Ashley Walker manages the Web site for Churchill Downs, Inc. Previously he worked extensively to import simulcasts and increase interest in racing from Australia, England and South Africa. He follows racing from several countries, and only out of interest in keeping Curlin’s pride intact, he sincerely hopes they don’t attempt to ship to France for the Arc de Triomphe.
Leading up to the 2006 Melbourne Cup, all of the local press had been mostly focused on the European invaders who had made the trip down under, especially the top-weighted Yeats, coming from the powerful Coolmore operation in Ireland.
Little had been mentioned about the two Japanese invaders, Delta Blues and Pop Rock, and most within the Australian racing community seemed to think they just weren’t up to the grueling dynamics of the race, and a notch below the top contenders.
Three minutes 21 seconds later, you could have heard a pin drop at historic Flemington Racecourse. Not just one, but both of the Asian invaders had separated themselves from the field of 23 horses and fought it out to the wire, with Delta Blues prevailing by a nose over his stablemate. If someone had told you that the Japanese would quinela the Antipodean Classic 10 years ago, you would have surely recommended they see a head doctor.
And I assume that if someone had told me that a Japanese maiden winner would ship over and win the 2008 Peter Pan Stakes (Grade II) at Belmont Park last Saturday in resounding fashion, I might have thought the same thing.
The emergence of Casino Drive on the Triple Crown trail might have surprised a few racing fans, but this moment has been in the making for quite some time.
Just two decades ago, when renowned racing journalist Steven Crist traveled to Japan to assess the current state of their breeding and racing industry. He lauded praise upon the efficiency and oversight of the Japanese racing product by the Japanese Racing Association, but one thing seemed to be lacking: top quality horseflesh that could compete on a global scale.

therail.blogs.nytimes.com