. Yeah.

Well, I was just going to say we mentioned the Breeders Cup, we

mentioned the Kentucky Derby. Are there any other American

races that you might have on your radar?

Any anything? Just a couple of races there.

You think of that? But it's, it's, I love American

racing and I think there's plenty of opportunity,

especially on turf. And I, I need, I need a bit of

time to organise myself. But I, I always think to have a

bunch of horses and a stable in over there to, to compete in

this meeting in Saratoga. And so should be, should be in

my, in my goal and my objective because I have a big yard and,

and there is opportunity for, for, for horses and owners.

So, but I just need to get organised and I'm pretty busy at

the moment. So, but yeah, it's it's

something I'm really thinking about and also buying some

Kentucky bred horses and being able to go to Kentucky down.

So all these all these things I'm looking at the program

internationally and for the best opportunity for the horses and

and my owners also. So I would love to go back.

At least Francis Henri Grafar joined us here on Blood Horse

Monday. Thank you so much for the time.

Congratulations on all of the great success last year.

And let's let's get 15 this year on and the Kentucky Derby

starter. Let's let you know we got some

stuff to do here. Yeah.

We're busy, maybe. Not in 2026, but in the future,

definitely. There you go.

Well, Francis Ahri, thank you very much.

Thank you very much all. Right there you go, Francis Ahri

Grafar here with us, Blood Horse Monday.

Appreciate him jumping on with us.

And Sean, you made it through the airport.

How about that? How about that?

Good job buddy. Yes, I know.

We'll, we'll see and see if I can make it back to Kentucky.

I guess if they're watching the rest of the show they already

know, but we'll see. Oh man.

Well, there you go. 14 group ones in a single year.

French record. You talk about a country that

really cares about its racing, Sean.

I mean, has just so many of the most important turf races in the

world. I really appreciate Francis Ari

jumping on with us. And look, Hey, Derby starter

raw. This shows all about it.

Break it Odd, Francis Ari, we need a look.

You you give me a French bread Derby starter, Sean.

I don't know that I'll make it. That might Take Me Out.

Dude, that might be the end of Louis.

We've never, we've never had a French bread win the Kentucky

Derby, so we got to get it done. Maybe he could beat Japan.

Japan's still looking for that first one, so maybe, maybe

France can beat them to it. We'll see.

Listen, he's been on this show now the Blood Horse Monday bump

can happen for the French breads in the Kentucky Derby.

I'm just saying hi, please not ahead New York City.

And welcome in Tom Hashimoto from the JRA.

Tom, my goodness, all of the travel in the world and all the

things. How are you today?

Yeah, I'm good. I just came back from Miami,

Agrippus award and Pegasus worker.

Yeah, how was how was the World Cup?

Did you have a nice time and did you have a couple bucks on

Skippy? Did you, did you know to do

that? Yeah, it's really nice race,

like a body on Skippy long stocking.

Yeah, they are very good. You know, seven years old, seven

years old, but they run very well.

Yeah, you mentioned a 7 year old horse winning that one.

We got to watch a very, very successful older horse this year

and a guy named Forever young, winner of the Saudi Cup, the

Breeders Cup Classic and of course, the Eclipse award at the

end of the year for older dirt male and and and all the things

boy, just for you, Tom, you know, with with your role, which

we'll get to in a second here, the the level of pride about

forever Young. Yeah, it's a great race.

At last year Saudi Cup between Hong Kong's top superstar

Romantic Warrior and Japan's that superstar Forever Young was

very exciting, perhaps the moment of the year in Asia for

us as well As for racing funds in both Hong Kong and Japan.

The final straight standing to much race just as Romantic

Warrior broke away forever young for back in what was a truly

moving and magnificent race possible forever.

Yang's victory in Britain's Cup Classic will undoubtedly remain

on the top list of significant victories in Japanese race in

history. He seemed to be in excellent

condition after shipping to Denmark, and he showed

incredible or fighting spirit against top American dark

horses. This victory was covered

extensively in Japan not only by racing media but also by general

news outlets, allowing us to strongly feel the sporting

nature of international racing and its profound attractiveness.

He correct me if I'm wrong, but his over in Japan, he's the

first dirt horse correct to win the horse of the year award for

the JRA. And then on top of that, I mean

he only ran in Japan once the the entire year.

Just how rare of an accomplishment is that for him

to be recognized off of his international success?

Yes, exactly. At the recent JRA Awards

ceremony, Forever Forever Young was found host of the year

despite not running in running a single race in their way during

the rush season. This is highly unprecedented.

