NYRA offers $1 million to Japan-based Belmont Stakes winner

[Kitan]

Originally Posted by freddymo

2. Why encourage japan shippers when they EXCLUDE our stock from racing in their country?
3. How you suppose to feel if you are not from Japan. Horses cant ship to Japan and race for ridiculously huge money BUT welcome Japan and here is an extra mil if you win? Why?

Foreign horses can run in every Graded Race in Japan (http://japanracing.jp/en/racing/sche...list/2016.html) as well as a host of others (http://japanracing.jp/en/racing/sche...list/2016.html). There is no need for Japan to put up extra money for foreign horses to come when the purse money alone should be enough incentive. And, as Jasper wrote, the handle and attention to the race would be enormous. Just look at the attention Lani got. As I've written in my own thread, the racing industry in Japan is something else. They are very much on the ascendancy, most probably even the world-leader in quality of breeding, racing stock, quality of races and racedays, purses, cleanliness of racing, etc., while North America is completely on the opposite slope.