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 Tokyo Racecourse:
Saturday, February 11, 2023 2nd-TOK, ¥11,850,000 ($90,463), Newcomers, 3yo, 1400m ERIKA BONITA (f, 3, Justify–Caledonia Road, by Quality Road) is the first foal out of her dam, whose upset victory in the 2017 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies propelled her to Eclipse Awards honors that season. Purchased by Narvick International, agent, for $2.3 million at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton November Sale, Caledonia Road–a half-sister to MGSW Officiating (Blame) and SW One of a Kind (Lemon Drop Kid)–was bred to this Triple Crown winner on an early cover and foaled this filly in Kentucky on Jan. 20, 2020. Put back in foal to Justify soon after, she was exported to Japan and the colt that she produced Jan. 27, 2021 fetched ¥135 million ($1,223,338) at the JHRA Select Sales less than six months later. The current yearling out of Caledonia Road sold for $800,000 at the same event last July. B-Grand Stud (KY)
FUJIMASA GOOD (c, 3, Good Samaritan–Beverage Queen, by Indygo Shiner), a $45,000 in-utero purchase by JS Company at Keeneland November in 2019, is out of half-sister to US champion Ria Antonia (Rockport Harbor), herself a $1.8-million FTKNOV graduate and the dam of Japanese Group 3 victress Ria Amelia (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). B-Beverage Queen Syndicate (KY)
Having endured a luckless run when sixth to Wellington (Aus) (All Too Hard {Aus}) as the odds-on favourite in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint in early December, Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse {Aus}) was given a positive ride from Zac Purton and proved easily best in Sunday's G1 Centenary Sprint Cup at Sha Tin Racecourse.
Drawn widest in a field of eight, the 4-year-old was under a hustling ride from the bell, but was ultimately happy to allow Hong Kong Sprint runner-up Sight Success (Aus) (Magnus {Aus}) to dictate the running as Wellington found a good spot in the one-out and one-back position. Stationed right off the front-runner's hip as they raced into the final 600 metres, Lucky Sweynesse finally edged past a stubborn Sight Success deep inside the final furlong and held sway for a first top-level score. Wellington earned the photo for second while never a menace to the winner.
The victory was especially sweet for 65-year-old trainer Manfred Man, who would otherwise be facing compulsory retirement, but was given a reprieve earlier in the week by the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
“I can only say thank you to the Jockey Club for giving me the chance, I will try my best,” said Man, sitting on 23 winners for the season. The conditioner saddled Eagle Regiment (Aus) (El Moxie) to consecutive wins in this event when it was contested over 1000 metres in 2012 and 2013.
Purton was pleased to help Man achieve his first international Group 1 as a trainer, and said: “There was nothing I could do in the [Hong Kong Sprint]. We drew the wrong gate [barrier three] and we just got locked away. I was just disappointed for Manfred. It was his big chance and it doesn't sit well with me at not being able to deliver for him, but hopefully today has gone some way to repaying him.”
Man indicated that connections would swerve any overseas targets in favour of the local sprint series, which continues with the G1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup next month. He could square off there with Wellington and, possibly, G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile hero California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}).
Lucky Sweynesse is the first Group 1 winner for his sire (by Lonhro {Aus}), a multiple Group 3 winner and twice placed at the highest level for Godolphin and trainer John O'Shea in the mid 2010s. Purchased for NZ$90,000 out of the 2020 NZB Ready To Run Sale, Lucky Sweynesse has a yearling half-brother by Contributer (Ire) and his dam most recently missed when bred back to Sweynese. Lucky Sweynesse's full-sister Signora Nera, third in the G1 Queensland Oaks, was represented by her first foal in 2022, a filly by Wootton Bassett (GB).
Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong CENTENARY SPRINT CUP-G1, HK$12,000,000, Sha Tin, 2-5, 3yo/up, 1200mT, 1:08.12, gd.
1–LUCKY SWEYNESSE (NZ), 126, g, 4, by Sweynesse (Aus) 1st Dam: Madonna Mia (NZ) (SW-NZ, $134,764), by Red Clubs (Ire) 2nd Dam: Hill of Hope (Aus), by Danehill 3rd Dam: Macozie (Aus), by Marscay (Aus) 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (NZ$90,000 2yo '20 NZBRTR). O-Cheng Ming Leung, Cheng Yu Tung, Cheng Mei Mei & Chen Yu Wai; B-P L Dombroski, Explosive Breeding Ltd & S A Sharrock; T-Manfred Man K L; J-Zac Purton; HK$6,840,000. Lifetime Record: 13-9-2-1, HK$22,795,200. *Full to Signora Nera (NZ), G1SP-Aus, $145,027. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Wellington (Aus), 126, g, 6, All Too Hard (Aus)–Mihiri (Aus), by More Than Ready. (A$70,000 Ylg '18 MMGCYS). O-Mr & Mrs Michael Cheng Wing On & Jeffrey Cheng Man Cheong; B-Kia Ora Stud Pty Ltd, David Paradise, Steve McCann; T-Richard Gibson; J-Alexis Badel; HK$2,640,000.
3–Sight Success (Aus), 126, g, 6, Magnus (Aus)–Tarp (Aus), by Bletchley Park (Ire). (A$45,000 Ylg '18 MGCFEB). O-Tam Wing Kun; B-G R Daws (WA); T-John Size; J-Vagner Borges; HK$1,200,000.