It demonstrates that winning the Breeders Cup Classic is a major

dream for the Japanese racing industry and achieving it was

rated extremely highly. Yeah, exciting stuff for sure.

And Tom, for those who might not know of your work and of your

role with the JRA, what is it that you do there in New York

City? I'm working for inviting

American horses. We have the international event

in JRA in Japan, not only the international race but also the

Jockeys Global Championship and I we we try to gets a very good

top jockey from the United States or Canada or sometimes

from South South America. So in this, you know, we

obviously those of us who follow the sport closely here in North

America, impossible not to see those results at the Breeders

Cup. But when you see something like

the Longine Awards, this international level making the

Japan couple of the races of the year, what level of pride is

there in Japan for that to have been one of the great races on

the planet this year? Yeah, exactly.

Last year's high evaluation of Russia's Japan gap is created by

participation of Karandegan, who was grounds Rongeen's world's

best racehorse. He achieved fast victory by 40

hosts in Japan Gap in 20 years. So.

We must express our heart. Heartfelt gratitude to

Karandegan and his connections. Yeah, we talked, we talked with

Trader Francis, Ari Graffard before you jumped on and and he

said, man, I just want to be in those kinds of environments.

And and one of the things he said Tom, was just how much the

Japanese love their racing and how much of A racing country it

is. So on his end, even and you and

you'll be able to hear it later on.

He was he was excited to be able to go to the Japan Cup and

obviously winning it was even was even better.

Yes, we are very lucky. So many people, so, so many

racing fans suppose JRA races and we only have Saturday and

Sunday basically horse racing meeting on, yeah, Saturday and

Sunday weekends. But so many people come to the

race rack and watch the race. And I think one of the, you

know, important thing is Japanese racing.

Pop culture is very successful. Like Uma Musne and now last

year's TV drama series Royal Family.

It's a big, big hit. When you look at Kalan begins

when like with what your job isn't trying to get, you know,

some horses from overseas to come to Japan for their big

races, how much does him being the first international winner

of the Japan Cup in 20 years, how much does that open up the

door for other potential international horses?

Since around 1980's the Japanese racing industry has aimed to

three strong horses and capable of competing robbery.

We established the Bank App as Japan's first international

international race and have worked hard to raise the bank as

a river of Japanese racing. So we are why we are genuinely

happy that Japan Cap has been named as the world's best race

twice in the last three years. But the same time we must, you

know, at the same time by grateful for the efforts of our

president predecessors who have worked on improving Japanese

racing over generation for these 40 years.

Tom, obviously the last couple of years we've seen quite a

quite a few Japanese horses come over for the Kentucky Derby.

Just how much of A prevalence has the Kentucky Derby prep

races really taken out there, Japan?

How excited are people in Japan for those races?

Oh yes, you know, Breeders' Cup crust is a very important race,

but also Kentucky Derby is most of the Japanese racing fans

knows regarding the Kentucky Derby.

The road to Kentucky Derby is still ongoing.

So it's it is not yet clearly clearly to say which Japanese

horse will run, but Japanese horses are scheduled to run in

Saudi Arabia, which has been added to the point streets

starting from this year. I strong.

I strongly hope that Japanese horse horses will participate in

the Kentucky Derry, the great festival of American racing and

Chinese strong American that horses and I hope to see a

result this year that exceeds exceeds what whatever young

people in 2023. A remarkable finish for sure.

The three-way finish there forever young right there with

Mystic Dan and Sierra Leone. Of course.

Tom, we'll get you out of here on this.

You know the the success of Kalandigan as the World horse of

the year, his trip to the Japan Cup.

As you work to to invite more people to race there in Japan,

does does a horse like Kalandigan give you hope that

you'll be able to encourage more top runners to end up in Japan?

Yes, of course, always welcome from, you know, top policies

from all over the world, not from Europe, from United States,

from Canada, from, yeah, everywhere.

And actually the JRA announced a revision of the to the bonus

system for the Japan gap starting this year.

This reform is based on the principle of selection and

concentration. It aims to increase the overall

value of Japanese racing by father raising the Japan caps

status as one of the world top top races, while also

encouraging the participation global top horses in the not

only in the Japan cap but you know, JRA grade one races.

The total top total pass for the Japan cap will remain

approximately US 7 million. A new bonus system which can add

up to 5 million prize money will be introduced from 2000 from

this year. So this is intended to further

incent incentivize horses that have won so they are way

designated top international races to participate in the

banker. Should one of the these edible

horses win the combined total, the winners pass and bonus would

exceed 8 million, making making it round the highest price money

for tough race in the world I think.

