Strong Finish Carries Stellenbosch To Oka Sho Glory

Stellenbosch (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) reversed the form with her G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies conqueror, Ascoli Piceno (Jpn) Daiwa Major (Jpn), as she ran out an authoritative winner of Sunday's G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1,000 Guineas) at Hanshin Racecourse, the first leg of the Japanese Triple Tiara.

The hitherto unbeaten Ascoli Piceno was crowned champion Japanese two-year-old filly in 2023, though Stellenbosch didn't have much to find with the favourite on their Hanshin Juvenile Fillies running when she'd finished best of all from the rear of the field to be beaten just a neck at the line.

This time Joao Moreira's mount always had Ascoli Piceno in her sights having recovered quickly from a slow start to race on the immediate inside of her old rival, with the pair finding a slot in mid-division as Shonan Manuela (Jpn) (Just A Way {Jpn}) led the field in the early stages. Swinging wide on the home turn, Stellenbosch quickly moved ahead of Ascoli Piceno and again impressed with her strength at the finish as she powered home to claim brief leader Etes Vous Prets (Jpn) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) in the final 100 metres. Ascoli Piceno tried to match strides with the winner but was still three quarters of a length behind at the line, with another half a length back to the fast-finishing Light Back (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) in third.

It was a third victory in the Oka Sho for trainer Sakae Kunieda, who was previously successful in 2010 with Apapane (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) and in 2018 with the brilliant Triple Tiara heroine Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), while Brazilian-born Moreira was celebrating his first win in the Classic.

“She didn't jump very well, but she did nothing wrong during the race–she was very impressive,” said Moreira. “When we were approaching the home turn, we were trapped but as we passed by the 500-metre marker, we were able to split horses. She went up front a little bit too early and I was worried she couldn't sustain her speed all the way to the end but, as with all good horses, she has proved to be capable and has given me my second Group 1 win in Japan which will be in my heart forever.”

Stellenbosch shares her sire with Daring Tact (Jpn), who also completed the Triple Tiara in 2020, while Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) became the seventh filly to win all three legs in 2023. The next leg, the G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks), takes place at Tokyo Racecourse on Sunday, May 19.

Prior to filling the runner-up spot in the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, Stellenbosch won two of her first three starts last year, making a successful debut over nine furlongs at Sapporo in July before bouncing back from her first defeat to double her career tally over a mile at Tokyo in November.

 

Pedigree Notes

Stellenbosch is one of three Classic winners and four Group 1 winners for Epiphaneia, who won the G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) himself in 2013. He later doubled his tally at the top level when also winning the Japan Cup the following year. As well as the Triple Tiara heroine Daring Tact, Epiphaneia is also responsible for the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2,000 Guineas) winner Efforia (Jpn), who subsequently struck in the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) and G1 Arima Kinen in a brilliant three-year-old campaign in 2021. Circle Of Life (Jpn) was the champion two-year-old filly for Epiphaneia the same year when the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies was her standout victory.

Last year's Hanshin Juvenile Fillies runner-up Stellenbosch is the first winner and first runner out of the winning Bloukrans (Jpn), who did her best work at around 10 furlongs on turf. Bloukrans is in turn out of a half-sister to the late Deep Impact (Jpn), the Japanese Triple Crown winner who quickly rose to become one of the world's most influential stallions. Deep Impact and Stellenbosch's grandam, Land's Edge (Jpn), were both out of the blue hen Wind In Her Hair (Ire), herself a Group 1 winner in Germany and runner-up in the G1 Oaks at Epsom.

