Tag: Japan

Forever Young Another Potential Star For Yahagi

Real Steel (Jpn) gave the theretofore relatively unknown Yoshito Yahagi a first victory on foreign soil when taking out the G1 Dubai Turf at Meydan in 2016. There has been a stack of overseas success since then–including Real Steel's full-sister Loves Only You (Jpn) in America and Hong Kong–and Susumu Fujita's Forever Young (Jpn) stands an excellent chance to add to the colorful conditioner's record following a smashing victory in the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun at Kawasaki, 20 miles south of Central Tokyo.

Drawn widest in a field of 12, the firming 11-10 favorite on the back of his victory in the Listed JBC Nisai Yushun at northern Mombetsu Nov. 3 broke a bit to his right, but was done no damage, as he quickly zoomed up to press the pace of longshot Oscar Brain (Jpn) (Danon Legend {Jpn}. Second choice Aigle Noir (Jpn) (Bricks and Mortar) chased the pair from out wide in third. The two market leaders made moves in unison entering the second turn, and Aigle Noir appeared to stick his nose in front nearing the straight, but Forever Young counterpunched inside and careered away in the final furlong to score convincingly. The win was worth 20 points on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby.

The Yahagi-trained Continuar (Jpn) (Drefong) was an intended runner in last year's Run for the Roses, having competed in the G3 Saudi Derby the G2 UAE Derby, where he was behind last year's Zen-Nippon winner Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits). A physically below-par Continuar was withdrawn from the Derby in the days leading up to the race. Forever Young could chart a similar course, but Yahagi said that the owner is also keen on the new NAR Dirt Triple Crown, consisting of the Haneda Hai (1800m) in April, the Toyko Derby (2000m) in June and the Japan Dirt Derby (2000m), which moves from July to October.

Fujita has made a big splash at home and abroad, paying sometimes-lofty sums for yearlings and 2-year-olds at public auction. Fujita, the founder of Japanese digital advertising company CyberAgent Inc, splashed out ¥517.1 million ($4.7 million) for a then-juvenile colt by Deep Impact (Jpn)–Premier Steps (Ire) (Foostepsinthesand {GB}) at the Chiba 2YO Sale in 2021. Dobune is a two-time listed winner and Group 2-placed in Japan this season with earnings north of ¥156 million.

More recently, Fujita and Yahagi have been represented by Shin Emperor (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), a full-brother to G1 Prix de l'Arc de Troimphe winner Sottsass (Fr) who topped the 2022 Arqana August Sale on a bid of €2.1 million. The chestnut colt is two-from-two in his young career, including a last-out victory in Group 3 company, and heads to the G1 Hopeful S. (2000mT) in two weeks' time.

Forever Young connections | Horsephotos

In 2021, Fujita paid a sales-topping $750,000 for the Practical Joke filly Clos de Mesnil at OBS March and from the same sale, he acquired Jasper Krone (Frosted), a $90,000 purchase who won twice at group level this term before traveling to the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint and last weekend's G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint. Jean Gros (More Than Ready), bought out of the 2021 OBS March Sale for $265,000, gave Fujita his first winner at group level in 2022.

Forever Young is one of three winners from four to race out of Forever Darling, whose marquee success came in the GII Santa Ynez S. in 2016. Second dam Darling My Darling was twice Grade I-placed at two in the colors of Debby Oxley and later won the Raven Run S. and Doubledogdare S. at Keeneland before producing 2017 GI Darley Alcibiades S. winner Heavenly Love (Malibu Moon), whose 'TDN Rising Star' son Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) was part of a thrilling finish in the GII Remsen S. Dec. 2. Shug McGaughey trained third dam Roamin Rachel to a victory in the GI Ballerina H. in 1994, and she was sold to Japanese interests for $750,000 in foal to Storm Cat at the 1998 Keeneland November Sale before producing Zenno Rob Roy (Jpn) (Sunday Silence), Japan's Horse of the Year and winner of the G1 Japan Cup in 2004.

Forever Darling is also the dam of a yearling filly by Kizuna–like Real Steel a son of Deep Impact–and her foal of 2023 is a filly by Epiphaneia (Jpn).

