Tabbed the heavy favourite at 70 cents on the dollar, the 5-year-old mare was content to race near the rear of the field as Ho O Amazon (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) sped through fractions of :23.70 and :47.60. Jockey Christophe Lemaire had a ton of horse under him at all points in the race, and steered Gran Alegria out widest of all as the field entered the straight. Asked for her run, she responded under confident handling and steamed home to win easily by three-quarters of a length as much the best. Group 1 winner Schnell Meister (Ger) (Kingman {GB}) closed from midpack to report home second, a half-length to the good of Danon the Kid (Jpn) (Just a Way {Jpn}).

“I am relieved and happy,” said Lemaire, who was winning his 40th Japan Racing Association Group 1 and 1,500th race in the JRA's jurisdiction. The most important mission for me in her last run of her career was to bring out the best performance, her true form and she did just that. We were positioned a little further back but it didn't worry me much and she has this really good finishing speed at the stretch like she showed today.

“She's been a special horse since a 2-year-old, winning all those big races and today she showed us again that she's of a different class. I will miss her.”

A group winner at two and third in the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S. against males in December of 2018, Gran Alegria made just three starts at three, taking the G1 Japanese 1000 Guineas in the spring and the G2 Hanshin Cup at the end of the year and was named Japanese Champion 3-Year-Old Filly. At four, Gran Alegria won three of her four appearances, starting with a second in the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen in March. She ended her year with three straight Group 1 wins-the June 7 Yasuda Kinen, Oct. 4 Sprinters S. and Nov. 22 Mile Championship en route to year-end honours as the Japanese Champion Sprinter/Miler. In 2021, she returned with a fourth in the Apr. 4 G1 Osaka Hai, prior to a victory in the G1 Victoria Mile on May 16. Second defending her Yasuda Kinen title in June, she ran third in the 2000-metre G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) on Oct. 31.

Pedigree Notes
Gran Alegria is, in terms of Group 1 wins, the second most decorated progeny of the late Deep Impact (Jpn) after Gentildonna (Jpn), who has 53 Group 1 winners in total. The Northern Farm-bred is among his 179 worldwide black-type winners and 144 group winners. Tapit's broodmare sire career is going from strength to strength, and he also has the listed stakes winner and Group 3 placed Arusha (Jpn) by Deep Impact. Fifty-three progeny out of his daughters have won a black-type race, 24 of them are group winners and his very best so far has been the Mile Championship heroine from his seven Group 1 scorers.

The first reported foal out of the dual Grade I-winning turf star Tapitsfly, who also won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf back when it was a listed race, Gran Alegria has a winning 4-year-old full-brother named Blutgang (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). Her dam sold for $1,850,000 to Katsumi Yoshida out of the Fasig-Tipton November Sale in 2012. Tapitsfly's full-sister Flying Tipat (Tapit) was stakes placed at Indiana Downs, while the fourth dam, the winning Pink Dove (Argument {Fr}) was a half-sister to the 1990 GI Arlington Million hero Golden Pheasant (Caro {Ire}), who also took the Japan Cup in 1991.

Other half-siblings to Pink Dove are Group/Grade 3 winners Seewillo (Pleasant Colony), and Trial By Error (Caro {Ire}). At stud, Pink Dove foaled two stakes winners-Moonshine Hall (Spinning World), third in the GIII Toronto Cup H. and Malli Star (Baldski), a dual stakes winner and runner-up in the GI Del Mar Invitational Oaks. The latter went on to produce Japanese stakes winner Bella Rheia (Jpn) (Narita Top Road {Jpn}), Classic-placed and third in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Cup.

