Tag: Japan

Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby Concludes at Nakayama

Sent off the 3-2 favorite, Mitono O (Jpn) (Logotype {Jpn}) led every step of the way en route to a 2 1/2-length victory in Saturday's nine-furlong Fukuryu S. (allowance) at rain-soaked Nakayama Racecourse. The win was worth 40 points on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby and secures connections a berth in the Run for the Roses should they choose to accept.

Soon in front for jockey Takuya Kowata, the blaze-faced chestnut went along comfortably on the lead, cruising through an opening 800-meter split of :49 flat and six furlongs in 1:13.1. Always traveling like a winner, Mitono O cut the corner into the stretch, pinched an unassailable advantage and proved easily best as Mokku Mokku (Jpn) (Danon Legend {Jpn}) closed off well down the center while no threat to the winner. Hero Call (Jpn) (Hokko Tarumae {Jpn}) was third (see below, SC 7).

A maiden winner at first asking going this distance at Chukyo in August, Mitono O was runner-up to future Listed Hyacinth S. hero and G2 UAE Derby entrant Perriere (Jpn) (Henny Hughes) in a seven-furlong allowance at Tokyo Nov. 12. He was a course-and-distance allowance winner when last seen Jan. 7.

A son of multiple Canadian Grade III winner Seductively (Thunder Gulch), who was purchased by Shadai Farm for $535,000 in foal to Bernardini at Keeneland November in 2008, Mitono O was an ¥18,700,000 graduate of the 2021 Hokkaido Selection Yearling Sale. His win Saturday took his earnings to north of ¥36 million.

Should the Derby invite not be accepted by the first-place finisher, the bid will be offered to the second-, third- and fourth-placegetters. Perriere currently sits on 30 points, while fellow UAE Derby entrant Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) has 20 points courtesy of his victory in the Listed Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun in December. The UAE Derby is a Derby qualifier separate and apart from the Japanese series and offers the winner 100 points.

 

The post Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby Concludes at Nakayama appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Godolphin Unveil War Front Firster at Hanshin

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 weekend running at Chukyo and Hanshin Racecourses:

Saturday, March 18, 2023
2nd-HSN, ¥10,480,000 ($79k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m
FREEWHEELING (c, 3, War Front–Fresh Feline, by Kitten's Joy) cost Godolphin $250,000 as a weanling at the 2020 Keeneland November Sale and is a half-brother to Feel the Fear (Honor Code), a debut winner and victorious in the 2021 Prairie Gold Juvenile S. in his next start. The colt's multiple Grade II-placed dam is a daughter of the stakes-winning Merry Me In Spring (Wekiva Springs), whose son So Brilliant (Medaglia d'Oro) won the GIII Hollywood Prevue S. in 2011. Godolphin's Japanese arm also purchased the only other War Front weanling offered in 2020, going to $400,000 for a colt out of Irish Group 2 winner Elizabeth Browning (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The field also includes US-breds Lap Star (Justify), Mystic Lore (Arrogate) and Shigeru Sorososo (Runhappy). B-Lazy F Ranch & W S Farish (KY)

Sunday, March 19, 2023
3rd-CKO, ¥10,480,000 ($79k), Maiden, 3yo, 1400m
JASPER WORLD (c, 3, Justify–Sweet Shirley Mae, by Broken Vow), whose dam was second in the 2012 GI Spinaway S. and third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint, is a half-brother to SW Mae Never Know (Ire) (No Nay Never), The Apr. 15 foal's stakes-winning second dam Joyful Chaos (Rahy) is also responsible for Grade III-placed I Remember Mama (Ghostzapper) and the dam of Grade III winner Chaos Theory (Curlin). On behalf of owner Kazuo Kato, trainer Hideyuki Mori purchased Jasper World for $240,000 at Keeneland September in 2021. Breeze Easy acquired Sweet Shirley Mae for $225,000 in foal to Giant's Causeway at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. B-Breeze Easy LLC (KY)

The post Godolphin Unveil War Front Firster at Hanshin appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Expensive Justify Foal On Debut Sunday at Hanshin

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 weekend running at Chukyo and Hanshin Racecourses:

