Christophe Lemaire | Horse Racing Free Tips

Cafe Pharoah Takes ‘Win And You’re In’ February Stakes In Japan

In 2015, American Pharoah took the racing world by storm when he captured the Triple Crown and Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). On Sunday at Tokyo Racecourse in Japan, Koichi Nishikawa's Cafe Pharoah, a Kentucky-bred son of American Pharoah, earned the first automatic berth into this year's $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series with a three-quarter length victory over Air Spinel (JPN) in the one-mile $1.84 million February Stakes (G1) on dirt.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge is an international series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the 2021 Breeders' Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held on Nov. 5-6 at Del Mar racetrack in Del Mar, California.

As a part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, the Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for Cafe Pharoah to start in the 1 ¼-mile Longines Breeders' Cup Classic. Breeders' Cup also will provide a $40,000 travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships.

Trained by Noriyuki Hori and ridden by Christophe Lemaire, the 4-year-old Cafe Pharoah, the 3-1 favorite, completed the mile in 1:34.40. In defeating 15 rivals for his first career Group 1 victory, Cafe Pharoah improved his overall mark to five wins in seven starts. Out of the More Than Ready mare, Mary's Follies, Cafe Pharoah was bred by the late Paul Pompa Jr.

Absent of fans and cheers, the 38th running of the February Stakes, the first Group 1 event of the Japanese racing season, was on its way on the backstretch with Air Almas (JPN), Helios (JPN) and Wide Pharaoh (JPN) fighting for the lead. As Helios slipped back in the early stages, Cafe Pharoah, breaking from stall three, stalked the two frontrunners while saving ground before smoothly angling out right beside them to enter the lane in third. From there on, Cafe Pharoah unleashed a powerful stretch drive, securing the lead by the furlong marker and held off the fast-closing 35-1 Air Spinel.

“His condition was super, and I had confidence already at the paddock,” said Lemaire, who also won last year's February Stakes on Mozu Ascot (JPN). “We decided to use cheek pieces [headgear strips similar to blinkers] hoping for a more aggressive performance. His start was good, we were positioned well and he responded beautifully. The colt has such high potential. I had no doubt that he could land a G1 win if he gave his best. I'm happy that it all worked out today.”

Air Spinel was settled on the rail in mid-division and struggled to find room in early stretch. Once he angled out, finding a clear path 300 meters out, he finished fast, overtaking the tiring pacesetter in the final sixteenth and threatening the winner. Wonder Lider (JPN), sent off at 19-1, took an economic route behind the winner up to the last turn and displayed a powerful stretch drive furiously chasing the runner-up to the line while holding off a strong challenge by 6-1 third choice Red le Zele (JPN) for third. Air Almas finished fifth, followed by Inti (JPN), the 2019 February Stakes winner, in sixth.

In 2020, Cafe Pharoah won twice at the race distance over the Tokyo track, taking the two Kentucky Derby (G1) qualifying races, the listed Hyacinth Stakes and the Unicorn Stakes (G3). He suffered his first defeat as the favorite in the Japan Dirt Derby on July 8 at Ohi, finishing seventh. He rebounded on Oct. 3 to win the 1 3/16-mile Sirius Stakes (G3) at Chukyo. In his final start last year, Cafe Pharoah stepped into Group 1 company for the first time, in the 1 1/8-mile Champions Cup at Chukyo on Dec. 6, finishing sixth.

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La Perouse Swoops in Hyacinth S.

The 1600-metre Listed Hyacinth S., the third of four Japanese prep races for the GI Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, was captured by the late-running La Perouse (Jpn) (Pelusa {Jpn}). His 1 1/2-length win granted him 30 points on the Japanese Road to the Kentucky Derby, with only the Fukuryu Sho yet to be run at Nakayama on Mar. 27. The Hyacinth carried 51 points total (30-12-6-3).

Second choice on the board at 5-2 after 4-5 favourite Takeru Pegasus (Jpn) (Dunkirk), the dark bay did not leave the gate in good order, being slowly into stride. Longshot Probatio (Jpn) (Transcend {Jpn}) charged up to set the pace and rattled off uncontested fractions of :23.80 for the quarter, and :48.30 for the half-mile while La Perouse enjoyed a dream rails run, making up ground to sit in midpack.