Sunday, Hanshin, Japan
MILE CHAMPIONSHIP-G1, ¥252,920,000, Hanshin, 11-20, 3yo/up, 1600mT, 1:32.60, fm.
1–GRAN ALEGRIA (JPN), 121, m, 5, by Deep Impact (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Tapitsfly (MGISW-US, $1,495,503), by Tapit
                2nd Dam: Flying Marlin, by Marlin
                3rd Dam: Morning Dove, by Fortunate Prospect
O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-Kazuo Fujisawa;
J-Christophe Lemaire. ¥133,444,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. 3yo
Filly-Jpn, Ch. Sprinter-Jpn, Ch. Miler-Jpn, 15-9-2-2. Werk Nick
   Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Schnell Meister (Ger), 123, c, 3, Kingman (GB)–Serienholde
(Ger), by Soldier Hollow (GB). O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern
Farm (Jpn); ¥52,984,000.
3–Danon the Kid (Jpn), 123, c, 3, Just a Way (Jpn)–Epic Love
(Ire), by Dansili (GB). (¥100,000,000 Wlg '18 JRHAJUL).
O-Danox Inc.; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥33,494,000.
Margins: 3/4, HF, NO. Odds: 0.70, 3.60, 15.10.
Also Ran: Indy Champ (Jpn), Ho O Amazon (Jpn), Salios (Jpn), Darlington Hall (GB), Soind Chiara (Jpn), Catedral (Jpn), Cadence Call (Jpn), Rainbow Flag (Jpn), Lotus Land, Grenadier Guards (Jpn), Kurino Gaudi (Jpn), Ripresa (Jpn), Sound Kanaloa (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart & video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

The post Gran Exit For Alegria in Mile Championship appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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“We were able to race in an ideal position and I didn't insist on the inner course as I knew that he can handle it even if we had to turn a little wider. While the COVID-19 crisis is still lingering, the number of spectators is gradually increasing and I am grateful that we were able to win the race in front of many fans,” commented Takeshi Yokoyama.

Winner of this season's G3 Kyodo News Hai over 1,800 meters in February, the bay returned to annex his fourth consecutive score in the 2,000-meter G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2,000 Guineas) in April. In his most recent start, he faced loss for the first time, finishing second in the G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) in May.

“I cried with joy for the first time in my life, as I was very disappointed following the result of the Derby [last time], admitted Yokoyama. “He's a talented and smart horse, so I decided to believe in his ability and ride him without thinking too much.”

Out of the Heart's Cry (Jpn) mare Katies Heart (Jpn), the colt is trained by Yuichi Shikato, who was capturing his third JRA Group 1 title of the season. With the victory in Sunday's Tenno Sho (Autumn), Takeshi Yokoyama became the third generation horseman to win the race, his grandfather and former jockey Tomio, who won the title in 1969 and his father and active jockey Norihiro, who accomplished the feat in 2009.

Sunday, Tokyo, Japan
TENNO SHO AUTUMN-G1, ¥290,800,000, Tokyo, 10-31, 3yo/up, 2000mT, 1:57.90, fm.
1–EFFORIA (JPN), 123, c, 3, Epiphaneia (Jpn)
1st Dam: Katies Heart (Jpn), by Heart's Cry (Jpn)
2nd Dam: Katies First, by Kris (GB)
3rd Dam: Katies (Ire), by Nonoalco
O-Carrot Farm; B-Northern Farm; T-Yuichi Shikato; J-Takeshi
Yokoyama; ¥153,360,000. Lifetime Record: 6-5-1-0. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*
2–Contrail (Jpn), 128, c, 4, Deep Impact(Jpn)–Rhodochrosite, by
Unbridled's Song. O-Shinji Maeda; B-North Hills; ¥60,960,000.
3–Gran Alegria (Jpn), 123, m, 5, by Deep Impact (Jpn)–Tapitsfly,
by Tapit. O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm; ¥38,480,000.
Margins: 1, NK, 1 3/4; Odds: 2.40, 1.50, 1.80.
Also Ran: Sanrei Pocket (Jpn), Hishi Iguazu (Jpn), Potager (Jpn), Persian Knight (Jpn), Last Draft (Jpn), You Can Smile (Jpn), Muito Obrigado (Jpn), World Premiere (Jpn), Curren Bouquetd'or (Jpn), Mozu Bello (Jpn), Kaiser Minoru (Jpn), Tosen Surya (Jpn), Cadenas (Jpn).
Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Click for the JRA chart and video.

