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Impeccably Bred Yukata Takes Stateside Bow at Aqueduct

2nd-Aqueduct, $84,000, Alw (NW2$X), Opt. Clm ($62,500), 4-21, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16mT, 1:43.02, fm, 1 length.
YUKATA (IRE) (f, 4, Galileo {Ire}–Blue Kimono {Ire}, by Invincible Spirit {Ire}), victorious in a Deauville all-weather maiden at first asking for Jean-Claude Rouget in November 2021, took a conditions race on the turf at ParisLongchamp last April before finishing third as the favorite in the Listed Prix Finlande at the same venue May 19. Well-beaten when last seen in the G1 Prix de Diane (French Oaks) last June, she was part of a favored entry at 3-4 with Arina (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) on U.S. debut. Tugging a bit into the first turn beneath Manny Franco, Yukata–carrying the Brant colors–continued to race freely down the back while never far from the front. Given her cue three wide on the turn, she had dead aim on pacesettiing Canisy (Point of Entry) in upper stretch and took plenty of time to hit top gear, but did her best work late to take it by a length. Arina ran on for third ahead of a troubled Bramble Bay (Bullet Train {GB}), who complete a chalky triple. A half-sister to Brant's 2022 Oceanport S. heroine Kuramata (Ire) (Australia {GB}), SW, $143,809, Yukata is out of a daughter of French SW & MGSP Bastet (Ire) (Giant's Causeway), also the dam of Beauty Parlour (GB) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who won the 2012 French 1000 Guineas and was second in that year's French Oaks. So enamored was Brant of the family that he first purchased Beauty Parlour's Dansili (GB) filly of 2016 for a second-dearest €450,000 at the Goffs November Foal Sale and a few days later, gave a sales-topping €1.7 million for Beauty Parlour herself at the November Breeding Stock Sale. The aforementioned Dansili foal was named Blowout (GB), who defeated the commonly owned 'TDN Rising Star' Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom) in the 2021 GI First Lady S. at Keeneland. Bastet was also responsible for Beauty Parlour's year-younger full-brother Barocci (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), a SW & GSP in France and MGSP in this country before being purchased to stand in Sweden. Yukata's third dam Benediction (Ire) (Day Is Done {Ire}) produced 11 winners, including two-time Australian Horse of the Year Might and Power (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}). Blue Kimono is the dam of the 2-year-old filly Courreges (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and a yearling colt by the Banstead Manor-based superstar. Lifetime Record: SP-Fr, 5-3-0-1, $88,994. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Peter M Brant, Mrs John Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-White Birch Farm SC (IRE); T-Chad C Brown.

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Saturday Preview: Charge It Gets Blinkers On For Oaklawn ‘Cap

He is the most talented horse–pound for pound–in a field of seven that was drawn earlier this week, but Whisper Hill Farm's 'TDN Rising Star' Charge It (Tapit) nevertheless has a fair bit to prove as the 8-5 morning-line favorite in Saturday's $1-million GII Oaklawn H. in Hot Springs.

The 23-length winner of last year's GIII Dwyer S., the homebred returned with a stylish Gulfstream allowance victory first off a seven-month absence Feb. 5, but exits a disappointing runner-up effort in the GII Gulfstream Park Mile Mar. 4. The blinkers go on for this return to nine panels.

“He's always been a little bit of a curious colt,” said trainer Todd Pletcher, a two-time winner of the race. “We contemplated putting blinkers on him after [finishing second in] the Florida Derby last year. We just didn't think doing in the Kentucky Derby was the right move and then came back and won the Dwyer so impressively. It's hard to make a change off that, but it's something that's been in the back of our mind. We've worked him with them since his last race and I think they may make a difference.”

Not since Gay Revoke in 1964 and 1965 has a horse gone back-to-back in the Handicap, but Last Samurai (Malibu Moon) has a shot to put pay to that streak Saturday. If anything, the 5-year-old is in even better form this time around, having bested next-out, big-figure GII New Orleans Classic romper West Will Power (Bernardini) and subsequent SW Law Professor in the GIII Razorback H. Feb. 18 before reeling in Classic Causeway (Giant's Causeway) last time in the GIII Essex H.

“We've gone from winning the Essex to probably fourth choice in the Handicap,” said Hall of Famer Wayne Lukas, who took over the training of Last Samurai from Dallas Stewart after last year's race and registered the most recent of his record four wins in the race with Willis Horton's Will Take Charge (Unbridled's Song) nine years ago. His first? Imp Society in 1985.