Margins: 1HF, NO, HF. Odds: 7-10, 2-1, 39-5.
Also Ran: Courier Wonder (NZ), Sky Field (Aus), Super Wealthy (Aus), Duke Wai (NZ), Master Eight (Aus). Click for the HKJC.com chart, PPs and sectional timing.
Things looked downright bleak for Town and Country Racing and Repole Stable's Cairo Consort (Cairo Prince) at outset of Saturday's GIII Sweetest Chant S. at Gulfstream Park, as she went in the air as the gates flew, spotting her rivals several lengths. But the gray filly was given a supremely patient ride by Irad Ortiz, Jr. and whistled past stablemate Alpha Bella (Justify) in the final sixteenth of a mile to register a breakthrough graded success.
Favored at 11-5, Cairo Consort was forced to take her medicine from the back of the pack, as Sweetlou'sgotaces (Constitution) led from Malleymoo (English Channel) into the backstretch. Still out of the picture and with it all to do past the half in :47.11, Cairo Consort was held together while full of run and had well and truly caught up to her rivals as they turned for the money. Hitting another gear three away from the inside with better than a furlong to race, she was shifted out into the clear and leveled off beautifully to–somehow–score by a comfortable margin.
“When she missed the break, I just let her relax,” said Ortiz, Jr. winning for the 10th time in two days. “She was happy back there, relaxing. At the same time, she was in contact with the field. She wasn't that far back. By the turn, she wanted to go. I didn't want to go too wide, so we cut the corner. She was there and gave me a good turn of foot.”
Winner of the Aug. 20 Catch a Glimpse S. at Woodbine, Cairo Consort was second in that track's GI Natalma S. and a sound third in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf for Maple Lane Farm and trainer Nathan Squires before hammering to these connections for $875,000 at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale about 48 hours later. In her only previous appearance for her new ownership, Cairo Consort was the popular winner of the Jan. 7 Ginger Brew S.
There is a previous connection between the Courtelis family's Town and Country Racing and Mike Repole. In 2014, after she was led out unsold on a bid of $3.15 million at Fasig-Tipton November, Repole's multiple Grade I winner Stopchargingmaria (Tale of the Cat) was acquired privately by Town and Country and continued her career with Todd Pletcher, which included a 7-1 upset in the 2015 GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland.
Pedigree Notes:
Cairo Consort is the seventh graded winner for her sire and was one of three winners Saturday out of mares by the late Street Cry, who was being represented by his 63rd graded winner as a broodmare sire.
Cairo Consort is out of an unraced half-sister to Awesome Maria (Maria's Mon), who also called the Pletcher barn home and posted her best career effort in the 2011 GI Ogden Phipps H. Her GI Alabama S.-winning third dam includes fellow Robsham luminaries Discreet Cat (Forestry), GISW Discreetly Mine (Mineshaft) and MSW/GISP Pretty Wild (Wild Again).
Absolutely Awesome is also responsible for the 2-year-old filly Accomplished (Tonalist).
Saturday, Gulfstream SWEETEST CHANT S.-GIII, $175,000, Gulfstream, 2-4, 3yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:40.95, gd.
1–CAIRO CONSORT, 122, f, 3, by Cairo Prince 1st Dam: Absolutely Awesome, by Street Cry (Ire) 2nd Dam: Discreetly Awesome, by Awesome Again 3rd Dam: Pretty Discreet, by Private Account 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($37,000 RNA Wlg '20 FTKNOV;
$95,000 Ylg '21 FTKOCT; $875,000 2yo '22 FTKNOV). O-Repole
Stable & Town and Country Racing, LLC; B-Frankfort Park Farm
(KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $104,160. Lifetime
Record: MGISP, 8-4-1-2, $430,449. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Alpha Bella, 118, f, 3, Justify–Andina (Ire), by Singspiel (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O/B-Don Alberto
Corporation (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $33,600.
3–Heavenly Sunday, 120, f, 3, Candy Ride (Arg)–Alien Giant,
by Giant's Causeway. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($170,000 RNA Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Miacomet Farm
(William Harrigan); B-Randal Family Trust (KY); T-Brad H. Cox.
$16,800.
Margins: 3/4, HF, 3/4. Odds: 2.20, 16.30, 2.50.
Also Ran: Metaphysical, Bulsara, Malleymoo, Stephanie's Charm, Padma, Sweetlou'sgotaces. Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
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 Sunday running at Chukyo Racecourse:
5th-CKO, ¥10,480,000, Maiden, 3yo, 1600mT DOUBLE JOKE (c, 3, Practical Joke–Double Date, by Rahy) is out of an unraced half-sister to Canadian Horse of the Year, champion 3-year-old colt and dual Grade I winner Peaks and Valleys (Mt. Livermore) as well as MSW & MGSP Alternate (Seattle Slew), whose produce include GISW Higher Power (Medaglia d'Oro), MGSW 'TDN Rising Star' Alternation (Distorted Humor) and SW & GSP Interrupted (Broken Vow). An $80,000 purchase by Paca Paca Farm out of the 2020 Fasig-Tipton November Sale, Double Joke switches to the turf after finishing down the field when debuting on dirt at Toyko in October. B-William Humphries & Altair Farm (KY)