The post Efforia Earns Landmark Win in Tenno Sho Autumn appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Sent off at 47-1, Danon Kingly perched three deep in midfield as Daiwa Cagney (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) rattled off fractions of :23.30 for the opening quarter and :46.40 for the half-mile over the firm turf. Winding up for his bid on the far turn, the bay fanned widest of all bar two at the 400-metre mark. He was soon in touch with the leaders, but inside the final furlong, anyone of four were in with a shot.

Favoured at 50 cents on the dollar, Gran Alegria, who had arrived on the scene from farther back than Danon Kingly, thrust her head in front in the shadow of the wire towards the inside, but the winner was flashing home even more strongly and got his head down first at the line. It was only a half-length back to Group 1 winner Schnell Meister (Ger) (Kingman {GB}) in third to the inside of Danon Kingly, while only a neck separated him from fourth-place Indy Champ (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}), who'd won this affair in 2019, and was sandwiched between the second and third home.

“He felt a bit tense first entering the track but he had good rhythm during the trip and had plenty of horse left,” said jockey Yuga Kawada. “He responded just as I hoped turning the last corner and ran well after that. Although he hasn't been

able to put in the best results in the past, he has definitely demonstrated his true strength today and I'm happy to have been a part of it in my first time in the saddle.”

Unbeaten in two starts as a juvenile and in his 3-year-old bow, the 2019 G3 Kyodo News Hai, Danon Kingly ran third in the G1 Japanese 2000 Guineas and went one better in the G1 Japanese Derby in May of that year. Given some time off, he returned with a win in the G2 Mainichi Okan that October and, after an unplaced run in the G1 Mile Championship, returned at four to take the G2 Nakayama Kinen first up over 1800 metres last March. Third in the G1 Osaka Hai last April, he ran unplaced in both the 2020 Yasuda Kinen and in the Nov. 1 G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn). This was his first start at five.

Pedigree Notes

Danon Kingly is the 51st Group 1 winner for his late sire, who celebrated another Classic winner in the past few days with record 16-length G1 Cazoo Oaks heroine Snowfall (Jpn). Of the former Shadai stallion's 175 black-type winners and 142 group winners, 16 are out of Storm Cat mares. Group 1 winners A Shin Hikari (Jpn), Loves Only You (Jpn), Kizuna (Jpn), Satono Aladdin (Jpn), Real Steel (Jpn), Study Of Man (Ire), Lachesis (Jpn) and Ayusan (Jpn) are bred on this cross. Of these nine, four won Classics in Japan and France.

A winner at three, My Goodness's first foal is G3 Capella S. victor Danon Legend (Macho Uno), who was purchased for $385,000 out of the Barretts March sale in 2012 and sent to Japan. Her 2012 produce was the Japanese listed winner Danon Good (Jpn) (Elusive Quality). Danon Kingly is the most decorated of her nine offspring, while he is also a half-brother to the 3-year-old colt Danon Velocity (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}), a 2-year-old full-brother to Danon Velocity and a yearling filly by Heart's Cry (Jpn) yet to come. My Goodness, a half-sister to American Champion 3-Year-Old Colt West Coast (Flatter), a winner of the GI Travers S. and GI Pennsylvania Derby, visited the court of Epiphaneia (Jpn) last spring.

The duo are out of U.S. Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Caressing (Honour and Glory), whose biggest claim to fame was a win in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, but who also struck twice at Grade III level Stateside. She, in turn, was a half-sister to Listed Natalma S. heroine Platinum Blonde (Silver Hawk). This is the extended family of GI Donn H., GI Meadowlands Cup H. and GI Gulfstream Park H. hero Sea Cadet (Bolger), as well as GII Del Mar Futurity victor and GI Champagne S. third On Target (Forty Niner), both later sires.