Just incredible. Wow, Tom, that is great news.

Hopefully more Kalandigans head your way for the Japan Cup for

sure. Well, thank you so much for

joining us here on Blood Horse Monday.

I'm glad you were able to get back from Miami, even if it is

very cold in New York City. Be well.

I hope you'll, I hope you'll join us again on the program.

Yeah. Thank you very much.

There you go. Tom Hashimoto, appreciate him

joining us there in New York City.

Sean, it is an interesting thing to get, you know, nice thing

about this show. We've got to do some of these

international guests and operate, you know, questions and

different things. It is fascinating, though, the

ecosystem that has developed in dirt racing, Japan, the Middle

East and the United States, right.

That seems to be an interesting trio of spots.

As we talked, you know, we asked about the Japan road and he

said, yeah, well, what about Saudi, right.

It was interesting how quickly he moved to that because it's a

reality as well that there's a lot of overlap in those spots.

And frankly, if we're going to continue dirt racing at a high

level, you know, we can talk about growing the sport or

whatever, why not get other places involved?

Japan certainly at the top of that list.

Yeah. And I mean, you've seen their

success on the international scene in the last several years

as well. And so they're taking it to all

all these other countries. They're beating them on their

home turf. It's time for some of these

other countries to start, start kicking back a little bit, start

punching back a little bit and going over to the Japan Cup and

a race like that. Some of the other races, I think

back to even last year, she didn't win the race, but like

Mayday, Reddy went over to run the Mansion Juvenile Phillies.

And so I think as as time goes on, it seems like, I mean, we

talked with Preferred earlier and he's talking about how he's

wanting to have horses all over the world.

As the years go on, it's becoming a lot less, a lot less

of kind of individual racing. We're starting to see more of

this global racing we saw for every young versus romantic

warrior in the Saudi Cup last year.

We see it in the Breeders Cup every year.

We see it in the Arc, We see it in the Royal Ascot.

So we're really starting to kind of see where now these best

horses from across the world, we're starting to get the

opportunity to see them run against each other.

So the more international horses we can ship over to Japan to run

in those races, I think we'll just continue to elevate the

international racing scene for sure.

No doubt about it a fantastic stuff there from Tom bad job I'd

be didn't ask about plushies at all It's a terrible job.

I don't know why we're even have a show anymore if I'm not going

to ask about plushies, but here we are.

But no good stuff for sure. And I am.

I'm fascinated, Sean, if you know, a couple years ago,

Mandarin Hero ran in the Santa Anita Derby.

I think that's the name that I have in my head still.

Yeah. You know, more and more of those

kinds of instances of of, you know, whether it's UAE Derby,

whether it's, you know, something like the Santa Anita

Derby where it seems that California trip is a little bit

easier than, you know, maybe all the way to Arkansas, to Miami,

something like that for a Derby prep.

That sort of way. Be interesting to see where our

first Japanese winner comes from.

And I say it that confidently because I do think we'll have a

Japanese winner, I'll put it. But four.

Oh, man. If I had to give you a span of

time and over under number of years, Sean, what would you do?

I go 5 1/2 years. I think we get one in the next

half decade. I think I said five years in

2022 with Crown Prize, so I'm I'm running out of time here.

I really are. Used to tell me, yeah, I was

telling people on the tours that I gave at the Derby Museum, I

was telling them, you know, just just you wait, one of the next 5

is going to be a Japanese for. So I got, I got this year and

next year I think to still be right.

But it's gonna. It's gonna happen.

Forever young kind of count. I mean that that the three-way,

the three-way, say a little little people photo finish with

the British Cup classic. I'm just T-shirt I'll be on for

sure. That was the that.

Was it? I think what Forever Young does

is he showed how possible it is and especially, especially now

adding on the Breeders Cup Classic.

You think when he does eventually retire and he goes

off to stud, you think he's going to be a pretty popular

one, especially with people wanting a Derby horse.

I mean, I've talked to, I've talked to a couple Japanese

trainers and connections at the Keeneland sale the last couple

years. They come over looking for a

Kentucky Derby horse. So the excitement is there.

It's just a matter. And once Forever Young gets off

to the breeding shed. Now they're kind of dirt racing

starting to take off a little bit more over there, get more

attention. We're gonna start seeing some

better horses bred in Japan for the dirt.

We're gonna start seeing them buying better horses for the

dirt over here if we if we aren't already.

So that's it's gonna happen soon here.

But well, it happened before Grifard gets his French bread.

