As the countdown to the start of the covering season begins, a host of Germany's stallions will be on parade at Gestut Rottgen, in Cologne, on Saturday, January 27.
The stud's own line-up of Windstoss (Ger), Millowitsch (Ger) and new recruit Iquitos (Ger) will be joined by visiting sires Best Solution (Ire) and Accon (Ger) from Gestut Lunzen, and Gestut Fahrhof's Alson (Ger). Also in attendance will be Japan (GB), who stands at Gestut Etzean, Destino (Ger) from Gestut Westerberg, Gestut Hof Ittlingen's homebred Neatico (Ger), and Rubaiyat (Ger), who will make the journey from Gestut Ohlerweiherhof ahead of his second season at stud.
New to the German ranks this year is Alter Adler (Ger), a Group 2-winning son of Adlerflug (Ger) who was also runner-up in the G1 Deutsches Derby, and who is standing at Gestut Erftmuhle. Another Derby second, Nerik (Ire), by Ruler Of The World (Ire), completes the line-up of 13 stallions.
Following the parade, renowned stud vet Fred Barrelet, who has for many years been attached to the Rossdales practice in Newmarket, will deliver a talk entitled 'Is inbreeding nowadays a problem?'.
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 Kokura, Kyoto and Nakayama Racecourses:
Saturday, January 13, 2024 4th-KYO, ¥11,850,000 ($82k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1800m DANON K TWO (JPN) (c, 3, Justify–Enticed {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) is the first foal from a mare that cost 800,000gns ($1.1 million) at the 2017 Tattersalls October Sale and who was entered for, but withdrawn from the 2020 Keeneland November sale with this colt in utero. Enticed is kin to seven winners from nine to race, including 2017 G1 Irish Derby and G1 St Leger winner Capri (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), SW & GSP Tower of London (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Group 3 winner and G1 Irish Oaks third Passion (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Group 3 winner Cypress Creek (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and the dam of 2022 G1 Fillies' Mile heroine Commissioning (GB) (Kingman {GB}). B-Mishima Bokujo
4th-NKY, ¥11,850,000 ($82k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1800m ERIKA VENEZIA (f, 3, Curlin–First Passage, by Giant's Causeway), a $370,000 Keeneland September graduate, is out of a Grade III-winning dam who is also responsible for Grade III winner Berned (Bernardini) and MGSP First to Act (Curlin). The dual stakes-winning second dam Win's Fair Lady (Dehere), who twice fetched seven figures as a broodmare, was a full-sister to MGSW/GISP Graeme Hall and a half to Grade I winner Harmony Lodge (Hennessy) and GSW Win McCool (Giant's Causeway). Win's Fair Lady's half-sister Giant Win (Giant's Causeway) bred GISW Pinehurst (Twirling Candy). B-AR Enterprises LLC (KY)
Sunday, January 14, 2024 3rd-KYO, ¥11,850,000 ($82k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1400m DISTANT SKY (c, 3, Uncle Mo–Elisheva, by Smart Strike) is the second foal out of a daughter of champion Believe (Jpn) (Sunday Silence), whose notable produce includes G1 Sprinters' S. winner Gendarme (Kitten's Joy) MSW & G1SP Faridat (Kingmambo) and SW & GSP Fiducia (Medaglia d'Oro). Third dam Great Christine (Danzig) was a half-sister to Horse of the Year Lady's Secret (Secretariat). B-North Hills Co Ltd (KY)
5th-KOK, ¥11,850,000 ($82k), Newcomers, 2yo, 2000mT ALFHEIMR (f, 3, Arrogate–Duff One, by Harlan's Holiday), whose Grade II-placed dam was sold for $60,000 carrying this filly at the 2020 Keeneland November Sale, was a $125,000 purchase as a foal at the same event 12 months later and fetched $80,000 at Keeneland September in the fall of 2022. This is the deep Alexander family that traces back to champion Althea, and Alfheimr's stakes-winning third dam Amelia (Dixieland Band) is responsible for MGSW/GISP Rainha Da Bateria (Broken Vow) and Japanese Group 2 winner Rabbit Run (Tapit), whose 3-year-old daughter Bunny Hop (Jpn) (Isla Bonita {Jpn}) makes her second career start Saturday at Kyoto. Duff One was bought back on a bid of $40,000 at Keeneland January this past week when offered in foal to Maclean's Music. B-Theta Holdings 1 Inc (KY)
Having been announced as one of the newest members of the stallion roster at Darley Japan, Palace Malice remained in a rich vein of form with his young progeny, as US-bred Noble Roger was given a perfect steer by Yuga Kawada to take out Monday's G3 Shinzan Kinen at Kyoto. It was the sire's second pattern winner in the last month, adding to the success of the American-conceived, but Japanese-foaled Jantar Mantar (Jpn) in the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity.
Looking to build on a smart debut victory going a mile at Tokyo Nov. 12, the $70,000 OBS April juvenile settled back in the field as they went a good gallop on the pointy end. Slipped a bit of rein on the turn, Noble Roger crept into contention while securing a clear, albeit deep, run around the turn and had every conceivable chance five wide into the lane. Popped the question by Kawada in the straight, Noble Roger responded in kind, outfinishing favored Ecoro Bloom (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) to score comfortably. Water Licht (Jpn) (Drefong) was up for third at cricket-score odds.
“It was quite difficult at times, but I think it was a race that showed his high level of ability,” Kawada told Netkeiba. “I was able to find a spot in the middle of the pack and built the race from there. Everyone has been using the inside [of the track] since opening day, so I deliberately chose the outside here. I am glad this horse has become a stakes winner.”
The 14-year-old Palace Malice, winner of the GI Belmont S. over a mile and four furlongs and the GI Metropolitan H. going eight furlongs, is now the sire of 12 black-type winners, six at the graded/group level.
Everett Dobson's Candy Meadows purchased Noble Roger's dam for $180,000 as a foal at the 2014 Keeneland November Sale and raced her to a pair of victories and three placings in black-type company. Noble Ready is a full-sister to Grade II winner Zindaya, the dam of the outstanding multiple graded stakes-winning 'TDN Rising Star' Carl Spackler (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), Godolphin's 3-year-old filly Regal Gallery (Ire) (Frankel {GB})–a 450,000gns TATOCT yearling–and a 2-year-old sister to Carl Spackler that made the same amount from A.C. Elliott, agent, at Tattersalls last October. Noble Ready is a half-sister to Western Aristocrat (Mr. Greeley), who won the 2011 GI Jamaica H. in New York for Jeremy Noseda and is now a leading sire in India.
Noble Ready is the dam the 2-year-old colt Sock It to Me (Violence), a $50,000 purchase at last year's Keeneland September Sale, and was sold to Saudi Arabian interests for $25,000 in foal to Mystic Guide at last year's Keeneland November Sale.
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 extended holiday weekend running at Nakayama and Kyoto Racecourses:
Saturday, January 6, 2024 4th-NKY, ¥11,850,000 ($82k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1800m KITSUNENO YOMEIRI (f, 3, Justify–Aloof {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) looks to become the fifth winner from six to race from her dam, a Group 3 winner in Ireland who was purchased by Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm for a sales-topping $3.9 million in foal to War Front at the 2014 Keeneland November Sale. A daughter of Group 1-winning juvenile Airwave (GB) (Air Express {Ire}), Aloof is a full-sister to SW & MGSP Keats (Ire) and SW Orator (Ire) and a half-to Broodmare of the Year Meow (Ire) (Storm Cat), the dam of champion MG1SW Churchill (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) G1SW Clemmie (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and GSW Blenheim Palace (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Aloof sold for $75,000 in foal to Olympiad at KEENOV this past fall. The cross of Justify over Galileo is responsible for undefeated G1 Dewhurst S. winner City of Troy and the additional graded/group winners Buchu and Red Riding Hood (Ire). B-Whisper Hill Farm LLC (KY)
ECORO BLADE (JPN) (c, 3, Mendelssohn–Entropia {Arg}, by Mount Nelson {GB}) is the first foal out of his G1 Criadores-winning dam, who was bred to this sire before being exported to Japan. A Mar. 6 foal, Ecoro Blade was knocked down for the equivalent of $235,606 at the JRHA Select Sale a few months later, and his now-yearling half-brother by Equinox's sire Kitasan Black (Jpn) was purchased for better than $1 million at the same event last summer. B-Grand Stud
Sunday, January 7, 2024 7th-NKY, ¥14,880,000 ($103k), Allowance, 3yo, 1800m COSMO GIN BUCK (c, 3, Good Magic–Disposablepleasure, by Holy Bull) belied debut odds of 9-1 to graduate by a half-length going this track and distance Dec. 9 and will try to put them back-to-back here. The May foal's dam won the 2011 GII Demoiselle S., was runner-up in the GI Mother Goose S. the following season and was purchased by Big Red Farm for $35,000 carrying this colt at Keeneland November in 2020. Disposablepleasure is a half-sister to SW & GSP Romantic Hideaway (City Zip). B-Big Red Farm
Monday, January 8, 2024 11th-KYO, Shinzan Kinen-G3, ¥77.3m ($535k), 3yo, 1600mT NOBLE ROGER (c, 3, Palace Malice–Noble Ready, by More Than Ready), a $70,000 OBS April breezer, was bet into even-money favoritism for his Nov. 12 debut going a mile over the Tokyo turf course and did not disappoint in graduating by a handy 1 3/4 lengths (see below, SC 5). Noble Ready, who was placed three times in stakes company on the turf, is a full-sister to GSW Zindaya, the dam of MGSW 'TDN Rising Star' Carl Spackler (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and a half to Grade I winner Western Aristocrat (Mr. Greeley). Adding to the intrigue is the presence of 2023 second-leading jockey Yuga Kawada. B-Candy Meadows LLC (KY)