Sunday, Tokyo, Japan
YASUDA KINEN-G1, ¥252,260,000, Tokyo, 6-6, 3yo & up, 1600mT, 1:31.70, firm
1–DANON KINGLY (JPN), 128, h, 5, Deep Impact (Jpn)
                1st Dam: My Goodness, by Storm Cat
                2nd Dam: Caressing, by Honour and Glory
                3rd Dam: Lovin Touch, by Majestic Prince
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Danox Inc.; B-Mishima Bokujo (Jpn);
T-Kiyoshi Hagiwara; J-Yuga Kawada. ¥132,982,000. Lifetime
Record: 12-6-1-2. *1/2 to Danon Legend (Macho Uno), GSW
-Jpn, $3,324,208; and Danon Good (Jpn) (Elusive Quality), SW-J
pn, $1,161,123. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Gran Alegria (Jpn), 123, m, 5, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Tapitsfly, by
Tapit. O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥52,876,000.
3–Schnell Meister (Ger), 119, c, 3, Kingman (GB)–Serienholde
(Ger), by Soldier Hollow (GB). O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern
Farm (Ger); ¥33,438,000.
Margins: HD, HF, NK. Odds: 46.60, 0.50, 9.20.
Also Ran: Indy Champ (Jpn), Taurus Gemini (Jpn), Cadenas (Jpn), Danon Premium (Jpn), Salios (Jpn), Gibeon (Jpn), Cadens Call (Jpn), Daiwa Cagney (Jpn), Catedral (Jpn), Karate (Jpn), Lauda Sion (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart & video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

The post Deep Impact’s Danon Kingly Salutes in Yasuda Kinen appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Sent off as the fourth choice at 11-1, the bay was a touch slowly away, but soon skipped up to the head of the field and shouldered pacesetting duties. Allowed to bowl along as the rain continued, the 4-year-old filly covered an opening quarter in :23.50 and her half-mile split of :47.70 saw her still on an uncontested lead. She traveled 1200 metres in 1:12.60 and was still moving smoothly after a mile in 1:36.90. Steered off the fence for the stretch drive, Lei Papale displayed another gear and quickly scampered away from her rivals, none of whom appeared more than workmanlike on the soft ground with the exception of the rallying Mozu Bello (Jpn) (Deep Brillante {Jpn}), who flashed home for second.

The 4-5 favourite, Contrail settled in midpack while tracking 9-5 second choice and 2020 Japanese Champion Sprinter/Miler Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) for much of the contest. He began to improve on the backstretch and drew close to Gran Alegria with less than a half-mile remaining, as that pair moved in tandem and appeared poised to pounce on the winner. However their bids flattened out a bit late on, with Contrail three-parts of a length behind Mozu Bella and a neck to the good of Gran Alegria.

“I had always believed in her outstanding talent since her debut but of course it was a tough ask this time against a top class [field] after registering out first group-race victory [in December],” said pilot Yuga Kawada, who was winning his 17th JRA Group 1. “She felt good during the post parade and she was able to jump into her rhythm throughout the race without being pressed. I was able to shift her out without interfering the horses coming from behind for her stretch run as there was still plenty room between her and the rest of the field at the top of the stretch. And to still have the strength to find another gear over the turf condition today—she is an exceptional filly to keep her speed right to the end. Now that she's a Group 1 winner, expectations will suddenly be quite high from now on, but I hope to be able bring out her best in each race.”

Lei Papale did not make her racecourse debut until January of her 3-year-old season, but she handled a one-mile newcomer race at Kyoto, before returning on June 6 and taking a Hanshin affaire over the same distance. Upped to 1800 metres at Niigata in July, the bay continued to find the winner's circle, and back at Kyoto, the good-ground Ohara S. went her way on Oct. 18. Tried for the first time at the group level and going 2000 metres, the filly duly saluted in the Dec. 5 G3 Challenge Cup at Hanshin, her final start as a sophomore. The Osaka Hai was the first time she was tested over a soft turf course.