That'll be the question. There's a lot of fighting going

on in this episode to get a French bread or get a Japanese

bread to win the Kentucky Derby. I like it.

I'm into all of it. All right, thanks again to Tom.

We'll wrap up the show here. Looking forward to a couple of

Derby preps. But, you know, it's interesting

we've gotten to this point of the show.

Sean haven't brought up the Eclipse Awards yet.

I think not a ton of surprises as far as who won the awards and

different things. Some of the margins were a

little surprising. You know, Super Corridor winning

by the kind of margins she did over side games I thought was

over side fair. Excuse me?

Was a little, you know, a little larger than I thought it was

going to be, maybe forever. Young winning the way that he

did in that division was a little surprising that way, but

I know you were a little taken aback by something else.

Yeah, I just, I, I know they put it in because I think, I think

it was they put it in after the Perry Martin thing with

California Chrome like a decade ago.

Now. Can we stop with the playing the

music to get these people off the stage?

I know like, it was getting ridiculous.

Like, come on, can we at least can we pretend like we want to

celebrate the sport? Because I would like to hear

from these people. I don't care if it goes for a

little longer than it should be going for.

And like the whole thing that happened when Michael Banahan

was accepting Sovereignty's three-year old speech.

And I don't know if they intentionally turned off the

microphone or if it like got accidentally turned off, but we

have somebody talking about the biggest star in the sport and

we're going to stop him because he went over a minute.

It's like, personally. So my mom is a huge Sovereignty

fan. She tuned into the Eclipse

Awards to watch Sovereignty. Of course, people are tuning in

to watch their horse get in the ward.

They don't want to hear the microphone get turned off on the

guy halfway through. So I just, they need to fix

that. They need to get rid of the

music. They need to get rid of trying

to force these people off the stage.

If somebody goes into a long rant, then somebody goes into a

long rant. We all laugh at that at the next

decade like we always do. And so let's just let's let the

people talk. Let the people have their

moments. Stop trying to rush them off the

stage. Let's actually celebrate the

horses and celebrate the people that work so hard every single

day in this sport. You can comment below if you're

on YouTube or on Spotify. We'd love to hear from you if

you agree with Sean or not. Of course.

Hey, all of your ratings and all of your likes do matter for our

algorithm and growing this program.

So if you are a fan, we would appreciate both of those things.

Looking ahead to some of the Derby preps this weekend, a trio

of them. I spoke with the guys at naira.

Sounds like they're going to try to draw tomorrow, Sean ahead of

Saturday for their for the the Withers.

Excuse me up there in New York, but of course back at it at

Gulfstream Park. It seems like this time of year

they don't get any breaks there. I I'm always amazed too, Sean,

by the way, Pegasus on Saturday they run they go ahead and run

on Sunday. I don't know how people do this.

I I just as a guy who needs the day after Derby off.

I don't know how these people do it, but they they are going to

be running the holy bowl down there this weekend.

What if your favorites for the Derby is in this field in

incredible. What do you expect from him off

a little bit of a layoff here? Yeah, it'll be interesting to

see. And the the street sense when he

won that he came from off the pace and I mean Skippy just did

it in the Pegasus, but that's usually not the kind of strategy

that you want to see at Gulfstream.

Is this one going to be short stretch?

I assume right. Mile and a 16th, Yes.

Short stretch, right? Yeah.

So now Sovereignty overcame that in the Fountain of Youth last

year, so we'll see. This is the horse that Jaime

Torres is nicknamed Little Sovereignty, so we'll see

whether or not he can live up to that name.

But yes, I'm very excited. This is going to be a crucial

weekend for me. He's currently my number one on

my Derby rankings at the moment, so this will be big for me to

see whether or not he keeps that spot or whether I need to start

looking elsewhere. Even if he doesn't win, I just

want to see a strong performance.

I want to see him kind of like start running at the end, see

him picking up some ground, even if he runs like 2nd, 3rd or 4th,

as long as he's picking up momentum at the end and showing

a little bit of shot sign. Maybe there's still some rest

there. But that's what I want to see

from him this weekend. Coming off of a January 10th run

in the San Vicente will be Butane who lost us.

So happy in that one. He'll be making the trip

allegedly for Bob Baffert across country for this Derby prep.

We'll see if he ends up there, but should be an interesting

field down in South Florida for the Holy Bowl.

Others in there. Cannoneer is in here for Brad

Cox. Irad Ortiz gets the mouth.

This is the son of Into Mischief.

If you remember, he is now just broken his maiden to Churchill

Downs in November. They're opting for this spot for

him right away. This is the Saint Elias folks,

so just absolutely an interesting entry there as well.