Sunday, Hanshin, Japan
OKA SHO (JAPANESE 1000 GUINEAS)-G1, ¥304,040,000, Hanshin, 4-7, 3yo, f, 1600mT, 1:32.20, fm.
1–STELLENBOSCH (JPN), 121, f, 3, by Epiphaneia (Jpn)
            1st Dam: Bloukrans (Jpn), by Rulership (Jpn)
            2nd Dam: Land's Edge (Jpn), by Dance in the Dark (Jpn)
            3rd Dam: Wind in Her Hair (Ire), by Alzao
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Katsumi Yoshida; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-Sakae Kunieda; J-Joao Moreira; ¥166,628,000. Lifetime Record: 5-3-2-0, ¥215,468,000. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Ascoli Piceno (Jpn), 121, f, 3, by Daiwa Major (Jpn)–Ascolti (Jpn), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥63,608,000.
3–Light Back (Jpn), 121, f, 3, by Kizuna (Jpn)–In The Spotlight (Ire), by Exceed And Excel (Aus). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (¥242,000,000 Ylg '22 HOKJUL). O-Kazuhiro Masuda; B-Lake Villa Farm (Jpn); ¥38,804,000.
Margins: 3/4, NK, HF. Odds: 3.30, 2.50, 13.60.
Also ran: Sweep Feet (Jpn), Etes Vous Prets (Ire), Wide Latour (Jpn), Sekitoba East (Jpn), Queen's Walk (Jpn), Teumessa (Jpn), Hawaian Tiare (Jpn), Ipheion (Jpn), Chicago Sting (Jpn), Cervinia (Jpn), Mask All Win (Jpn), Cecile Plage (Jpn), Corazon Beat (Jpn), Shonan Manuela (Jpn), Catfight (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart & video.

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Denim and Pearls Dominates Beaumont in Graded Company Debut

In a tour de force befitting the excitement of opening weekend at Keeneland, Denim and Pearls (Into Mischief) all but ran off the screen en route to her career-first Graded victory in the GII Middleground Capital Beaumont S.

A winner by a nose at this venue on first asking Oct. 21, she parlayed that effort into a 3 1/2-length score at Churchill Downs in November against allowance optional claiming company. From there, her connections asked a bit more of their developing star when she moved to Oaklawn Park and tried two-turns, finishing second in the aptly named Years End S. on the last day of her juvenile season, and then making her 2024 bow Feb. 3 in a sloppy edition of the Martha Washington S. Cutting back to seven panels from 1 1/16-miles in that stakes try where she again played bridesmaid, it would be her time to shine here.

Content to watch after the jump as Vicountess (Lord Nelson) stepped up to set the early pace, Denim and Pearls traveled well from her spot in third as even-money betting choice Youalmosthadme (Oxbow) pressed that one along. Ranging closer as :22.99 and :46.41 splits sailed by, she was still well in hand entering the lane after inhaling a tiring leader and her stablemate with an eye-catching spurt. Kicking away, she was 9 1/4 lengths ahead of a clearly second-best Harbor Springs (Lookin At Lucky), who came into the race off a six-length maiden romp and stumbled coming out of the gate. Youalmosthadme held on for third despite it being her 2024 opener.

“It was a very good performance today. She was traveling well all the way around,” said Flavien Prat. “I didn't want to move too soon but she just did it on her own, so I thought to let her run from there. She did the rest. It was a great move by [trainer] Brad [Cox] to cut back in distance as well.”

When asked about it, Cox stated that the filly just didn't want to go that far and that her ownership group was content to let her do what she did best. “We were hoping she'd be a mile-and-an-eighth filly and we could march toward the [GI Kentucky Oaks], but [owner] Randy Gullat [of Red, White and Blue Racing] and the whole team are all about trying to do what's best for her and not make her do something she isn't capable of doing, and she rewarded them today.”

 

Pedigree Note
Most notably a full-sister to 'TDN Rising Star' Newgate, whose recent exploits include a gutsy victory in the GI Santa Anita H. and a ninth-place effort in the G1 Dubai World Cup, Denim and Pearls hails from a racey female family as dam Majestic Presence is herself a Graded-placed half-sister to GSW Victress (Include), a stakes-placed nine-time winner in Korea, and to the dam of GSW My Majestic Rose (Majestic Warrior). The dominating Beaumont victress is her fourth to the races, and second to pick up a victory at the black-type level. Majestic Presence has also produced a 2-year-old Adeera (Authentic) as well as a 2024 filly by Life Is Good.

Sire Into Mischief continued his successes at the upper levels of racing having had runners claim the GII Wood Memorial and the GI Ashland, just miss in the GI Santa Anita Derby, and enjoyed the crowning of two new 'TDN Rising Stars' over the weekend.