Pedigree Notes

The late Deep Impact's stakes winners stand at 172, with 138 group winners and Lei Papale's Osaka Hai victory brings his total of Group 1 winners to 48. Lei Papale is the third Group 1 winner for her broodmare sire Kurofune (Jpn) and first by Deep Impact. Although, the Deep Impact/Kurofune cross has already resulted in the winner's full-sister MGSW Shining Lei (Jpn), Japanese Group 3 hero Staphanos (Jpn), who placed five times at the highest level and two other group winners.

Shells Lei ran second in a pair of listed stakes at three and retired as a three-time winner. Bred exclusively with Deep Impact for her first four foals, the quartet of winners yielded G2 Hopeful S. and G3 CBC Sho winner Shining Lei as the best of them until Lei Papale, foal number eight and part of an octet of winners from nine to run. She has had fillies by Duramente (Jpn) and Daiwa Major (Jpn) in 2019 and 2020, and was covered by Real Impact (Jpn) last spring.

Second dam Oyster Ticket (Jpn) (Winning Ticket {Jpn}) also threw the GSP Encore Plus (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), the MSP Black Shell (Jpn) (Kurofune {Jpn}) and the SP Double Timpani (Jpn) (Sunday Silence). Farther back in the pedigree is 1968 Japanese Champion 2-Year-Old Riki Eikan (Jpn), a colt by Never Beat (GB).

Sunday, Hanshin, Japan
OSAKA HAI-G1, ¥260,520,000, Hanshin, 4-4, 4yo/up, 2000mT, 2:01.60, sf.
1–LEI PAPALE (JPN), 121, f, 4, Deep Impact (Jpn)
         1st Dam: Shells Lei (Jpn) (MSP-Jpn, $823,464), by Kurofune
         2nd Dam: Oyster Ticket (Jpn), by Winning Ticket (Jpn)
         3rd Dam: Namura Pieris (Jpn), by Tosho Boy (Jpn)
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Carrot Farm; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
T-Tomokazu Takano; J-Yuga Kawada. ¥137,814,000. Lifetime
Record: 6-6-0-0. *Full to Shining Lei (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}),
MGSW-Jpn, $1,168,154. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple
   Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Mozu Bello (Jpn), 126, h, 5, Deep Brillante (Jpn)–Harlan's
Ruby, by Harlan's Holiday. O-Capital System; B-Murata Farm
(Jpn); ¥54,804,000.
3–Contrail (Jpn), 126, c, 4, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Rhodochrosite,
by Unbridled's Song. O-Shinji Maeda; B-North Hills (Jpn);
¥34,402,000.
Margins: 4, 3/4, NK. Odds: 11.20, 67.80, 0.80.
Also Ran: Gran Alegria (Jpn), Salios (Jpn), Cadenas (Jpn), Ardentlt (Jpn), Bravas (Jpn), Admire Virgo (Jpn), Persian Knight (Jpn), Crescendo Love (Jpn), Makahiki (Jpn), Happy Grin (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart & video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

The post Deep Impact Filly Upsets Osaka Hai to Remain Unbeaten appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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The first filly or mare to claim the Mile Championship since Blumenblatt (Jpn) (Admire Vega {Jpn}) in 2008 and the third horse to double up in the G1 Sprinters S./Mile Championship following Durandal (Jpn) (Sunday Silence) in 2003, the 3-5 chalk settled in between horses in fifth as Resistencia (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) set the pace, covering the first quarter in :23.50 while shadowed by Lauda Sion (Jpn) (Real Impact {Jpn}).

Unhurried with 600 metres to travel, the bay was poised to pounce, but Gran Alegria’s rally was stymied, as a gap closed in front of her inside the final quarter mile. Christophe Lemaire prepared to send his charge through another hole, but her path forward was once again blocked, this time by the strong-closing Indy Champ who surged up to lead inside the final 100 metres. Undeterred, Lemaire steered his charge to the outside of Indy Champ and she burst past last year’s winner in a matter of strides to win by a deceptive three-quarter lengths as much the best. Admire Mars (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}), who had stalked the pace throughout, hung on for third a neck in front of Scarlet Color (Jpn) (Victoire Pisa {Jpn}).