 

 

 

Wednesday, Kawasaki, Japan
ZEN-NIPPON NISAI YUSHUN (Jpn-G1)-Listed, ¥71,400,000, Kawasaki, 12-13, 2yo, 1600m, 1:43.50, yl.
1–FOREVER YOUNG (JPN), 123, c, 2, by Real Steel (Jpn)
1st Dam: Forever Darling, by Congrats
2nd Dam: Darling My Darling, by Deputy Minister
3rd Dam: Roamin Rachel, by Mining
(¥98,000,000 Ylg '22 JRHAJUL). O-Susumu Fujita; B-Northern Farm; T-Yoshito Yahagi; J-Ryusei Sakai; ¥42,000,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, ¥82,200,000.
2–Aigle Noir (Jpn), 123, c, 2, Bricks and Mortar–Ultima Blood (Jpn), by Symboli Kris S. O-Shadai Race Horse; B-Shadai Farm; ¥14,700,000.
3–Saint Honore (Jpn), 123, c, 2, Epicharis (Jpn)–Lingus Uno (Jpn), by South Vigorous. 1ST BLACK-TYPE. O-La Mere Inc; B-Matsuura Bokujo; ¥8,400,000.
Margins: 7, 2HF, 1. Odds: 1.10, 1.60, 104.30. Click for the goracing.jp chart.

 

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Dozen Juveniles Line Up For Kentucky Derby Points Race in Japan

A field of 12 Japanese-bred 2-year-old colts descends on Kawasaki Racecourse Wednesday evening for the $490,090 Listed Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun, a 1600-meter contest that serves as the second of four legs on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. A total of 42 Derby points are on the line, to be awarded to the first five finishers on a scale of 20-10-6-4-2.

Aigle Noir (Jpn), a son of Eclipse Award winner Bricks and Mortar, looks for his fourth win from five starts overall and will try to remain undefeated on the dirt in the process. Fourth on turf debut at Hanshin in June, the dark bay graduated over 1700 meters at Kokura Sept. 2 and narrowly prevailed in a Tokyo allowance Oct. 14, defeating Amante Bianco (Jpn) (Henny Hughes). Aigle Noir stepped up to stakes company last time, besting the re-opposing Satono Phoenix (Jpn) (Henny Hughes) in the Listed Hyogo Junior Grand Prix Nov. 22 (see below, SC 7), while Amante Bianco further flattered the form with a handy success in the Cattleya S., the first of the Japanese Kentucky Derby points races at Tokyo three days later.

 

 

Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) was purchased for ¥98 million ($720,603) as a yearling at the JRHA Select Sale and is flawless in his two starts to date. A son of GII Santa Ynez S. victress Forever Darling (Congrats) and from the family of Japanese Horse of the Year Zenno Rob Roy (Jpn) (Kris S.) , the Yoshito Yahagi trainee opened his account with a stylish four-length victory in an 1800-meter newcomers event at Kyoto Oct. 14 and was the facile winner of the Listed JBC Nisai Yushun at Mombetsu when last seen Nov. 4 (see below, SC 3). Ryusei Sakai rides the narrow second ante-post favorite.

 

 

Godolphin homebred Nasty Weather (Jpn) (Pyro) is also two from three on the dirt, while Seltsam (Jpn) (Henny Hughes)–a distant third to Aigle Noir and Satono Phoenix last time–is the lone group winner in the field, having upset the G3 Hakodate Nisai S. on the turf back in July.

None of the participants from the Cattleya S. presses on to this test, meaning that the winner takes over at the top of the standings. The series continues with the Listed Hyacinth S. at Tokyo Feb. 18 and the Fukuryu S. (allowance) at Nakayama Mar. 23.

The 2022 renewal was won by subsequent G2 UAE Derby hero and recent GI Breeders' Cup Classic runner-up Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits).