He remained in tight quarters on the fence as the frontrunner covered three-quarters in 1:12.80, but Christophe Lemaire, who would win the G1 February S. with last year's Hyacinth winner Café Pharoah (American Pharoah) later on the card, began to ask La Perouse for his best effort. The response was immediate, as the winner gave generously, shifting off the rail around a tiring rival 200 meters out, before moving back to the fence and into the lead in the final 100 yards to win going away. The 100-1 Probatio clung to second by a diminishing neck as the filly Ladybug (Jpn) (Hokko Tarumae {Jpn}) charged late to take show honors. Takeru Pegasus was another 1 3/4 lengths back in fourth after a mild rally.

Although unplaced at first asking, the Nobutaka Tada homebred saluted in the slop going six furlongs at Monbetsu Sept. 17. He dropped to second over that track and trip in the mud on Oct. 6 and rebounded with a brace of wins-in a Monbetsu 1700-metre affair Oct. 22 and at Nakayama stepped up to 1800 metres Dec. 13.

The winner is the first black-type scorer from extremely limited opportunities for the now-pensioned Sunday Silence-line horse Pelusa (Zenno Rob Roy {Jpn}), successful at Group 2 level in his native land. A foal of 2007, the chestnut was also second and third in the 2010/11 G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn), respectively.

La Perouse is the second foal, first runner and first winner for his dam, who won a 1400-metre race at two in Japan. Hat Shite Good has a juvenile filly by Symboli Kris S., a yearling full-brother to the winner and she is due to Majestic Warrior. Under the third dam Naughty Notions, who won a stake at Tampa, is Canadian Champion 2-Year-Old Filly and GI Alcibiades S. heroine Negligee (Northern Afleet).

Sunday, Tokyo, Japan
HYACINTH S.-Listed, ¥36,660,000 (US$348,026/£348,324/€287,134), Tokyo, 2-21, 3yo, 1600m, 1:36.80, gd.
1–LA PEROUSE (JPN), 123, c, 3, by Pelusa (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Hat Shite Good, by Empire Maker
                2nd Dam: Naughty Mambo, by Kingmambo
                3rd Dam: Naughty Notions, by Relaunch
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O/B-Nobutaka Tada (Jpn). T-Kazuo
Fujisawa. J-Christophe Lemaire. ¥19,000,000. Lifetime Record:
6-4-1-0, ¥27,520,000.
2–Probatio (Jpn), 123, c, 3, Transcend (Jpn)-Honor Leave (Jpn),
by Dance in the Dark (Jpn). O-North Hills Co. Ltd. B-Doi Bokujo
(Jpn). T-Tsuyoshi Tanaka. ¥7,600,000.
3–Ladybug (Jpn), 119, f, 3, Hokko Tarumae (Jpn)-Favorite Girl
(Jpn), by Dance in the Dark (Jpn). O/B-Gold Up Company Co.
Ltd (Jpn). T-Yoshihito Kitade. ¥4,800,000.
Margins: 1HF, NK, 1 3/4. Odds: 2.50, 100.00, 10.30.
Also Ran: Takeru Pegasus (Jpn), Gempachi Forza (Jpn), Taisei Slugger (Jpn), Bakushin (Jpn), Lord Strom (Jpn), Zenno Ange (Jpn), Hokko Karyu (Jpn), Daishin Pisces (Jpn), Kojikun (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart or the Video.

