Calandagan Ends Two-Decade Wait With Record Japan Cup Win
Elle
Dec 5th 2025
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Calandagan at Japan Cup 2025 has long carried a reputation as one of the sport’s most challenging international tests, a meeting point where outstanding talent from abroad once regularly left a strong impression on local runners. Yet for two decades, visiting stables returned home without the top prize. That stretch came to an end when Calandagan surged home in the late autumn light at Tokyo Racecourse, delivering a result that many had waited years to witness.
The young horse that went to France for training and was under the guidance of jockey Mickael Barzalona, did the 2400-meter race in 2:20.3, cutting the time of the world record by 0.3 seconds that was set in 2018 by a very nice Japanese mare Almond Eye. The event had both importance in sport and, apart from that, it was very touching. This year is the first after the death of the Aga Khan IV, the iconic owner-breeder whose enduring ideals have been the basis for the lineage of the high-class runners. Calandagan’s triumph stood as both a performance of the highest level and a testament to the traditions he left behind.
Barzalona, calm in the saddle and concise in his response, offered only a pair of short remarks after dismounting: “Very good. Mission accomplished.” His words reflected the precision and planning that had gone into the campaign. Calandagan’s entire season had been geared toward this single objective, guided by trainer Francis-Henri Graffard, who concluded the best year of his career with an achievement that will be remembered for decades.
The decision to send Calandagan to Japan was not made lightly. The Aga Khan Studs have long maintained a thoughtful approach to international campaigns, choosing targets with care. Princess Zahra Aga Khan, speaking after the race, explained the team’s reasoning in a measured tone. She emphasized that no trip is made with expectation, only with preparation and hope. For her, the conditions aligned in a way that made this the correct moment: the timing, the circuit, and the horse all matched the requirements outlined at the start of the year.
“Francis said from the beginning that Calandagan was the horse for this race,” she noted. “He had planned this for a very long time.” That level of foresight proved decisive. From training schedules to travel arrangements, every detail supported a performance that needed to peak on this single afternoon. Calandagan responded exactly as connections believed he could.
As the gates opened, the colt settled into a rhythm that allowed him to stay well within range of the leaders. The early fractions hinted at a strong tempo, yet Barzalona kept his mount balanced and comfortable. Turning for home at Tokyo Racecourse, the field began to tighten, and the contest sharpened. Barzalona directed Calandagan through a clear path, giving the horse space to quicken. The response was immediate and smooth. The long stretch, often the undoing of many horses unaccustomed to Tokyo Racecourse’s demanding layout, became the stage on which Calandagan delivered his decisive burst.
The time at which the event was finished verified what the spectators felt, it was a top-tier performance. Just a world record break at one of the most historic places for racing in the past made the triumph that was already full of significance even more important. The return of a foreign challenger to lift the trophy after 20 years made Japanese fans think of the international aspect which the race was once global and which they forgot. A tribute to the ways and the levels set by the Aga Khan IV, whose farm is still one of the most admired in the industry, was the victory for the traveling team.
In the aftermath, Graffard expressed deep satisfaction at seeing a carefully mapped-out plan come together. Over the years, his stable has been a constant source of talent, quality horses for the major races, but the Japan Cup 2025 is really a different story. Achieving that kind of victory with such an astonishing record was the absolute high point of his season and a defining moment of his career.
Calandagan now joins a distinguished list of international stars who have succeeded in Japan. His victory is a reminder that the development of talent requires a patient, long-term approach.
The Aga Khan Studs, which have been navigated calmly through different eras of change, carry on with a way of life that is based on the endurance, health, and gradual development of the chosen ones. Those ideals were evident in every stride Calandagan took as he swept past the finish line.
As the racing world reflects on this chapter of the Japan Cup 2025 history, Calandagan’s performance will stand as a reminder of what is possible when tradition, preparation, and ability align. For fans, it offered a result few had witnessed in years. For his team, it honored a legacy that continues to influence the sport’s highest stages.