 

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Granddaughter of BC Filly & Mare Turf Winner Debuting 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 Saturday running at Hanshin and Nakayama Racecourses:

Saturday, December 9, 2023
6th-HSN, ¥13,720,000 ($96k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m
SEXY BOUQUET (f, 2, Liam's Map–Shurakaa, by Tapit) cost $180,000 as a Keeneland September yearling and is out of a daughter of 2007 GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner Lahudood (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}), the dam of this year's G3 New Zealand Cup winner Mahrajaan (Kitten's Joy) and the stakes-winning Aghareed (Kingmambo). The latter's notable roduce includes the sensational five-time Group 1 winner Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), twice successful at the top level, including this year's King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond S. Aghareed is also the dam of Naqeeb (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}), listed-placed over 14 furlongs on turf this term. B-Shadwell Farm LLC (KY)

6th-NKY, ¥13,720,000 ($96k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m
COSMO GIN BUCK (JPN) (c, 2, Good Magic–Disposablepleasure, by Giacomo) is set to become the fourth to the races for his dam, the 2011 GII Demoiselle S. winner and runner-up in the GI Mother Goose S. the following season. A half-sister to SW & GSP Romantic Hideaway (City Zip), Disposablepleasure was purchased by this breeder for $35,000 carrying this colt in utero at the 2020 Keeneland November sale. B-Big Red Farm

9th-HSN, ¥20,370,000 ($142k), Allowance, 2yo, 2000mT
OSCAR BRAVE (c, 2, Oscar Performance–Russian Symbol {Ire}, by Danehill Dancer {Ire}) opened his account at first asking with a front-running, one-length victory over 1800 meters at Kyoto Nov. 11 (see below, SC 7) and looks to retain the winning thread here while adding a bit more real estate. The Mar. 7 foal is out of a full-sister to three-time Group 1 winner and multiple French champion Esoterique (Ire), one of five full black-type winners and 11 winners from 13 runners overall for second dam Dievotchka (GB) (Dancing Brave). B-Nancy S Dillman (KY)

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Lemon Pop Defies Doubters, History In Champions Cup

In the G1 Champions Cup, one of two elite-level races on dirt on the JRA circuit, wide barriers are almost always the kiss of death.

Drawn 15 of 15 for Sunday's 1800-metre event, Godolphin's Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid) not only had that to overcome, but also lingering questions as to his ability to stay a trip this far. After all, his trainer Hiroyasu Tanaka needed some convincing by the Godolphin braintrust to try him in the G1 February S., a 1600-metre affair, which he duly won with something in the locker.

A trip to Dubai was ultimately decided upon, the G1 Golden Shaheen (1200m) versus the G2 Godolphin Mile. Lemon Pop was ultimately no factor, but even as many as eight months ago, Godolphin Japan President Harry Sweeney mentioned the Champions Cup as a potential target in a Q&A with this reporter ahead of World Cup night. That brand of outside-the-box thinking paid off handsomely Sunday afternoon at Chukyo Racecourse, as Lemon Pop became the fourth horse to win both JRA Group 1 dirt races in the same calendar year.

Favoured–albeit midly so at $3.80 (14-5)–Lemon Pop broke a bit to his right, but very alertly, and managed to show enough speed to come across the entire field and lead out from this year's G2 UAE Derby runner-up Dura Erede (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) with 2021 winner T O Keynes (Jpn) (Sinister Minister) enjoying the gun run from third.

Lemon Pop had done some work to get there, having clocked :23.5 for the opening 400 metres, but he came back to Ryusei Sakai and got the opening 800m in :48.8, with Dura Erede keeping him honest. Traveling nicely within himself with his jockey sitting against him–similar to his win in the February–Lemon Pop was clear into the straight, pinched what appeared to be a winning break and was home comfortably first as Wilson Tesoro (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) jumped out of the ground for second at rough odds. Dura Erede settled for a creditable third. Multiple international group winner Crown Pride (Jpn) (Reach the Crown {Jpn}) was disappointing in 11th with a bit of a wide trip, while the previously unbeaten Seraphic Call (Jpn) (Henny Hughes) finished 10th.

“Christmas has come early for us in Japan! And indeed if Santa Claus doesn't turn up in three weeks' time, we won't be too upset,” Sweeney said on the Godolphin website. “Lemon Pop was awesome today–there can be no denying that. No horse drawn in the outside three stalls has even made the frame in the last decade, so Lemon Pop needed to overcome the obstacle of the widest draw of all. Also, doing it from the front is probably not the easiest way to win a Group 1, but he had little alternative because of the draw and it was another excellent ride for Ryusei Sakai. In truth, he looked all over the winner when turning in–he was still traveling very well while everyone else was hard at work.”

