Japan | Horse Racing Free Tips

American Pharoah Filly Carries Regal Blood Into Chukyo Debut

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 Chukyo Racecourses. The latter is the site of this weekend's Group 1 action, the Champions Cup, featuring US-bred Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid). Look for the preview in Saturday's TDN Europe:

Saturday, December 2, 2023
6th-HSN, ¥13,720,000 ($93k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m
MATENRO TIME (JPN) (c, 2, Nyquist–Cha Cha Time, by Gio Ponti) is out of a half-sister to GI QE II Challenge Cup winner Hot Cha Cha (Catcus Ridge), who was purchased for $37,000 in foal to Super Saver at the 2020 Keeneland January Sale and was bred to this sire prior to her export to Japan. This colt was subsequently sold for ¥33 million ($240,989) Hokkaido Selection Sale last summer. Hot Cha Cha, a $1-million purchase by Katsumi Yoshida at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton November Sale, is the dam of the G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger)-placed Etario (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}). B-Kinya Murakami

Sunday, December 3, 2023
5th-CKO, ¥13,720,000 ($93k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1400mT
SOUND ROCKS (c, 2, Catalina Cruiser–Lily's Spark, by Mineshaft), a $100,000 purchase by Narvick International at this year's OBS April Sale, is out of an unraced half-sister to four-time graded winner Prayer For Relief (Songandaprayer) and SW Twin Sparks (Twining) and hails from the deeper female family of GSW Miss Sunset (Into Mischief). The first runner in Japan for his freshman sire (by Union Rags), Sound Rocks was also a $100,000 KEENOV weanling and $26,000 KEESEP yearling. B-War Horse Place LLC (KY)

6th-HSN, ¥13,720,000 ($93k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1400m
GARDEN CAMELLIA (f, 2, American Pharoah–Avila Road, by Quality Road), a half-sister to Horseshoe Indianapolis debut romper Aged Truth (Tapit), is the latest foal to the races out of a full-sister to four-time Grade I winner and leading sire Quality Road and a half to Mt. Kobla (Mt. Livermore), whose produce include the Japanese MSW & MGSP Mount Gold (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}) and the three-times European group-placed King Ledley (Stormin Fever). Second dam Kobla is a full-sister to 1997 champion 3-year-old filly Ajina (Strawberry Road {Aus}). Avila Road has since been exported to Japan. B-Healthy Wood Co Ltd (KY)

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Schnell Meister Looks For Better ‘Glueck’ In Third Mile Championship Try

A slashing second to the outstanding commonly owned champion Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in 2021 and a fraction unlucky when a close fifth last November, Sunday Racing's Schnell Meister (Ger) (Kingman {GB}) will try to make the most of his third attempt at Sunday's G1 Mile Championship, back at Kyoto after being contested for two years at Hanshin due to construction at Kyoto.

Winner of the age-restricted G1 NHK Mile Cup in 2021 and third in that year's G1 Yasuda Kinen, the son of 2016 G1 Preis der Diana heroine Serienholde (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) filled the same spot behind Sunday Racing's Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) this past June after winning the G2 Yomiuri Milers Cup in 1:31.50 over this course and distance in April. He has just one start since, a cracking third–with some trouble–to the once-beaten Elton Barows (Jpn) (Deep Brillante {Jpn}) and Songline in the G2 Mainichi Okan at Tokyo Oct. 8, which should have him cherry ripe for this test.

“He couldn't get a clear run in the Mainichi Okan final stage, which was unfortunate. As a step race, however, it wasn't a bad race,” said assistant trainer Shun Nabata. “This year, the race is back at Kyoto and one of the crucial points in the race will be the downhill slope turning out of the backstretch. He'll need to have cover there, and I think that will work in his favor.”

Damian Lane produced Serifos (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) down the wide outside to win last year's renewal–while Schnell Meister was locked away inside until it was too late–and it will be up to Yuga Kawada to craft a winning trip in defence of his title. Fourth in last year's Yasuda Kinen, the G1 Racing runner defeated Danon the Kid (Jpn) (Just a Way {Jpn}) by 1 3/4 lengths in this event 12 months ago and finished fifth in the G1 Dubai Turf on seasonal debut Mar. 25. He was a head better than Schnell Meister and 1 1/4 lengths in back of Songline in this year's Yasuda Kinen when last seen.

