One-Two For Daiwa Major In New Zealand Trophy

Pensioned Shadai Stallion Station resident Daiwa Major (Jpn) sired the first two home in the G2 New Zealand Trophy S. over 1600 metres at Nakayama on Saturday, with Ecoro Bloom (Jpn) edging filly Bond Girl (Jpn) by three-quarters of a length. Both the first and second were bred by Northern Farm.

Sent off at 37-10, Ecoro Bloom soon cruised up to sit in third behind Yukino Royal (Jpn) (Dee Majesty {Jpn}) and Clean Air (Jpn) (Real Impact {Jpn}) before drifting back a bit to the fence while saving ground. Full of run with 600 metres left, he ranged up to within a length of the leaders, but was forced to alter course in early stretch as a hole closed. A gap opened a few strides later and Takeshi Yokoyama directed the colt through, before the duo kicked past a stubborn Yukino Royal, who lost the battle for second with Bond Girl by a head.

Third on debut over soft ground going this trip at Tokyo in October, the chestnut claimed a similar affair at that course over a firm surface in November. Making his 2024 bow, Ecoro Bloom was a close second in the G3 Nikkan Sports Sho Shinzan Kinen at Kyoto on Jan. 8.

Pedigree Notes

The winner is the 47th stakes winner for his sire, who was pensioned after breeding a handful of mares in 2023.

American threads run through the dams of both Ecoro Bloom and Bond Girl, as the former's dam, Sugar Shock, a winner of the 2014 GIII Fantasy S., was picked up for $360,000 out of the Fasig-Tipton November Sale in 2015 by Katsumi Yoshida. Stakes winner Coasted (Tizway), the 2016 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf runner-up and the dam of Saturday's runner-up, was sent to Japan after making $1.3 million at that same sale two years later, also on the bid of Yoshida.

At stud, Sugar Shock delivered the winning Admire Metis (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) as her first foal. Four more winners followed, including G3 Kisaragi NKH Sho hero Lagom (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) and Saturday's victor. After foaling the New Zealand Trophy hero, she produced a 2-year-old filly to the cover of dual Saturnalia (Jpn), a yearling full-brother to Lagom and she visited Kizuna (Jpn) last spring.

 

Saturday, Nakayama, Japan
NEW ZEALAND TROPHY-G2, ¥105,100,000, Nakayama, 4-6, 3yo, c/f, 1600mT, 1:34.40, gd.
1–ECORO BLOOM (JPN), 126, c, 3, Daiwa Major (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Sugar Shock (GSW-US, $475,619), by Candy Ride (Arg)
                2nd Dam: Enthusiastically, by Distorted Humor
                3rd Dam:  Unbridled Hope, by Unbridled
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. (¥84,000,000 Ylg '22
JRHAJUL). O-Masatoshi Haramura; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
T-Yukihiro Kato; J-Takeshi Yokoyama; ¥55,120,000. Lifetime
Record: 4-2-1-1, ¥78,606,000. *1/2 to Lagom (Jpn) (Orfevre
{Jpn}), GSW-Jpn, $1,287,497. Click for the
   free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Werk Nick
   Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Bond Girl (Jpn), 121, f, 3, Daiwa Major(Jpn)–Coasted, by
Tizway. (¥210,000,000 Ylg '22 JRHAJUL). O-Susumu Fujita;
B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥22,320,000.
3–Yukino Royal (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Dee Majesty (Jpn)–Yukino
Queen (Jpn), by Taiki Shuttle. 1ST BLACK TYPE. 1ST GROUP
   BLACK TYPE. O-Motoyuki Inoue; B-Hattori Farm (Jpn);
¥14,160,000.
Margins: 3/4, HD, HF. Odds: 3.70, 2.20, 36.50.
Also Ran: Kazu Mikulase (Jpn), Dreaming Up (Jpn), Clean Air (Jpn), Aim For Ace (Jpn), Awesome Stroke (Jpn), Enya Love Faith (Jpn), Spark Richard (Jpn), Rouge Suerte (Jpn), Shines On You (Jpn), Satomino Kirari (Jpn), David Tesoro (Jpn), Bright Man (Jpn), Captaincy (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart & video.