Sunday, Keeneland
MIDDLEGROUND CAPITAL BEAUMONT S.-GII, $395,063, Keeneland, 4-7, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:26.54, ft.
1–DENIM AND PEARLS, 118, f, 3, by Into Mischief
  1st Dam: Majestic Presence (GSP-USA, MSP-Can, $227,896), by Majestic Warrior
  2nd Dam: Shining Victory, by Victory Gallop
  3rd Dam: Phoenix Sunshine, by Encino
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($500,000 Ylg '22 FTSAUG). O-Red White and Blue Racing LLC; B-Town & Country Horse Farms, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Flavien Prat. $244,900. Lifetime Record: 5-3-2-0, $457,435. *Full to Newgate, GISW, $535,775. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Harbor Springs, 118, f, 3, Lookin At Lucky–Northern Michigan, by Broken Vow. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O/B-Donamire Farm (KY); T-Gregory D. Foley. $79,000.
3–Youalmosthadme, 118, f, 3, Oxbow–Good Gator, by Good and Tough. ($12,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-Resolute Racing; B-Pope McLean, Marc McLean & Pope McLean Jr. (KY); T-Brad Cox. $39,500.
Margins: 9 1/4, 3, 1 3/4. Odds: 1.79, 8.71, 1.07.
Also Ran: Chi Chi, Tipsy Tammy, Vicountess.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Fandom Returns a Winner for Wesley Ward and Stonestreet in Palisades

Unraced since fading from contention in last summer's G2 Coventry S. at Royal Ascot, FANDOM (GB) (c, 3, Showcasing {GB}–Brogan {GB}, by Pivotal {GB}) returned a winner at the same meet where he broke his maiden while under wraps last spring, taking the Palisades S. at Keeneland Sunday. Racing wide under Jose Ortiz, who was winning his third consecutive race on the card, the 7-1 shot closed with a strong late surge to get by a group of runners on the line that included MGSW No Nay Mets (Ire) (No Nay Never). The latter got outpunched late after sizzling fractions of :21.59, :44.53, and :56.55.

“Last summer at Saratoga he had a lung infection, so we sent him back to [owner] Barbara [Banke's] farm to Ian [Brennan] and they got him healed up,” said winning trainer Wesley Ward of the 170,000gns Tattersalls yearling purchase. “They trained him all winter long and did a fantastic job. The first day he got here I knew all I had to do was put him on cruise control.”

Fandom's dam, a half to 2023 G1 Juddmonte Cheveley Park S. winner Lezoo (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}), has produced fillies the last two years in the UK: a now-2-year-old by Masar (Ire) and a yearling by Zoustar (Aus).

 

 

PALISADES S., $207,688, Keeneland, 4-7, 3yo, 5 1/2fT, 1:02.83, gd.
1–FANDOM (GB), 118, c, 3, by Showcasing (GB)
               1st Dam: Brogan (GB), by Pivotal (GB)
               2nd Dam: Roger Sez (Ire), by Red Clubs (Ire)
               3rd Dam: Stately Princess (GB), by Robellino
(170,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN.
O-Stonestreet Stables LLC; B-Chasemore Farm (GB);
T-Wesley A. Ward; J-Jose L. Ortiz. $113,150. Lifetime
Record: 3-2-0-0, $145,375.
2–Mansa Musa (Ire), 118, c, 3, Ten Sovereigns (Ire)–Sundiata
(GB), by Showcasing (GB). (60,000gns Wlg '21 TADEWE;
55,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT; €49,383 RNA 2yo '23 GOFFDU).
O-Team Valor International LLC and Gary Barber;
B-Middlelane Farm (IRE); T-William I. Mott. $36,500.
3–Refuel, 118, c, 3, Hard Spun–Quick Flip, by Speightstown.
($550,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Repole
Stable and St. Elias Stables LLC; B-Spendthrift Farm LLC (KY);
T-Todd A. Pletcher. $22,813.
Margins: NK, 3/4, NK. Odds: 7.75, 15.86, 5.70.
Also Ran: No Nay Mets (Ire), Mattingly, Silent Heart, Shards, My Boy Prince, Aspenite, Coin Miner, Ceepeegee, Committee of One. Scratched: Sketch (Ire), Works for Me.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

 

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