In the aforementioned Q&A, Sweeney spoke of the honour of bringing a Godolphin-owned Japanese-based runner to Dubai to race before His Highness Sheikh Mohammed. A similar plan was in the works in 2021, when Lemon Pop was an intended runner in the UAE Derby, having won the 2020 Cattleya Sho on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. But the injury bug bit, dashing those plans. His victory Sunday opens a few more doors as the calendar turns to 2024.

“Though five years old, he is relatively lightly raced and over four seasons has only run a total of 14 times,” Sweeney said. “As he is in great form, we are hoping to keep him in training for another year and will be considering the G1 Saudi Cup before hopefully going back to Dubai in March.”

A horse that has passed every test that's been set for him, Lemon Drop would have to be considered a major player in Riyadh and/or at Meydan.

 

Pedigree Notes:

On behalf of former Darley executive Olly Tait and his wife, Blandford Bloodstock went to 165,000gns for Unreachable from the Juddmonte draft at the 2012 Tattersalls December Mares Sale. Unreachable is a daughter of Harpia, a full-sister to the highly influential Danehill as well as Eagle Eyed and Shibboleth, etc., and is a half-sister to the stakes-placed First Word (Chester House) and Redesdale (Speightstown). This is also the family of Dundonnell (First Defence), a Group 3 winner in England, a listed winner in Hong Kong and Group 3-placed in Dubai.

Unreachable was offered in foal to Good Magic at the 2020 Keeneland January Sale and was led out unsold on a bid of $55,000, but Chad Schumer acquired the mare privately for $50,000 on behalf of Jay and Christine Hayden's Saintsbury Farms. Schumer also purchased Redesdale for $18,000 at the 2016 January Sale and he now stands at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in the state of New York. The colt Unreachable was carrying at the time of her acquisition–an Ontario-bred 3-year-old now named Equivoque–would go on to fetch $325,000 from China Horse Club/Gandharvi at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale and CHC bought out the partnership for $240,000 at the 2022 Keeneland November Horses of Racing Age Sale. Equivoque, an impressive debut winner at Keeneland this past April and an allowance second at Churchill on Derby Day May 6, has recently returned to training at Todd Pletcher's South Florida base at Palm Beach Downs after spending some time at WinStar Farm .

Unreachable is also the dam of the 2-year-old colt Magic Rush (Good Magic) and a yearling colt by Maclean's Music that sold for $310,000 to Powerstown Stud at this year's Keeneland September sale. Unreachable, now 14 years of age, did not produce a foal this year and was bred back to Curlin.

Sunday, Chukyo, Japan
CHAMPIONS CUP-G1, ¥232,740,000, Chukyo, 12-3, 3yo/up, 1800m, 1:50.60, ft.
1–LEMON POP, 128, h, 5, by Lemon Drop Kid
1st Dam: Unreachable, by Giant's Causeway
2nd Dam: Harpia, by Danzig
3rd Dam: Razyana, by His Majesty
($70,000 Wlg '18 KEENOV). O-Godolphin; B-Mr & Mrs Oliver S Tait (KY); T-Hiroyasu Tanaka; J-Ryusei Sakai; ¥123,318,000. Lifetime Record: 14-10-3-0, ¥481,756,000. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Wilson Tesoro (Jpn), 128, c, 4, Kitasan Black (Jpn)–Chesutoke Rose, by Uncle Mo. O-Kenji Ryotokuji Holdings; B-Ryoken Farm; ¥48,948,000.
3–Dura Erede (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Duramente (Jpn)–Marchesa (Jpn), by Orfevre (Jpn). (¥100,000,000 Ylg '21 JRHAJUL). O-Three H Racing; B-Northern Farm; ¥30,474,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, NK, NK. Odds: 2.80, 91.00, 30.20.
Also Ran: T O Keynes (Jpn), Meisho Hario (Jpn), Hagino Alegrias (Jpn), Make a Leap (Jpn), Notturno (Jpn), Ater Astrea (Jpn), Seraphic Call (Jpn), Crown Pride (Jpn), Keiai Shelby (Jpn), Gloria Mundi (Jpn), Icon Tailor (Jpn), Geoglyph (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart and VIDEO.

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