Saturday, March 11, 2023
4th-CKO, ¥10,480,000 ($77k), Maiden, 3yo, 1400mT
GARMISCH (c, 3, Uncle Mo–Fiduicia, by Medaglia d'Oro) is the second foal to race out of this dam, a Japanese stakes-winner and Group 3-placed turf sprinter whose first produce, Gran Aplauso (Gun Runner), was victorious on debut in a 1200-meter turf maiden in the summer of 2021. Fiducia is a daughter of Japanese champion older mare Believe (Jpn) (Sunday Silence), who defeated the boys in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen and Sprinters S. when they were contested as listed races and went on to produce Gendarme (Kitten's Joy), upset winner of the 2022 G1 Sprinters' S., as well as MSW & G1SP Faridat (Kingmambo). B-North Hills Co Ltd (KY)

6th-CKO, ¥14,880,000 ($109k), Allowance, 3yo, 1800m
BOLD ZONE (c, 3, Mendelssohn–Halo Dolly, by Popular), a $40,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $280,000 OBS March breezer, was let go at debut odds of 8-1 going this trip at Nakayama back in January and overcame a wide trip to draw clear by 3 1/2 lengths (video, SC 7). The Feb. 12 foal is one of two winners from two out of the mare, winner of the GII Yellow Ribbon S. and GIII Wilshire H. and also the dam of GIII San Simeon S. hero Barraza, a son of Mendelssohn's all-conquering half-brother Into Mischief. Spendthrift acquired Halo Dolly for $300,000 at the 2014 Keeneland November Sale. B-Spendthrift Farm LLC (KY)

 

 

Sunday, March 12, 2023
2nd-HSN, ¥10,480,000 ($77k), Maiden, 3yo, 1200m
ANGE FIELD (JPN) (f, 3, Justify–Not Now Carolyn, by Tapit) is out of a winning daughter of Eclipse Award, Grade I and inaugural Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint winner Maryfield (Elusive Quality), who cost Shimokobe Farm $140,000 with this filly in utero at the 2019 Keeneland November Sale. Not Now Carolyn, a half-sister to Irish Group 2-placed Radio Silence (War Front), was exported to Japan and the filly–foaled Apr. 16, 2020–fetched ¥80 million ($745,639) at that year's JRHA Select Sale. This is also the family of recent GII Risen Star S. runner-up Sun Thunder (Into Mischief). B-Shimokobe Farm

 

 

The post Expensive Justify Foal On Debut Sunday at Hanshin appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Folklore Colt Makes First Trip to Races at Nakayama

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 weekend running at Hanshin and Nakayama Racecourses:

Saturday, February 25, 2023
1st-NKY, ¥10,480,000 ($78k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m
KEEP SMILING (JPN) (f, 3, Quality Road–Weep No More, by Mineshaft) turned in an auspicious debut over this course and distance Dec. 17, sitting an inside trip before hitting the line strongly to be a sound second (see below, SC 4). The bay is the second foal from her dam, upset winner of the GI Central Bank Ashland S. in 2016 who was acquired privately after producing a War Front filly in 2019. Weep No More, a half-sister to Grade III winner Current and to the dam of the stakes-winning Half Is Enough (Frosted), is also responsible for a 2-year-old colt by the late Duramente (Jpn) that sold for better than $735,000 at last year's JRHA Select Sale. Keep Smiling's third dam is 2001 GI Kentucky Oaks winner Flute (Seattle Slew). B-Northern Farm

 

 

Sunday, February 26, 2023
2nd-HSN, ¥10,480,000 ($78k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m
MYSTIC LORE (c, 3, Arrogate–Folklore, by Tiznow) cost DMM Dream Club Co. a half-million dollars at Keeneland September in 2021, and the fact the colt would appeal to Japanese interests is not surprising. Folklore, the champion of her generation and winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies in 2005 for Bob and Beverly Lewis, is a half-sister to Rhodochrosite–by Arrogate's sire Unbridled's Song–whose place in the annals of Japanese racing is secure via the exploits of Triple Crown winner Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). Folklore's Grade III-placed half-sister Delightful Quality (Elusive Quality) produced two-time Eclipse Award and four-time Grade I winner Essential Quality (Tapit). B-Lewis Thoroughbred Breeding LLC (KY)

 

 

The post Folklore Colt Makes First Trip to Races at Nakayama appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights