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Justify Colt Heavily Favored To Go Back-To-Back 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 Wednesday running at Hanshin Racecourse, featuring a pair of first-crop runners by Justify. The final day of the JRA calendar for 2022 also includes the G1 Hopeful S. for 2-year-olds at Nakayama. Read our preview here:

Wednesday, December 28, 2022
1st-HSN, ¥9,900,000, Maiden, 2yo, 1800m
DONA SWEAT (f, 2, Justify–No Sweat, by Blame), a $425,000 Keeneland September graduate, debuted over this course and distance a bit more than two weeks ago and led deep into the final furlong only to be overhauled in the final strides (video, SC 5). The late January foal is out of a multiple stakes-placed daughter of MSW & MGSP Coolwind (Forest Wildcat), also the dam of GIII Iowa Derby winner Looking Cool (Candy Ride {Arg}). Dona Sweat is the first foal for No Sweat, who was purchased by Ashview Farm for $300,000 at Keeneland November in 2018. B-Ashview Farm & Colts Neck Stables (KY)

6th-HSN, ¥14,250,000, Allowance, 2yo, 1800m
YUTTITHAM (JPN) (c, 2, Justify–Zipessa, by City Zip) cost connections ¥220 million as a yearling at last year's JRHA Select Sale and the chestnut made a small, but not insignificant repayment on that investment with a smart eight-length romp in his second trip to the races over course and distance Dec. 3 (video, SC 1). Shadai Farm acquired the colt's GSW & MGISP dam for $1.25 million at KEENOV in 2018 and put her in foal to the Triple Crown winner before being exported. Yuttitham is the 1-2 favorite overnight and has the services of champion jockey Yuga Kawada. B-Shadai Farm

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Hearts Concerto Looms a Double-Digit Danger in Hopeful

Wednesday's Hopeful S. is the last of 24 Group 1 events on the JRA circuit for 2022 and the event has attracted a wide-open group of juveniles who will try to prove their mettle over the 2000-metres.

Hearts Concerto (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) could offer value relative to what he's accomplished in his two racetrack appearances to date. The bay dismantled a group of newcomers by eight resounding lengths as the 9-10 chalk going this trip at Chukyo Sept. 18 and was the hot favourite for the nine-furlong G2 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai S. at headquarters Nov. 19. It all went wrong when he walked out of the stalls, spotting his rivals several lengths, but he closed off in a race-best :33.8 to finish a good third to the re-opposing Gastrique (Jpn) (Just a Way {Jpn}). He was trading at better than 10-1 on the JRA tote as of this writing.

“He missed the break [last time] and was left behind, and that really hurt,” said trainer Ryo Takei. “His preparation after that race has all gone smoothly. I think the extra distance is a plus and the conditions are better for him here.”

Mikki Cappuccino (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) is perfect in his two starts, each over 10 furlongs. A narrow debut winner, with future Group 3 winner Gruner Green (Jpn) (Lovely Day {Jpn}) third, at Tokyo Oct. 9, he jumped out of the ground in the final furlong and shot away to take a course-and-distance allowance by a widening 3 1/2 lengths when last seen Dec. 3. Keita Tosaki will have to work out a trip from barrier 18.

Since finishing third in an 1800-metre heat at Hakodate in July, King's Reign (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) has won back-to-back races, including a 1 1/2-length tally in a one-win class allowance over the 2000 metres at Tokyo in early November. Christophe Lemaire retains the ride.

J Palms (Jpn) (Just a Way {Jpn}) is a son of the American-bred mare Killer Graces (Congaree), making him a half-brother to last year's Hopeful hero Killer Ability (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). He got his career off on a popular and winning note in his lone career start, carrying Lemaire to a three-length victory at odds of 2-5 in a Tokyo newcomers' event Nov. 5. David Egan, who has ridden nine winners from 52 rides on his current short-term contract in Japan, takes the call for Noriyuki Hori.

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‘Moon’ Shines Over Rivals in American Oaks

Rhea Moon (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) was produced by the hot-riding Juan Hernandez approaching the final furlong and fought her way past pace-pressing stablemate School Dance (Animal Kingdom) in the final couple of jumps to win Monday's GI American Oaks at Santa Anita.

A 6-1 gamble exiting a 1 1/4-length success in the GIII Autumn Miss S. going a mile over this course Oct. 29, Rhea Moon was one of the last away, but improved along the inside while tugging a bit for her head and raced fourth-last with a circuit to travel as favored East Coast shipper and 'TDN Rising Star' Salimah (Ire) (El Kabeir) pulled her way along beneath Flavien Prat with School Dance in close attendance.

Hard held as she continued to scrape paint into the backstretch, Rhea Moon was shuffled back one spot and raced with just two behind into the final half-mile, but was always traveling smoothly. Full of run as she was ridden for luck at the fence, the bay was a bit short of room and in tight quarters with two furlongs to race. But allowed to follow the move of GIII Sands Point S. heroine Skims (GB) (Frankel {GB}) into the final three-sixteenths of a mile, Rhea Moon found the daylight she needed four or five off the inside and motored home to peg back School Dance on the money.

“I think going a mile and a quarter, the one hole was an advantage,” said winning trainer Phil d'Amato. “Juan took advantage, just saving every inch of ground and getting her out in time. He gets a lot of credit for developing this filly…Juan and I are really in a groove, as much as Flavien [Prat] and I do well, Juan and I just seem to really get on a hot streak and I have a lot of confidence in him as does everyone else. It is just great to see. I don't need to give him a lot of instructions and he gets the job done.”