“It's a very, very tough race. But for a million dollars, it should be,” Lukas said.

Were Stilleto Boy (Shackleford) to emerge victorious Saturday, he would become the first horse since Best Pal in 1992 to complete the GI Santa Anita H./Oaklawn H. double. In addition to the presumable market leaders, he'll also need to hold off Godolphin's Proxy (Tapit), who came with a stinging late rally at the Great Race Place six weeks ago only to fall a neck short.

'Skippy' Looking Like A Million Bucks for Ben Ali

Handicap horses also head to the post at Keeneland for the GIII Ben Ali (ally as in friend, not the late pugilist) S., lengthened to a mile and three-sixteenths for the first time. The hard-knocking Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator) looms a warm favorite and would surge past the $1-million mark in career earnings if adding this to his latest comprehensive score in the GIII Challenger S. at Tampa Mar. 11.

“He came out of the Challenger well and gave us the confidence to put him in here,” said Beau Chapman, assistant to trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. “He has improved with age. He is a big, lanky horse and he has grown into himself and really developed.”

Keeneland also stages the GIII Elkhorn S. for male marathon turfers and attracts last year's one-two finishers, 9-year-old Channel Maker (English Channel) and 7-year-old Another Mystery (Temple City), who between them have made 84 career starts for 17 trips to the winner's circle.

In California, Big 'Cap third Defunded (Dialed In) squares off with 2021 winner Royal Ship (Brz) (Midshipman) in the GII Californian S., while top Cal-bred Brickyard Ride (Clubhouse Ride) takes on the progressive Anarchist (Distorted Humor) in the GIII Kona Gold S.

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Saturday Insights: Pricey City Of Light Colt Gets Going at Keeneland

6th-KEE, $100k, Msw, 3yo, 6 1/2f, post time: 3:40 p.m. ET
SOLEVO (City of Light) is the second foal to the races out of the stakes-placed Pleasant Mine (Mineshaft), who was acquired by Windylea Farm New York for $200,000 with this foal in utero at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. The Kentucky-bred dark bay colt made a solid return on that investment when hammering for $170,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton July Sale and fetched $685,000 from trainer Cherie DeVaux at last year's OBS April Sale after breezing a furlong in :10 1/5. The colt's third dam produced GI Carter H. hero Swagger Jack (Smart Strike). Moreau (Speightstown) is a maternal grandson of Danehill (Danzig)'s MGSW full-sister Harpia, whose daughter Unreachable (Giant's Causeway) is responsible for this year's G1 February S. winner Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid) and Equivoque (Good Magic), a good-looking debut winner at this track Apr. 8. TJCIS PPs

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Well-Bred Malibu Moon Filly On Recovery Mission at Tokyo

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 for the grand re-opening of Kyoto Racecourse and Tokyo Racecourses as Group 1 racing takes the week off:

Saturday, April 22, 2023
6th-TOK, ¥14,880,000 ($111k), Allowance, 3yo, 1600m
PARAIBA TOURMALINE (f, 3, Malibu Moon–Private Jet, by Private Feeling) opened her account by five smashing lengths over this course and distance Oct. 30 (see below, SC 5) a few hours before Equinox (Jpn) took out the G1 Tenno Sho, but she was a fractionally disappointing fourth when trying winners for the first time at headquarters Jan. 28. A $70,000 Keeneland September buyback turned $450,000 OBS March breezer, the bay filly is out of a full-sister to two-time Eclipse Award winner Lookin At Lucky (Smart Strike) and a half to dual graded stakes winner Kensei (Mr. Greeley) and MGSW 'TDN Rising Star' Shahama (Munnings). Christophe Lemaire will carry the silks of Kazumi Yoshida. B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY)

Sunday, April 23, 2023
1st-KYO, ¥10,480,000 ($78k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800mT
DEMI PLIE (JPN) (f, 3, Justify–Ballet Shoes {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) is the first foal from an Irish listed-winning and multiple Group 3-placed Coolmore runner who was purchased with this filly in utero by Shimokobe Farm for $800,000 at the 2019 Keeneland November Sale. From the family of former leading Japanese sire Jade Robbery, Demi Plie looks to become the ninth winner in Japan for Justify and is bred on a cross that has resulted in 20 named foals, 13 of which have started and three of which are among the stallion's 45 winners to date. B-Shimokobe Farm

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