Tag: Japan

Frankel’s Grenadier Guards Looks to Bounce Back in NHK Mile Cup

Sunday Racing Co. Ltd.'s Grenadier Guards (Jpn) (Frankel {GB}), a son of GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint winner Wavell Avenue (Harlington), will look to return to winning ways as one of the top couple of betting choices in Sunday's G1 NHK Mile Cup at Toyko Racecourse.

The bay colt graduated at third asking over 1400 metres at Hanshin last November, then belied odds of 16-1 to upset future G1 Satsuki Sho third Stella Veloce (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}) in the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity going this distance in mid-December. He has one run under his belt this year, a runner-up effort to pacesetting Rooks Nest (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) in the G3 Falcon S. at the metric seven furlongs Mar. 20 for which he may have had a bit of an excuse.

“It was rough ground in the Falcon S. and I had the feeling he was very tensed,” trainer Mitsumasa Nakauchida commented. “That surely affected the finish, but he did give it his all. That race sharpened him up and he's much improved from last year.

Rooks Nest had the benefit of race fitness over Grenadier Guards in the Falcon, having finished second to Pixie Knight (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) from well off the speed in the G3 Shinzan Kinen at Chukyo Jan. 10. A return to patient tactics could be in the offing given what is expected to be a cracking pace.

Schnell Meister (Ger) (Kingman {GB}) will be well-backed to become his successful young sire's second winner at group level in Japan (Elizabeth Tower {GB}, G2 Tulip Sho). A debut winner going 1500 metres at Sapporo last September, this first foal out of 2016 G1 Preis der Diana (German Oaks) winner Serienholde (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) showed a devastating turn of foot when taking out a one-mile conditions test at Nakayama in December. The bay was a latest on-pace second in the G2 Yayoi Sho (2000mT) Mar. 7, the form of which was franked when the victorious Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) filled the second spot in the Satsuki Sho.

Bathrat Leon (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), third in the Shinzan Kinen, has won his last two in wire-to-wire fashion, a Hanshin conditions Mar. 13 ahead of a five-length success in the Apr. 10 G2 New Zealand Trophy in which the runner-up Time to Heaven (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) raced brutally wide throughout.

Rickenbacker (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) required six tries to break his maiden, but was held up at a crucial stage of the Apr. 17 G3 Arlington Cup and charged home once into the clear to finish a very good second to Ho O Amazon (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) at odds of 42-1. A similar price is expected Sunday, but he could appeal to each-way bettors.

The post Frankel’s Grenadier Guards Looks to Bounce Back in NHK Mile Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Notable US-Bred & -Sired Runners in Japan: May 8, 2021

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. Plenty of U.S.-bred activity, so we begin with Saturday's runners at Chukyo and Tokyo on what shapes up as a potentially productive weekend. Sunday's notable horses will appear in Saturday's TDN:

1st-CKO, ¥9,680,000 ($89k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m
CAREERISM (c, 3, Upstart–Out of Goodbyes, by Out of Place) has run too good to lose in each of his two previous career outings, first when beaten a half-length on debut over this track and distance Jan. 30 before missing by a head at Hanshin Feb. 27 (see below, gate 3). The February foal is out of a three-time stakes winner in Massachusetts-bred company whose half-brother No More Goodbyes (More Than Ready) was also a black-type winner at Suffolk Downs. An $85K Fasig-Tipton November weanling, Careerism was knocked down for $120K as a FTKJUL yearling and made $200K as an OBS March breezer after working a quarter-mile in :21 2/5. B-Golden Pedigree LLC (KY)

 

 

MOZU LOTUS LAND (c, 3, Tapit–Sacred Feather, by Carson City), a half-brother to French MGSW & G1SP Taareef (Kitten's Joy), cost $425K as a Keeneland September yearling and is out of a stakes-placed daughter of MGSW Marianna's Girl (Dewan), the dam of MSW & MGSP Crimson Classic (Sky Classic); GSWs Marastani (Shahrastani) and Christine' s Outlaw (Wild Again); and SW/GSP Amansara (War Chant), the dam of SW Siem Riep (Tapit) and GSP Tempestad (Uncle Mo). B-Dixiana Farms LLC & Tapit Syndicate (KY)