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Sunday Insights: ‘TDN Rising Star’ Returns On Keeneland Sunday Card

4th-KEE, $110K, OC, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 2:36 p.m.

Unraced since her 'TDN Rising Star' debut at Churchill Downs last September, TWIRLING GOOD TIME (Twirling Candy) returns to the races Sunday for Rigney Racing and trainer Phillip Bauer. Stretching out from 5 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/16 miles, the $250,000 KEESEP grad will look to carry the speed that saw her go nearly gate-to-wire in her four-length win while posting an 86 Beyer Speed Figure. Out of Celebrategoodtimes, a Harlan's Holiday mare who has produced five foals and as many winners, Twirling Good Time counts both GISW and sire Street Boss (Street Cry {Ire}) and MGISW and sire Jack Christopher (Munnings) as extended family members. TJCIS PPS

 

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Hades To Run On Short Rest In the Lexington

Hades (Awesome Slew), upset winner of the GIII Holy Bull S. in January and a latest fifth to champion 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light) in the GI Curlin Florida Derby Mar. 30, will back up on two weeks' rest for the GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. at Keeneland Apr. 13, co-owner Jon Green of D J Stable said in a text message Saturday morning.

“We are entering Hades in the Lexington and have Jose Ortiz in the irons,” Green texted. “Hades is doing great, is sound and ready to ship to KEE on Tuesday.”

Owned in partnership with Robert Cotran and trained by Joe Orseno, Hades won his first three trips to the post including a two-length defeat of Domestic Product (Practical Joke) in the Holy Bull, as Fierceness failed to fire at long odds-on. He was bumped at the start of the Florida Derby as a 17-5 chance and endured a wide trip before finishing 19 3/4 lengths adrift of the romping Fierceness.

“He got sawed off and never leveled off until he pulled himself back to last,” Green explained via text.

Hades has amassed 30 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, good for 18th in the standings prior to the running of Saturday's 100-point preps. The Lexington is the final Derby points race on a scale of 20-10-6-4-2.

Also headed to the Lexington is Encino (Nyquist), who was scratched from Saturday's GI Toyota Blue Grass S. The Godolphin homebred, last-start winner of the John Battaglia Memorial S. Mar. 2, had drawn widest in the field of 11 in the Blue Grass.

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Endlessly Goes Easy Half-Mile at Churchill

Amerman Racing's Endlessly (Oscar Performance) breezed an easy four furlongs in :49.60 (78/111) over the Churchill Downs main track Saturday morning, his first move since taking the GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park Mar. 23. The homebred could make his next appearance in the $5-million GI Kentucky Derby on May 4, which would mark his first start on the dirt.

Working outside of his multiple stakes-placed stablemate Blue Eyed George (Flameaway) and with exercise rider Walter Davila in the irons, Endlessly remained on even terms for the majority of the breeze, easing clear on the gallop out. He pulled up five furlongs in 1:02.80, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.

In the immediate aftermath of the Jeff Ruby Steaks, a victory which took his record to five wins from six starts, connections announced their intentions to point for the GII American Turf S., but reversed course a few days later, with the Derby a possible target.

“After the Jeff Ruby, Mr. Amerman and I talked and we're going to leave all of our options open,” trainer Michael McCarthy said. “We still have a few weeks to train here and have some time to make a final decision as to what we do next.”

In 2011, Animal Kingdom won the GIII Spiral S. before causing a 20-1 upset in the Derby in his first start on the main track.

Earlier Saturday, GII Rebel S. runner-up Common Defense (Karakontie {Jpn}) went a half-mile in :47.80 (3/111) outside of his Grade II-placed stable companion Real Men Violin (Mendelssohn). Common Defense covered his opening two furlongs in :24.60 and was out five-eighths in 1:01.40.

 

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