Pants on Fire touches down ahead of Japan Cup Dirt

Multiple Grade 2-winning millionaire Pants on Fire has arrived in Japan ahead

of his tilt at the December 1 Japan Cup Dirt. The Kelly Breen charge touched

down at Narita International Airport east of Tokyo shortly before 11 a.m. local

time Friday and arrived at the JRA Horseracing School quarantine facilities at

1:45 p.m.

Pants on Fire comes off a seventh in the November 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile

at Santa Anita.

"The trip from California to here took about 24 hours all around," groom

James Douglas Homewood said. "He's used to long hauls though, so even he's a

little bit tired it's not a problem."

Hero of the 2011 Louisiana Derby, Pants on Fire annexed the July 28 Monmouth

Cup and September 7 Ack Ack Handicap. The five-year-old son of Jump Start failed

to run up to that level when tiring in the Dirt Mile.

Homewood said there were no instructions in particular from Breen, but

"basically he said, go and have fun!"

As for Pants on Fire's training leading up to the Japan Cup Dirt, Homewood

said, "We'll decide that as we go, checking how he's doing."

The American shipper is set to add some much-desired international color to

the Japan Cup Dirt for the first time in four years, since Tizway's

participation in 2009. Now in its 14th year, the about 1 1/8-mile race will be

held at the Hanshin Racecourse west of Osaka.