HeHeHe. Glim, you’re funny. That’s my opinion of Casino “I think I can” (Run)Drive as well. Anyway, no falling outs or injuries, not to worry just some paperwork snafus and short notice that kept Pedro in the states. I’m sure Mike, Jan, and Ronny are enjoying the trip though. I suspect there might have been a sushi feast instead of turkey for t’giving though. I can’t believe the race is only a week away. Go Tin Cup Go.
The good thing is that Prado will have several rides in Japan to get more acquainted with the track: both he and Alan Garcia are US jocks in the World Super Jockeys Series held on Dec 6 and 7th.
The four-race contest will consist of two races on each of the two days at Hanshin, near Osaka, on the weekend of the Japan Cup Dirt.
Joining Prado and Garcia among the foreign contingent will be Ireland’s Johnny Murtagh; Ioritz Mendizabal, a Spaniard who rides in France; …
For the 41-year-old Prado, this will be the seventh time he has competed in the series, while Garcia, 23, will be making his first trip to Japan.
TVG - Japan Racing on Saturday Nights
Keep in mind that while its Dec 7 in Japan the race would be aired in the US late in the evening on the 6th 
Saturday night, it’s the Grade 1 Japan Cup Dirt coverage beginning at Midnight/ET and 9:00PM/PT
TCC: walked around stables 15 min.'s & hand-walked 20 min.'s
“We only walked him around the stable today but he seems to be in good condition. We will bring his condition up towards the race. The trainer will be here tomorrow and we plan to do a light jog tomorrow morning. We still don’t have any plans of doing any strong work before the race.” - J. Keuer
equidaily and paulickreport are both citing this website: as the Journal for Mike LeCesse in Japan
One concern cited:
We gave Tin Cup a workout and he went 5F in 59.1. He did switch leads well but not as well as I’m used to seeing. The clocker said he was ‘moving fast,’ and that he has not seen another do it that well.
The previously cited news of Prado taking over was cited on the trainer’s blog for today:
Just a quick note to say that Edgar Prado will ride Tin Cup Chalice this coming Sunday. Ultimately, we would have wished Pedro Rodriguez would be in the irons but the quest to acquire his visa and passport has simply taken too long. It’s a bittersweet moment. We’ll miss Pedro but are confident with Edgar taking the mount. He is over here in Japan now so we have a few days for he and Tin Cup to get to know each other better.
-Mike LeCesse
Photos of Tin Cup at Hanshin courtesy of Scott’s wife Michale are on that linked page
As an aside one of the irksome items was that TVG’s Todd Shrupp and Simon Bray did an onsite report from Hanshin Wednesday. They will be coveringt he race live - great - but when they talked about the field they focused more on Casino Drive and when they did cite Tin Cup it was more as a long shot dark horse. Thats fine, but they also cited he won the NY Triple Crown at Finger Lakes.
Incorrect and not a minor point: the OTB’s Big Apple Triple required winning at Belmont (Mike Lee Stakes), Finger Lakes (New York Derby) and Saratoga (Albany Stakes).
Oh well - he’ll show them 
Feedback from Prado on his first work (12/4) and other feedback:
Tin Cup Chalice: jogged 1 lap, cantered 1 lap on dirt course, ridden by .E Prado from 7:50 to 8:05 am
“I’ve never teamed up with this horse, but I’ve raced against him 2 or 3 times and have the impression that he’s a very strong horse. He was very relaxed this morning during his exercise, the dirt feels good, and he seems to have recovered from the long trip. After seeing the final list of the field, I’ll consider what kind of pace I’ll race him.” - Edgar Prado
“The training went well, and he’s coming into his race very well. He looks good and I think he’s gained 4 to 5 kg’s since he’s left the quarantine station. Since we found out he was going to race on a right-handed course, we breezed the horse a few times in that direction at home, and every work has been better. (Regarding the barrier draw) I prefer stall number 4 because his style of racing is in the front, so he should be able to get a good position. Tomorrow he’ll jog and gallop and stand in the gate -just to get him to relax in the gate. Saturday he’ll have a very light and easy day of training” - Mike Le Cesse
The Field for the Japan Cup Dirt is drawn:
The post position order is:
1 Wonder Speed
2 Frost Giant(USA)
3 Sunrise Bacchus
4 Meisho Battler
5 Meisho Tokon
6 Vermilion
7 Success Brocken
8 Tin Cup Chalice(USA)
9 Admire Fuji
10 Kane Hekili
11 Casino Drive(USA)
12 Blue Concorde
13 Mast Track(USA)
14 Furioso
15 Wild Wonder
16 Bonneville Record
Very exciting! Too bad I don’t have TVG though! :mad:
Now that’s the home-town spirit! The OTB facility at Finger Lakes will be open to air the race live at 1:40 AM Eastern 
Trainer Mike LeCesse said today that Tin Cup Chalice has adapted well to his new surroundings. The horse, who is 8-for-9 lifetime with earnings of more than $800,000, has been in Japan since Nov. 20.
“He is eating and his weight is excellent,” LeCesse said.
While Tin Cup Chalice has been a front-runner in nearly every race, LeCesse said the ideal spot may be sitting four or fifth, not far off the lead, during the early portion of the nine-furlong race.
[b]For racing diehards and Tin Cup Chalice fans, Finger Lakes will provide live simulcasting on the race, which has a 1:40 a.m. post time on Sunday.
Wagering on the race will be available starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday and continue through 10 p.m. in the simulcast area of the track. From 10 p.m. until post time, wagering will be available only at the self-service terminals at Sevens Sports Bar on the gaming floor.[/b]
Already shared yesterday but here is the Japan Racing’s notice of the official Post Position detail (or barrier draw as they would say in Japan)
Weight is such that 1 kg = 2.20462262 lbs
So Tin Cup is going to be carrying 123.5-lbs
Also the purse payouts by finishing position:
1st $1,453,642.31 USD
2nd $ 577,016.66 USD
3rd $ 364,689.33 USD
4th $ 217,660.00 USD
5th $ 141,479.00 USD
I love to see the mention of the Spectacular Bid in his bloodlines
I am so excited for this!
