Milers’ Delight In Tokyo

The G1 NHK Mile Cup has attracted a field of 18 3-year-old milers, none better credentialed than morning line favourite Dolce More (Jpn).

Racing for Three H Racing Company, the Rulership (Jpn) colt was undefeated at two, where he parlayed his G3 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup victory into a sparkling win in the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S. at Hanshin in December. Named the Japanese Champion 2-Year-Old Colt, he is on a retrieval mission, as he lost his unbeaten tag to Eeyan (Jpn) (Silver State {Jpn}) in the G2 New Zealand Trophy going out too quickly first up at Nakayama in April.

“He was leading out in the New Zealand Trophy last time, but the pace was a bit too quick in the backstraight and it became difficult for him to maintain his lead at the end, so he eventually had to settle for seventh place. Since that race, things have gone smoothly with him, and he's been working well uphill with stablemate Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune),” said trainer Naosuke Sugai.

That rival has now won three in a row since cutting back to 1600 metres and will have Keita Tosaki at the controls from gate six. “He drew inside in the New Zealand Trophy, but he started well and wanted to get on with things and had plenty of room turning for home,” said trainer Daishi Ito of Eeyan. “He was driven out well in the closing stages to go on and win. Even though he hasn't won at Tokyo, he ran well enough there on his debut, and I don't see a problem with the course.”

A group winner at two and three, Obamburumai (Jpn) (Discreet Cat) enters this test coming off a victory in the 1600-metre G3 Arlington Cup at Hanshin. Trainer Keiji Yoshimura said, “He got into the race well last time, and although I wasn't sure about how he might finish off, he came with a good late run and caught the others just before the line. Thinking about Tokyo with him, this kind of run seems to suit him.”

Adding some intrigue is Keio Hai Nisai S. runner-up From Dusk (Bolt D'Oro), who was third in the Listed Crocus S. in January. The Susumu Fujita runner breaks from stall one. He will be making his first start since a trip overseas to run ninth in the G3 Saudi Derby in Riyadh in February.

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Weep No More Filly Debuts at Nakayama

In this continuing series, Alan Carasso takes 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 weekend running at Chukyo, Nakayama and Hanshin Racecourses. Juvenile Fillies got their chance at Group 1 glory last weekend and it's the boys' turn this weekend at Hanshin, with the running of the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity:

Saturday, December 17, 2022
5th-CKO, ¥13,400,000, Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m
REGNUM (c, 2, American Pharoah–Big Meesh {Ire}, by High Chaparral {Ire}) was a $170,000 purchase out of the 2020 Keeneland November Sale and was bought back on a bid of $265,000 at KEESEP before fetching $340,000 as an OBS April breezer this past spring (:9 4/5). The colt's dam, a half-sister to MGSW turf distaffer Noble Stella (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), was acquired by Grantley Acres with Regnum in utero for $250,000 at the 2019 KEENOV sale. B-Grantley Acres & Ryan Conner (KY)

6th-NKY, ¥13,400,000, Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m
KEEP SMILING (JPN) (f, 2, Quality Road–Weep No More, by Mineshaft) is the second foal from her dam, upset winner of the 2016 GI Ashland S. at Keeneland and who produced $400,000 KEESEP grad War Classic (War Front) before being acquired privately by Northern Farm and bred to this successful stallion prior to her export. Weep No More, a half-sister to GSW Current (Curlin) and to the dam of the SW & GSP Half Is Enough (Frosted), is also responsible for a colt by the late Duramente (Jpn) that fetched better than $735,000 as a yearling at this year's JRHA Select Sale. The filly's third dam is 2001 GI Kentucky Oaks victress Flute (Seattle Slew). B-Northern Farm

Sunday, December 18, 2022
11th-HSN, Asahi Hai Futurity-G1, ¥136m, 2yo, 1600mT
FROM DUSK (c, 2, Bolt d'Oro–Foolish Cause, by Giant's Causeway) realized a bid of $200,000 at last year's KEESEP sale before blossoming into a $900,000 OBS March juvenile. A fighting debut winner at Kokura Sept. 3, he was compromised by a slow start first time against winners Sept. 24, but made the majority of the running when last seen in the G2 Keio Hai Nisai S. over seven furlongs and was caught in the dying yards (see below, SC 7). Yutaka Take takes the ride on the colt, whose dam is a half-sister to the treble Grade I-winning turfer Get Stormy (Stormy Atlantic). B-Springhouse Farm (KY)

 

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Colts Vying For Just Desserts In Asahi Hai Futurity

Rated 109, just like fellow group winners Dolce More (Jpn) (Jpn) and Obamburumai (Jpn) (Discreet Cat), All Parfait (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) is one of the more fancied runners as 17 colts line up for the 1600-metre G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S. at Hanshin on Sunday. Leaving from post three, the Ryoichi Endo homebred has won his past two starts, after running second in a Tokyo maiden in June. Resuming over this trip in a maiden at Nakayama on Oct. 2, he won by two lengths, prior to defeating Danon Touchdown (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {GB}) by a half-length over this course and distance in the G2 Daily Hai Nisai S. on Nov. 12.