5th-CKO, ¥9,680,000 ($89k), Maiden, 3yo, 1600mT
BELLE AURORE (f, 3, Galileo {Ire}–Turbulent Descent, by Congrats) is a full-sister to Spanish Steps (Ire), winner of the 2017 G3 Ballyroan S. for Team Coolmore and Flaxman Holdings, and was snapped up by North Hills Co. Ltd. for $710K at the 2019 KEESEP sale. The colt's dam won the GI Hollywood Starlet S. at two and the GI Santa Anita Oaks and GI Test S. in 2011 before being acquired by Coolmore during her 4-year-old campaign. She added the GI Ballerina S. in her first start for the new ownership in 2012 and was later bought back on a bid of $2.45 million in foal to War Front at FTKNOV in 2014. B-Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt (KY)

 6th-TOK, ¥13,830,000 ($127k), Allowance, 3yo, 1400mT
SLAP SHOT (JPN) (c, 3, Air Force Blue–Laxfield Road, by Quality Road) just missed in a 1400-meter newcomers' event on the dirt at Tokyo Feb. 14 before returning on 13 days' rest go to one better over six furlongs at Nakayama (see below, gate 11), but tries the turf for the first time Saturday. A $200K in utero purchase at KEEJAN in 2018, Slap Shot fetched ¥32,940,000 ($305,354) from North Hills at the 2019 Hokkaido Selection Yearling sale. The colt's stakes-placed dam is a half-sister to GISP Zatter (Midnight Lute). B-Sakurai Bokujo

 

The post Notable US-Bred & -Sired Runners in Japan: May 8, 2021 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Japan’s France Go De Ina Heading Stateside For Preakness

For the first time since 2016, the Preakness Stakes will have a contender from Japan in the starting gate, according to Kate Hunter on Twitter. The 3-year-old France Go de Ina, trained by Hideyuki Mori, is planning a trip to the United States to contest the middle leg of the Triple Crown.

The Kentucky-bred son of Will Take Charge out of the Curlin mare Dreamy Blues was a $100,000 yearling purchase at the Keeneland September sale. He broke his maiden at second asking in Japan, and won a weight-for-age contest before traveling to Dubai for the UAE Derby.

France Go de Ina finished sixth that day after breaking poorly. The colt will enter quarantine on April 27, and fly to the U.S. on May 5.

The post Japan’s France Go De Ina Heading Stateside For Preakness appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Notable US-Bred Runners in Japan: Apr. 24, 2021

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 Saturday running at Tokyo Racecourse. Group 1 racing in Japan resumes next weekend with the two-mile Tenno Sho (Spring) at Hanshin:

Saturday, April 24, 2021
6th-TOK, ¥13,830,000 ($128k), Allowance, 3yo, 1600m
ANNUNCIATION (c, 3, Union Rags–Acquant, by Giant's Causeway) made up a ton of ground after missing the break over this track and trip Oct. 31 and graduated by a widening 3 1/2 lengths (see below, gate 3). The $230K Keeneland September yearling just failed by a neck after a similarly slow dispatch in a course-and-distance allowance Jan. 30 and should be a warm item to make amends here. Annunciation is out of a winning daughter of MGSW Social Queen (Dynaformer), the dam of GISW Force the Pass (Speightstown). Christophe Lemaire has ridden Annunciation in his first two starts and retains the call from gate two Saturday. B-Colts Neck Stables LLC (KY)

IRISH SENSE (c, 3, Quality Road–Miss Singhsix {Ire}, by Singspiel {Ire}) is one of four winners from five to race from his dam, winner of the GIII Obeah S. and runner-up in the GII Delaware H. despite her turf-leaning pedigree. A maiden winner at second asking going 1400 meters at Hanshin in December (video, gate 10), the $125K KEESEP purchase was a latest third when returning from a three-month winter freshening at Chukyo Mar. 13. Irish Sense has the rail draw, with Mirco Demuro in the irons. B-Normandy Farm LLC (KY)

 

 

12th-TOK, ¥21,000,000 ($194k), Allowance, 4yo/up, 1400m
LECCE BAROQUE (f, 4, Uncle Mo–My Fast One, by Elusive Quality) won her first two career outings over course and distance by 19 lengths combined–both times as the heavy favorite (see below, gate 10)–and most recently bounced back to something approaching her best with a second-place finish over 1200 meters at Nakayama Dec. 26. A $410K KEESEP yearling turned $525K OBS March breezer, Lecce Baroque is out of a half-sister to SW No Mo Dough (Uncle Mo) and SP Terrific Storm (Storm Cat). Lemaire will have to work out a trip from the outermost stall in the field of 16. B-MMM Stables (KY)

 

The post Notable US-Bred Runners in Japan: Apr. 24, 2021 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights