A total of six contenders from Japan are expected for this year's Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar, reports the Thoroughbred Daily News. Four are from the barn of trainer Hideyuki Mori, while the other two are conditioned by Yoshito Yahagi.
The Mori contingent includes:
Jasper Great (Juvenile) – This 2-year-old son of Arrogate won on debut over 1 1/8 miles at Hanshin on Oct. 9.
Jasper Prince (Dirt Mile) – A 6-year-old son of Violence who contested the pace in last year's Sprint at Keeneland, and won the listed Enif Stakes at Chukyo on Sept. 11.
Pingxiang (Dirt Mile) – The 4-year-old son of Speightstown traveled to the U.S. last year but did not draw into the Sprint. He has won several allowance races this year.
Matera Sky (Sprint) – A 7-year-old son of Speightstown who ran eighth in the Sprint at Santa Anita in 2019, and has run second in the G1 Golden Shaheen and two editions of the Saudi Sprint.
Yahagi's contenders are:
Loves Only You (Filly & Mare Turf) – A 5-year-old daughter of Deep Impact, this mare owns victories in the the 2019 G1 Japanese Oaks and this year's G1 FWD QE II Stakes.
Marche Lorraine (Distaff) – A 5-year-old daughter of Orfevre, winner of the Empress Hai.
Trainer Hideyuki Mori will send four Japanese-based American-bred horses under his care to the Breeders' Cup, according to the Daily Sports newspaper, including 2-year-old colt Jasper Great (Arrogate), who became the first Japanese winner for his late sire (by Unbridled's Song) with a victory over the past weekend.
Mori has become an active buyer at American bloodstock sales and acquired Jasper Great for $200,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearling Showcase. The half-brother to GISW Power Broker (Pulpit) and SW Fierce Boots (Tiznow) was sent off at debut odds of 6-1 in an 1800-meter newcomers' event at Hanshin Oct. 9 and made all the running en route to a 10-length victory. He goes in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
WATCH: Jasper Great airs on debut
Owner Kazuo Kato, who campaigns the 'Jasper' horses, is also set to be represented by 6-year-old Jasper Prince (Violence), a $60,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $100,000 OBS March breezer who would be making his second appearance at the Breeders' Cup. The bay argued the early pace in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland before giving way at longshot odds. Jasper Prince most recently resumed from a May layoff to defend his title in the seven-furlong Listed Enif S. at Chukyo Sept. 11 and is a candidate for the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.
Pingxiang (Speightstown), a $100,000 KEESEP graduate, was pre-entered for, but failed to draw into the field for last year's Sprint. The 4-year-old, winner of allowance events over seven furlongs at Tokyo in April and at Hanshin in July, could join Jasper Prince in the Dirt Mile.
Matera Sky (Speightstown) is ticketed for the Sprint, a race in which he finished eighth behind Mitole (Eskendereya) at Santa Anita in 2019. A $140,000 KEENOV weanling and $350,000 KEESEP yearling, the veteran would be making his seventh overseas start at Del Mar and has proven his mettle when pitched in against international competition. Runner-up to X Y Jet (Kantharos) after setting the pace in the 2019 G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen, the chestnut has finished second in both runnings of the valuable Saudi Sprint, going down by a neck to New York Central (Tapit) after appearing home free in the inaugural renewal in 2020 before being run down by Japanese-based Copano Kicking (Spring At Last) this past February.
Also expected to make the trip from Japan are Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), the 2019 G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) and this year's G1 FWD QE II S. winner, for the Filly & Mare Turf; and Marche Lorraine (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) for the Distaff. Both are trained by Yoshito Yahagi.
According to reports, the horses will enter the export quarantine Oct. 21 and are scheduled to depart Tokyo's Narita Airport Oct. 29.
Grade 1 winner Mischevious Alex has been retired from racing, and he has been purchased by the Japan Bloodhorse Breeders Association to stand in that country, per a JBBA release.
A 4-year-old son of Into Mischief, Mischevious Alex retired with seven wins in 15 starts with earnings of $734,355. He was trained by John Servis and Saffie Joseph Jr., for owners Cash Is King and LC Racing.
Mischevious Alex started in the Servis barn, where he won on debut as a juvenile at Parx Racing and finished that season with a win in the Parx Juvenile Stakes. He started off his 3-year-old campaign with a pair of Grade 3 wins in the Swale Stakes at Gulfstream Park and the Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct.
The colt was moved to the Joseph barn for his 4-year-old season, where he won his first three starts of the season: a Gulfstream Park allowance optional claiming race, the G3 Gulfstream Park Sprint Stakes, and the G1 Carter Handicap. He also finished third in the G1 Metropolitan Handicap.
Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, Mischevious Alex is out of the winning Speightstown mare White Pants Night. His extended family includes Grade 3 winner Hebbronville.
Mischevious Alex is expected to arrive in Japan in November, and he will stand at Shizunai Stallion Station in Hokkaido. He joins a JBBA roster that also features stallions with North American ties including Creator, Aldebaran, Came Home, Cape Blanco, David Junior, Eskendereya, Johannesburg, Squirtle Squirt, and Stravinsky.
GISW Mischevious Alex (Into Mischief–White Pants Night, by Speightstown) had been retired from racing and will stand at JBBA Shizunai Stallion Station in Japan. The 4-year-old will be exported to the Hokkaido Island-based stud early in November. A stud fee will be established at a later date.
Trained by John Servis and campaigned by Cash Is King LLC at two, the bay won two of five starts, including the Parx Juvenile. Victorious in the GIII Swale S. and GIII Gotham S. early in his sophomore season, he was subsequently transferred to Saffie Joseph Jr. after LC Racing secured a stake in the colt. The winner of a pair of starts at Gulfstream for new connections, including the six-furlong GIII Gulfstream Park Sprint, the WinStar Farm-bred recorded his biggest career win in the GI Carter H. at Aqueduct. Third in Belmont's GI Met Mile later that June, he finished off the board in his final two starts against Grade I company. He retired with seven wins from 15 starts and earnings of $734,355.