“She had a good break so we were able to sit in a good position,” said Lemaire. “She’s matured and a lot easier to ride now being a 4-year-old so she was relaxed and we had a good trip until the last turn where, as a favorite you’re marked and it so happens, but we weren’t able to make our move to the outside smoothly for the stretch run. I was a little worried but the way she exploded into gear in the last 150 meters, it just shows how powerful she is and I’m looking forward to a great season from her as a 5-year-old.”

A winner of the G3 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup and third in the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S. in December of 2018, Gran Alegria captured the 2019 G1 Japanese 1000 Guineas first up that April and added the G2 Hanshin Cup two starts later last December. Promoted to second in the 1200-metre G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen resuming this March, the 4-year-old saluted in the one-mile G1 Yasuda Kinen on June 7 and added the Oct. 4 G1 Sprinters S. cutting back to 1200 metres.

Pedigree Notes

One of 47 Group 1 winners for her late supersire, Gran Alegria also has the second highest tally of top-level victories of Deep Impact progeny with four. Only Gentildonna (Jpn), with seven, was more successful. The 4-year-old filly is also the fourth Mile Championship scorer for Deep Impact following Danon Shark (Jpn), Tosen Ra (Jpn) and Mikki Isle (Jpn). To date, the former Shadai Stallion Station supremo has sired 165 black-type winners 132 of them at the group level. In addition to Gran Alegria, he is also responsible for Japanese listed winner and group-placed Arusha (Jpn), who is also out of a Tapit mare.

A winner of the then-Listed Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in 2009, the late Tapitsfly progressed to take the GI Just a Game S. and GI First lady S. as a 5-year-old. Knocked down to Katsumi Yoshida for $1.85 million at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton November Sale, Tapitsfly’s first foal is Gran Alegria after a barren year in 2015. She also has a 3-year-old full-brother to the Mile Championship winner named Blutgang (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who sports a victory in one start.

Tapit’s daughters have produced four Grade/Group 1 winners so far among 40 black-type winners, and the Gainesway sire was in the spotlight earlier this weekend with Finite (Munnings)’s win in the GIII Chilukki S. at Churchill Downs.

Sunday, Hanshin, Japan
MILE CHAMPIONSHIP-G1, ¥253,100,000 (US$2,436,714/£1,835,394/€2,055,149), Hanshin, 11-22, 3yo/up, 1600mT, 1:32.00, fm.
1–GRAN ALEGRIA (JPN), 121, f, 4, by Deep Impact (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Tapitsfly (MGISW-US, $1,495,503), by Tapit
                2nd Dam: Flying Marlin, by Marlin
                3rd Dam: Morning Dove, by Fortunate Prospect
O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-Kazuo Fujisawa;
J-Kenichi Ikezoe. ¥133,570,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. 3yo
Filly-Jpn, 10-7-1-1. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*.
   Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Indy Champ (Jpn), 126, h, 5, Stay Gold (Jpn)–Will Power
(Jpn), by King Kamehameha (Jpn). O-Silk Racing; B-Northern
Farm (Jpn); ¥53,020,000.
3–Admire Mars (Jpn), 126, c, 4, Daiwa Major (Jpn)–Via Medici
(Ire), by Medicean (GB). (¥52,000,000 Ylg ’17 JRHAJUL).
O-Junko Kondo; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥33,510,000.
Margins: 3/4, NK, 1. Odds: 0.60, 7.80, 10.10.
Also Ran: Scarlet Color (Jpn), Salios (Jpn), Vin de Garde (Jpn), Persian Knight(Jpn), Resistencia (Jpn), Besten Dank (Jpn), Soind Chiara (Jpn), Meikei Die Hard (Jpn), A Will a Way (Jpn). Keiai Nautique (Jpn), Taisei Vision (Jpn), Lauda Shion (Jpn), Black Moon (Jpn), Katsuji (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart & video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

The post Gran Alegria Imperious in Mile Championship appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) accounted for a pair of Goup 1 wins in her two latest starts–the Yasuda Kinen at Tokyo in June followed by Nakayama’s Sprinters S. Oct. 4. The daughter of Grade I-winning Tapitsfly (Tapit) won last season’s G1 Oka Sho over the same course and distance of this weekend’s Mile.