Very impressive. Wayne at Churchill Downs too, by

the way, that that one stuck out to me.

That was on the I think that was the last race or something on

the Stars of tomorrow card, but that one stuck out to me.

So excited to see what he can do this weekend.

Yeah, he was the one on those two year old days that you

always say, Oh yeah, we'll watch the maiden races and people kind

of no, that was what you had to watch.

The maiden race that was that was the exact example that we

talk about when we talk about watching those maiden races on

those two year old days to New Orleans for or excuse me to, to

Oaklawn for the other prep in a full field of 14 for the

Southwest Stakes. And Sean, this is a reminder, if

you put $1,000,000 up for things, people will show up.

That's what this is. Yes, they will.

And yeah, I mean Oakland always gets those big fields, but what

a what a nice field that we have here as well.

And it's good good to see the excitement going in Hot Springs,

especially because they've tried that new, the new kind of having

the gap for a couple of weeks between start of the year and

when we get to here. And I mean the horsemen stuck

around look at look at the field that we got for for the

Southwest here. So.

Yeah, nice off field of 14 here. A bunch of names that people

will have heard in the past. Strategic risk is in here.

Soldier and diplomat as well. Litmus Test is making the trip

for Bob Baffert East and so he's going to go ahead and ship away

from California to try these earlier Derby prep, 20 point

Derby preps on the West or excuse me, east of the Rockies.

He is the winner of the low self Fraturity by the way, last out

in December. Interesting to see him there.

Do you read much into where Baffert Baffert sends horses or

is it more just one goes to Gulfstream and one goes to goes

to Arkansas? I'm I'm more surprised that the

ones going to Gulfstream, that's that's, that's more of an

unusual move for him, especially at this time of the year.

But litmus test going to Oakland doesn't surprise me.

We know all the success that he's had at Oakland over the

years in these Derby prep races. And it really is let's let's

split them all up kind of mindset.

You know, I'm sure he's he's going to have Brent coming back

soon. He's going to have a couple of

these couple of these big, big three-year olds kind of coming

back. And so let's start splitting

them up. And if Litmus Test is going to

be the one that's going to be the Oakland guy, then let's get

started right here, right now. We have seen Baffert, of course,

as Sean mentioned, Shipwell to Arkansas in that spot.

By the way, Litmus Test was a very good fourth in the Breeders

Cup Juvenile and so came back in that low sound fraternity to

great success there. Should handle the two turns no

problem at Oakland Park. I, I just, I, I love a 14 horse

field for newly minted 3 year olds.

This is just such a ridiculous thing.

I, I am very interested though Chris Davis, who I've had on

other programs that I've worked with has a horse in here in

that's going to break from the rail in the race.

And, and I'm just I'm fascinated by guys like that who, you know

with a reclamation for example, you know can he and Ramon

Vasquez get some points here on the trail to the Kentucky Derby?

This one that broke, it's made in Oak Lawn.

And so I just those are the kinds of stories at this point

in the trail, Sean, that I'm looking for.

Last year felt like cold battle. Those kinds of horses.

We're starting to win races around this kind of year.

So that's those are kind of the stories I'm looking for.

But frankly, look, if they're great horses too, I don't care

if they win because it's just going to be all the great horses

we can handle. It seems like Oakland's always

one of the two. We either get the feel good

stories or we get like a super great horse coming out of there.

So it seems like Southwest is going to fit into that mold and

we'll see see which, which one of the stories is going to be

the case this year. Yeah, fantastic stuff out there

for sure. All right, well, at this point

in the process, we always remind you about Blood Horse Magazine.

There is a tab at the top of bloodhorse.com or you can check

out the QR code at the bottom right now if you're watching on

YouTube or on Spotify, cannot suggest enough.

Get that to your house, spruce up that coffee table and

certainly get the stallion registry that comes alongside as

well. Bloodhorse.com, find out the

magazine and of course you can sign up for the daily there as

well. Top of the home page, get an

e-mail every morning, cost you nothing.

They're not going to sell you anything.

The best way to start your horse racing day is with your friends

at Blood Horse and of course your horse racing week with

Blood Horse Monday. How about that?

Good job by you for Sean, I'm Louis.

Sean, I hope you get home because it's nice when you come

to my house and I have to feed you.

So we should do that again. I know I missed my my free lunch

today, so hopefully I'll get back back in time for next

Monday's episode. All right, Deshaun, get back

from Miami. Find out next week.

The Blood Horse is dedicated to the improvement of thoroughbred

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