“This year he is coming off a spell, but he'll go to the gate in good shape even when compared to last year,” said trainer Mitsumasa Nakauchida. “He's able to access his power and he's not one to have difficulties returning after time off. It will be his first time at Kyoto, with it ups and downs, and it's his first time over a downhill slope. I hope to handle the course well.”

The visiting Joao Moreira guided the filly Namur (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) to a 1 1/4-length victory over Red Mon Reve (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) and So Valiant (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) in the G2 Fuji S. going Tokyo's left-handed mile Oct. 21, but deserts that one in favor of the rail-drawn Soul Rush (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) this weekend. Fourth and not beaten far in last year's Mile Championship and third in the Yomiuri Milers Cup, he most recently atoned for a Yasuda Kinen ninth in taking the Sept. 10 G3 Keisei Hai Autumn H. with top weight of 59kg on his back.

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Constitution Son of Mirth Makes Stakes Debut at Tokyo

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 Kyoto and Tokyo Racecourses. A quartet of American-conceived juveniles running on Sunday at Tokyo will appear in Saturday's paper:

Saturday, November 18, 2023
5th-KYO, ¥13,720,000 ($91k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1200mT
EVEN NOW (f, 2, Catholic Boy–Evening Call, by Tapit), a $385,000 in-utero purchase by Katsumi Yoshida at Keeneland November in 2020, is out of an unraced daughter of SW For Royalty (Not For Love), the dam of GI La Brea S. winner Constellation (Bellamy Road), three-time stakes winner Truth Seeker (Into Mischief) and an additional pair of black-type performers. Even Now will be campaigned in the Sunday Racing colors. B-Northern Farm (KY)

11th-TOK, Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai S.-G2, ¥72m, 2yo, 1800mT
CIRCLE OF JOY (JPN) (c, 2, Constitution–Mirth, by Colonel John) belied debut odds of nearly 10-1 going this distance at Hanshin Sept. 10, coming from behind midfield to graduate in professional fashion (video, SC 4). The chestnut is the first foal from his dam, the GI Rodeo Drive S. heroine who was knocked down to Katsumi Yoshida for $1.05 million with this colt in utero at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. Circle of Joy is bred on the same cross as Classic winner Tiz the Law, GSW We the People and SW/GISP Never Surprised, et al. B-Shunsuke Yoshida

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Geraldina Needs Very Best To Defend QE II Cup

Sunday Racing's Geraldina (Jpn), the product of Japanese Horses of the Year Maurice (Jpn) and Gentildonna (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) will have to lift her game to a level not yet seen in 2023 if she is to become the third horse to go back-to-back in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Kyoto Racecourse Sunday afternoon.

The 5-year-old was a cracking third to Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) in the G1 Arima Kinen to end a fruitful 2022 campaign, but it's been tougher sledding this term, as she has finished outside the top three in each of her four starts. Her fourth-place effort to Equinox in the June 25 G1 Takarazuka Kinen was full of merit, as she came from a long way back to finish fourth, and perhaps she needed the run when only sixth to the progressive Rousham Park (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) and Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) in the G2 Sankei Sho All Comers S. Sept. 24. The visiting Ryan Moore has the mount Sunday and knows a thing or two about Geraldina's parents.

“I won Grade 1 races on both her sire and her dam and that is something special for me,” Moore said. “Even though I've never ridden Geraldina, I've watched the video of last year's race and will look forward to riding her on Sunday.”

Gentildonna defeated Verxina (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) into second in all three legs of the Filly Triple Crown in 2012, and the latter–narrowly beaten at odds-on in this event that season–is also represented here by Divina (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}). A close fourth to Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) in the G1 Victoria Mile earlier this season, the bay, owned by former American professional baseball player Kaz Sasaki, exits a nose defeat of Rouge Eveil (Jpn) (Just a Way {Jpn}) in the G2 Fuchu Himba S. at Tokyo Oct. 14.

This year's Classic form is represented by Harper (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), second to Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) in the G1 Yushun Himba and a latest third in the G1 Shuka Sho Oct. 15. Brede Weg (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) was working her way through the lower grades over the summer, but announced herself as a potential top-class mare with a narrow defeat to future Shuka Sho runner-up Masked Diva (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) in the G2 Rose S. in September.

Sheikh Fahad's Art House (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}) was a winner in Group 3 company in January and was last seen finishing a good fourth behind Through Seven Seas (Jpn) (Dream Journey {Jpn}) at Group 3 level in March. The latter gave Equinox all he could handle in the Takarazuka Kinen and went on to be a meritorious fourth to Cartier Horse of the Year Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}) in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

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