“She was in great condition for the Sprinters S., and although she didn’t start so quickly, the blistering turn of foot she showed at the end of the race was quite amazing,” said Daisuke Tsumagari, assistant to trainer Kazuo Fujisawa. “She had a break at Northern Farm Tenei after the race, and since returning to the stable she’s been relaxed and in good order.”

Attempting to repeat in this season’s Mile Championship, Indy Champ (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}) proved best in the 1,600-meter G2 Yomiuri Milers Cup at Kyoto in April before finishing third to Gran Alegria and the star mare Almond Eye (Jpn) in the Yasuda Kinen, a race he won in 2019. The 5-year-old boasts an impressive 50% win strike rate at the 1,600-meter distance.     Assistant trainer Kenichi Shono commented: “He had some pain in his right hindquarters, so we had to skip the Sprinters S. In recent training he’s been working on the woodchip course, as the going on the uphill training track hasn’t been so good. It’ll be his first race since finishing third in this year’s Yasuda Kinen, and his regular rider, Yuichi Fukunaga, is expected to be in the saddle once more.”

Victorious in Tokyo’s G3 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup last fall, Salios (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}) recorded a career-high victory in the

G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S. over this course and distance in December. Runner-up behind Contrail (Jpn) in the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2,000 Guineas) and Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) earlier this spring, the 3-year-old took the 1,800-meter G2 Mainichi Okan at Tokyo Oct. 11. The colt has never finished worse than second in six career starts.

“He won well in the Mainichi Okan after being off for a while, and it just took him a bit longer to recover after that race,” said trainer Noriyuki Hori. “We’re just being careful with him and checking his condition as this race approaches.”

The post Gran Alegria Seeks Fourth Group 1 in Mile Championship appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Victorious in last season’s G1 Japanese 1000 Guineas and G2 Hanshin Cup, the filly finished runner-up in the 1,200-meter G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen over soft ground at Chukyo in March before returning to best champion Almond Eye (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) in the G1 Yasuda Kinen over 1,600 meters at Tokyo Racecourse June 7.

“She ran a strong race in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen, which was her first time at the trip,” explained assistant trainer Masaru Oehara. “In the Yasuda Kinen, she put in a good late spurt from the fourth corner, so in both races she ran very well. She’s had a summer break and has come back to the stable looking bigger and stronger.”

Gran Alegria, who will be making her first start at Nakayama, will be accompanied by Christophe Lemaire, who has a 25% strike rate at the oval.

Attempting to record his first win at the Group 1 level, Danon Smash (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) has shown consistency this season, winning on three occasions and finishing in the top three in five starts. Additionally, six of his nine career wins have come over the Sprinters’ distance of 1,200 meters.

Third in this test last year, he kicked off 2020 with a win over this course in the 1,200-meter G3 Yukan Fuji Sho Ocean S. Mar. 7 before a flat 10th in the Takamatsunomiya later that month. Back in the winner’s circle following Tokyo’s G2 Keio Hai Spring Cup May 16, the 5-year-old was eighth in the Yasuda Kinen before rebounding to score in the Sept. 13 Sankei Sho Centaur S. over 1,200 meters at Chukyo.

“He drew an outside gate last time [in the Centaur S.], but by the third corner had got himself into a good position and went on to win well,” said trainer Takayuki Yasuda, who has won the race three times. “I feel he’ll come on quite a bit for that run.”

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