Of course I want him to win, but as long as he runs well I’ll be happy. I’m so sad I don’t have TVG, I’d love to see it live.
The JRA has videos of the official workouts of each horse… how cool is that??
The site is in Japanese, but the workouts are in order of post position, as follows…
- Wonder Speed
- Frost Giant
- Sunrise Bacchus
- Meisho Battler
- Meisho Tokon
- Vermilion
- Success Brocken
- Tin Cup Chalice
- Admire Fuji
- Kane Hekili
- Casino Drive
- Blue Concorde
- Mast Track
- Furioso
- Wild Wonder
- Bonneville Record
[QUOTE=Drvmb1ggl3;3705072]
The JRA has videos of the official workouts of each horse… how cool is that?[/QUOTE]
That’s very cool (and should be adopted by more tracks with their big signature races) and thanks for sharing this!
As I encountered the same (without Japanese language installed on my browser) you’ll go to the webpage in the link and see a picture of the past Japan Dirt Cup then below it sixteen different “Play” buttons.
Tin Cup Chalice is #8 which is found at the bottom LEFT of the page. Or you can use this shortcut to just his workout
(He has saddle cloth #4 on for the workout which is really just a jog)
That is awesome that they have videos. Thank you JRA! Tin Cup looks very settled for Edgar, which I am happy to see, and he’s striding out well. Frost Giant looks terrible behind and Mast Track looks terrible up front. I did like how Casino Drive was traveling but I still have serious doubts that he has any heart to speak of. I will be watching with bells on from the local watering hole with TVG and I will probably try to jump through the TV at various points. Re: the pictures from ThoroFan: He looks very content being hosed down…he has a slight tendancy to be a little tightly wound and his eye is very settled and pleased with himself. On the track he looks attentive and Ronny looks relaxed on him. Very pretty there from what I can tell. I’m jealous! All I can say is Go Tin Cup Go!
[QUOTE=olympicdreams04;3705290]
Re: the pictures from ThoroFan: He looks very content being hosed down…he has a slight tendancy to be a little tightly wound and his eye is very settled and pleased with himself.[/QUOTE]
His frame - from those pictures head on - while being hosed off make him look very narrow (like The Fish - a/k/a Real Quiet) but he moves very nicely in the jog. Ample power ready to be unleashed.
Mid-pack shouldn’t hurt him too much vs. his running style of going almost to the lead early on. Mast Track’s poor PP won’t doing any favors. Mixed with his workout I’d be very suspect of his chances.
I have to confirm with my local OTB (owned by Arlington Park/CDI) about wagering on the race. Regardless I plan to watch the race live on TVG
He is a little horse. We don’t kid when we say he’s 15.3. I wouldn’t say he’s all that narrow, he’s just proportionate. Very oldtime TB look. I honestly do think TC has a very solid chance. We will all be cheering him on!
The Daily Racing Form dumbfounds me with their praise of some and faint mention of others. They seem to gush over Casino Drive who - with all due respect - has been outclassed and a vapor contendor. Built up like he was Secretariat on the eve of the Belmont he never made it there. Then was a bomb - and I mean bomb - in the Breeders Cup Classic. So why think he’s one to watch?
DRF 12-5-08 “U.S. invaders face tough task in Japan”
Defending title holder Vermilion locks horns with the potentially superb Casino Drive at Hanshin on Sunday in the $2.7 million Japan Cup Dirt.
?
Anyhow this all that’s said about Tin Cup:
Tin Cup Chalice has put together a glittering record in New York-bred company and won the Grade 2 Indiana Derby last time, but he steps way up in class Sunday. Committed to the front under new rider Edgar Prado, the Mike Lecesse trainee would be a big surprise at this level.
Here is to him rocking the house and of course returning safely.
Where have some of TCC’s winning gone? Read here
Some good press on TCC!
Adirondack Daily Enterprise 12-5-08 “Will local racehorse’s success translate?”
The track should be crowded Sunday. Horse racing is extremely popular in Japan. Last year, the Japan Cup Dirt attracted 60,000 spectators. Its sister race, The Japan Turf, recently drew 120,000 fans.
“It’s real big there,” Vanlaer said. “It’s much more mainstream than the U.S. It’s like baseball or football here.”
The starting gate will also be different. In Japan, there’s no pony to lead the horse to the starting gate. There will also be no one in the starting gate to hold the horse’s bridle. That person stays with the horse until the gate opens and a bell rings to initiate the race.
“That’s a little difficult for our horse because he just tends to get a little more rambunctious and nervous,” Vanlaer said. “In Japan, the horse has to stand in there with just the rider on his back. Our horse isn’t a great gate horse. That’s my big concern, is the lead-up to the start. I think if he can stay calm, get into the gate and stay there, we’ll be OK.”
Vanlaer said he hopes the horse finishes in the top 10 or better. Past winnings for the horse have allowed Vanlaer and Glennon to install geothermal heating and solar panels at their Ray Brook home. A win here could be even more rewarding.
“If we come in the top five, I’ll be ecstatic,” Vanlaer said with a laugh. “If we win, I’ll retire.”
Go Cup, go!!! I like this little horse, he’s cute and seems to be a bit of a charactor 
Glim, where does Spectacular Bid come in TCC’s breeding? I haven’t looked up anything, just curious. Thanks.
Vermillion is the horse to beat in this race. His last place in the Dubai WC in March was uncharacteristic and by all accounts he is back on form.