Takuya Ono has ridden the horse in all his races and said, “He's coming along nicely, but he has to transport over to the track, so I don't want to overdo things with him. He found a good rhythm in the race last time after starting from a wide gate, and was strong in the finish.”

Undefeated in two starts–a Sapporo newcomer affair in August, and besting Granite (Jpn) (Danon Ballade {Jpn}) by 1 1/4 lengths in Tokyo's G3 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup on Oct. 8, Dolce More has been pleasing trainer Naosuke Sugai in his gallops.

“He has been training well, and while he's not one to really catch the eye, he's done enough work and looks fine,” said Sugai. “In his final work, checking his rhythm was more important than his time, and his breathing's been good. He has gained some weight, but that's him developing and it should help him in a race. He ran right-handed in his first race and I'm not worried about it being his first time at the course this time. He doesn't have any bad habits and he's quite a serious horse that can race well, so I don't have any worries with him and hope he can run a good race.”

Last year's champion sire in Britain and Ireland, and this term's European champion sire elect, Frankel (GB) has a pair of colts entered to build on his earlier Japanese successes in the winners Labeling (GB) and Tinia (Ire). Three of Frankel's four stakes winners in the Land of the Rising Sun are Group 1 scorers, with 2020 hero Grenadier Guards (Jpn) holding the stakes record for this race in a snappy 1:32.30. In addition, his Soul Stirring (Jpn) won the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies–the filly equivalent–as his very first top-level winner back in 2016, the first year the Juddmonte supremo had runners.

Trainer Yuichi Shikato commented on the prospects of Labeling, “There hasn't been long between races, but he's in very good shape. He ran a good race last time, and with the ability he seems to have, I'll look forward to things from now.”

Bolt d'Oro, who is an excruciatingly close three-way battle with Justify and Good Magic for leading freshman sire Stateside, is represented by $200,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $900,000 OBS March juvenile From Dusk. The progressive colt was second by a length in the G2 Keio Hai Nisai S. to the 109-rated Obamburumai on Nov. 5.

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Bolt d’Oro Colt Looks To Double Up in Japan

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 and Nakayama Racecourses:

Saturday, September 24, 2022
4th-CKO, ¥13,400,000 ($94k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1400m
CELADONITE (JPN) (f, 2, Mendelssohn–Celadon, by Gold Halo {Jpn}) is the first Japanese-foaled produce for her well-traveled dam, whose best produce to date was the very talented Copano Kicking (Spring At Last), a three-time Group 3 winner in Japan and a veteran of three starts overseas, including a thrilling victory in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint in 2021. A sound fourth in defense of that title this past February, he was injured in the days leading up to this year's G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen and was retired. Celadon was sent to India in 2016 and produced two winners from as many foals in that country, then returned to the U.S. in 2019 where she was covered by this sire and subsequently exported to Japan. Celadonite debuts in the colors of Silk Racing and has Christophe Lemaire in the irons. B-Northern Racing

 

 

 

 

5th-CKO, ¥13,400,000 ($94k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1400mT
RAIJIN (JPN) (c, 2, Speightstown–Kensington, by Kitten's Joy) is the first foal from a winning daughter of Irish Group 3 winner Rum Charger (Ire) (Spectrum {Ire}), who counts four-time Grade I winner Winchester (Theatrical {Ire}) and dual Grade III winner Middleburg (Lemon Drop Kid) among her seven to taste victory at least once. Kensington was purchased for $130,000 with this foal in utero at the 2019 Keeneland November Sale, was shipped to Japan and produced this chestnut colt on St. Patrick's Day 2020. Raijin was offered at the 2021 JRHA Select Sale, where he was hammered down for the equivalent of $245,095. B-Yuki Dendo

9th-NKY, ¥30,400,000 ($213k), Allowance, 2yo, 1200mT
FROM DUSK (c, 2, Bolt d'Oro–Foolish Cause, by Giant's Causeway) may not have been at his very best over a yielding turf course on Kokura debut Sept. 3, but managed to tough it out for a 3/4-length victory (video, SC 6). The April foal, a half-brother to SW Foolish Humor (Distorted Humor), is out of a half-sister to the late MGISW Get Stormy (Stormy Atlantic) and fetched $900,000 from trainer Hideyuki Mori at this year's OBS March Sale after making $200,000 as a Keeneland September yearling last fall. B-Springhouse Farm (KY)

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