Placed on a pair of Irish appearances for Ken Condon as a juvenile, Rhea Moon finished runner-up in her first two U.S. starts before graduating in a nine-furlong test over this course June 4. A wide-trip third in a first-level Del Mar allowance July 24, Rhea Moon cleared that hurdle Aug. 21 and overcame a bit of trouble to win the Autumn Miss by 1 1/4 lengths Oct. 29.

Pedigree Notes:

Rhea Moon completes a truly phenomenal season around the globe for the underappreciated Starspangledbanner, joining Prix Ganay and Prince of Wales's S. hero State of Rest (Ire); Longines Hong Kong Mile victor California Spangle (Ire); and G1 Prx Jean Romanet heroine Aristia (Ire) as top-level scorers in 2022. Rhea Moon is one of two winners from just two to race for Callisto Star. Her 2-year-old sister There's The Door (Ire) won her maiden at third asking at Haydock this past July and was a near-miss runner-up in a Newmarket handicap over nine furlongs Oct. 29. Rhea Moon, who is inbred 4×3 to the legendary Danehill, also has a yearling half-sister by Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).

Monday, Santa Anita
AMERICAN OAKS-GI, $303,000, Santa Anita, 12-26, 3yo, f, 1 1/4mT, 2:00.75, fm.
1–RHEA MOON (IRE), 124, f, 3, by Starspangledbanner (Aus)
1st Dam: Callisto Star (Ire), by Fastnet Rock (Aus)
2nd Dam: Livia Galilei (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
3rd Dam: Mohican Princess (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB)
1ST GRADE I WIN. (£24,000 Ylg '20 TATIRY). O-Rockingham Ranch & Talla Racing LLC; B-Kevin J Molloy (IRE); T-Philip D'Amato; J-Juan J Hernandez. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 9-4-3-2, $371,831. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–School Dance, 124, f, 3, by Animal Kingdom
1st Dam: Ann of the Dance (SW & GSP, $198,332), by English Channel
2nd Dam: Dans La Ville (Chi), by Winning
3rd Dam: Syracuse, by Sharp-Eyed Quillo
1ST BLACK-TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK-TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK-TYPE. O-Agave Racing Stable & Rockin Robin Racing Stables; B-Betz/Lamantia/Ramsby/Strong, B & K Canetti/J Betz (KY); T-Philip D'Amato. $60,000.
3–Sparkle Blue, 124, f, 3, by Hard Spun
1st Dam: Silk n' Sapphire, by Smart Strike
2nd Dam: Golden Tiy, by Dixieland Band
3rd Dam: Tiy, by Nalees Man
1ST G1 BLACK-TYPE. O-Augustin Stable & Catherine Parke; B-Catherine Parke (KY); T-H Graham Motion. $36,000.
Margins: HD, 3/4, HD. Odds: 6.80, 11.70, 8.80.
Also Ran: Oakhurst, Skims (GB), Pizza Bianca, Salimah (Ire), Duvet Day (Ire), Lady Clementine (GB), Mise En Scene (GB), Bellstreet Bridie (GB). Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Into Mischief ‘Rising Star’ On Best Behavior in Untapable

Pretty Mischievous made it a clean sweep of the afternoon's two-turn juvenile stakes for 'TDN Rising Stars' with a good-looking success in Monday's Untapable S. at the Fair Grounds.

Made the 8-5 second pick off a third behind the promising Hoosier Philly (Into Mischief) in the GII Golden Rod S. at Churchill Downs Nov. 26, the Godolphin homebred broke well from the rail draw and enjoyed the run of the race from just in behind. Allowed to take a two-path run passing the 4 1/2-furlong marker, Pretty Mischievous had a head in front as they turned for home, pinched a winning break and ran out a four-length winner over The Alys Look (Connect). Favored Vahva (Gun Runner) bombed the start and raced at the back of the field, but finished off nicely and did well to fill third spot, albeit well-beaten.

A second stakes winner on the card, joining Letellier Memorial S. victress Dazzling Blue, Into Mischief now sits on 118 stakes winners. Through Stroud Coleman Bloodstock, Godolphin acquired 2016 GI Spinaway S. dead-heater Pretty City Dancer for $3.5 million at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. A half-sister to Grade I winner Lear's Princess (Lear Fan), Pretty City Dancer is also responsible for Ornamental (Medaglia d'Oro), a maiden winner at Indiana Grand Oct. 25, and a weanling filly by Medaglia d'Oro. The mare was most recently bred to Street Sense. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

UNTAPABLE S., $100,000, Fair Grounds, 12-26, 2yo, f, 1m 70y, 1:44.03, ft.
1–PRETTY MISCHIEVOUS, 122, f, 2, by Into Mischief
1st Dam: Pretty City Dancer (GISW, $286,344), by Tapit
2nd Dam: Pretty City, by Carson City
3rd Dam: Pretty Special, by Riverman
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. 'TDN Rising Star'. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh; J-Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.. $60,000. Lifetime Record: GSP, 4-3-0-1, $241,310.
2–The Alys Look, 122, f, 2, Connect–Foul Play, by Harlan's Holiday. ($60,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Ike and Dawn Thrash; B-G. Watts Humphrey (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $20,000.
3–Vahva, 122, f, 2, Gun Runner–Holiday Soiree, by Harlan's Holiday. ($280,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Belladonna Racing, LLC, Edward J. Hudson Jr., West Point Thoroughbreds, LBD Stable LLC, Nice Guys Stables, Manganaro Bloodstock, Runnels Racing, Steve Hornstock, and Twin Brook Stables; B-Woodford Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Cherie DeVaux. $10,000.
Margins: 3 1/4, 5HF, HF. Odds: 1.70, 6.40, 1.10.
Also Ran: Hayunevano, Hang the Moon, Just Like Magic, Cotton Candy Annie, Two Minute Drill, All About Me. Scratched: Miss Shipman.

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