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Notable US-Bred Runners in Japan: Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this Saturday running at Chukyo Racecourse. A pair of US-bred runners entered for Sunday’s races and making their career debuts at Chukyo will feature in Saturday’s TDN:

Saturday, January 9, 2021
6th-CKO, ¥11,400,000 ($110k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1600mT
GALLANT MANNER (c, 3, More Than Ready–River Cruise, by Not For Love) debuts in the Godolphin blue and was acquired by Harry Sweeney’s Paca Paca Farm for $320K at Keeneland November in 2018, the most expensive of eight of this legendary sire’s foals reported as sold that year. A full-brother to SW More Than a Cruise and a half to SP Oriental Cruise (Orientate), the February foal is out of a dual stakes-winning half-sister to GSW Secret River (Secret Odds). B-Athens Woods LLC & More Than Ready Syndicate (KY)

7th-CKO, ¥13,830,000 ($133k), Allowance, 3yo, 1800m
SKY NILE (f, 3, Pioneerof the Nile–Joyful Victory, by Tapit) looks to take her record to two wins from two starts, having broken her maiden by 3 1/2 lengths at Nakayama Dec. 6 (video, gate 12). A half-sister to SP Jennifer’s Dream (Medaglia d’Oro) and SP Saqqara King (American Pharoah), the gray is the last US-bred produce for her Grade I-winning dam, who was acquired privately from Aaron and Marie Jones in 2017. The mare’s foal of 2019, an American-bred, but Japanese-foaled colt by Kitten’s Joy, fetched ¥105m ($982,202) from Danox Co. at last year’s JRHA Select Yearling Sale. B-Teruya Yoshida

PARADISUM (c, 3, Medaglia d’Oro-Taste of Heaven {Aus}, by Encosta de Lago {Aus}) tries winners for the first time after graduating impressively over this distance at Kyoto Oct. 31 (see below, gate 1). The colt’s dam, an A$1.5m ($1.389m) purchase by James Harron Bloodstock out of the 2014 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, is a full-brother to G1SW sire Manhattan Rain (Aus) and SW & G1SP Echoes of Heaven (Aus); and is a half-brother to the legendary Redoute’s Choice (Aus) (Danehill), G1SW Platinum Scissors (Aus) and to GSW Sliding Cube (Aus) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}), the dam of ‘TDN Rising Star’ and successful young sire Rubick (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}). Paradisum, a half-brother to Canadian Grade III winner and $625K KEESEP grad Heavenly Curlin (Curlin), was bought back on a bid of $235K as a KEENOV weanling and fetched $400K at KEESEP in 2019. B-Elevage II LLC (KY)

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Red Belle Aube Rates Slight Edge in Asahi Hai Futurity

Red Belle Aube (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) looks to give his legendary late sire a fourth winner of the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S. in the last seven years as he takes on 15 other rivals in the 1600-metre event that will go some way towards determining year-end honors.

Bred from an Unbridled’s Song mare just like Triple Crown hero Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Red Belle Aube has won two in a row since dropping his career debut, including the G2 Daily Hai Nisai S. over this course and distance Nov. 14 in which he just outgamed Ho O Amazon (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) in the final furlong. Red Belle Aube’s full-brother Red Bel Jour (Jpn) won last year’s Daily Hai Nisai S. before finishing 10th in this test.

“He’s not so different than he was for his last race, but he is getting bigger,” said his jockey Yuichi Fukunaga. “He’s got speed which should see him do well here over a mile, although like his brother, there is a slightly difficult side to him.”

Shock Action (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), a 65,000gns purchase by Paca Paca Farm on behalf of Godolphin’s Japanese arm at the 2018 Tattersalls December foal sale, broke his maiden at second asking and became his young sire’s first local group winner when taking out the G3 Niigata Nisai S. by a handy 1 3/4 lengths Aug. 30.

Mondreise (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}), whose sire was responsible for the recently retired 2018 Asahi Hai winner Admire Mars (Jpn), looms an interesting longshot price with Christophe Lemaire at the controls. No worse than second in his four starts to date, the bay colt steps up in class off a neck defeat of Lord Max (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G2 Keio Hai Nisai S. (1400m) at Tokyo Nov. 7.

Dura Mondo (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), whose sire is in the thick of the battle for leading Japanese freshman sire, is undefeated from two runs and faces a stiff class test Sunday, but is well backed to negotiate the jump.

Stella Veloce (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}) is well in the markets off a convincing three-length success in the G3 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup at headquarters Oct. 10 when he seemed to relish soft underfoot conditions.

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