Karakontie (Jpn) | Horse Racing Free Tips

Karakontie Filly Remains Perfect in Appalachian

Gainesway homebred Spendarella maintained her perfect record with a 1 3/4-length victory in the GII Appalachian S. Presented by Japan Racing Association at Keeneland Saturday.

Sent straight to the head of affairs, the bay was soon headed by Glenall (Ire) (Coulsty {Ire}) to her inside and was content to perch in second turning into the backstretch. Well in hand under Tyler Gaffalione, the favorite still maintained her position as noses pointed for home. She took over just before the quarter pole and withstood the closing rally of Dolce Zel to win handily by 1 3/4 lengths. The latter was three-quarters of a length ahead of Skims, who closed strongly to take third.

Gaffalione, who was riding his third winner of the day and second consecutive stakes winner after Prevalence (Medaglia d'Oro) in the GIII Commonwealth S., said, “She was going into the first turn very comfortably. She was in a great rhythm, and that other horse [Glenall]coming up inside didn't bother her at all. She relaxed beautifully and had some turn of foot.”

Added trainer Graham Motion, “She's made me look good. She just does everything so easily. She's such a professional, she's a fighter–she obviously loves it. She makes me look smart.

“I've heard mention of Ascot possibly, so we'll see. I need to talk to Wesley [Ward, who has enjoyed notable success at the Royal meeting].”

Pedigree Notes:
Spendarella was a winner at first asking over the Gulfstream turf in February and an all-the-way winner of the GIII Herecomesthebride S. there Mar. 5. The Graham Motion trainee is one of eight black-type winners and five graded winners for her Gainesway sire.

A full-sister to the MSW & MGSP Spanish Loveaffair (Karakontie {Jpn}), $284,090; as well as a half to the GI American Oaks heroine Spanish Queen (Tribal Rule); the winner is followed by the 2-year-old filly Spanish Destiny (Destin). Her dam, Spanish Bunny, foaled a colt by Uncle Mo born Feb. 17. The winning fourth dam Sunerta (Robert) was a half-sister to U.S. champion and Grade I winner Bates Motel (Sir Ivor), as well as English group winner Super Asset (Sir Ivor) and GI San Antonio H. hero Hatim (Exclusive Native).

Saturday, Keeneland
APPALACHIAN S. PRESENTED BY JAPAN RACING ASSOCIATION-GII, $308,950, Keeneland, 4-9, 3yo, f, 1mT, 1:37.41, gd.
1–SPENDARELLA, 118, f, 3, by Karakontie (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Spanish Bunny, by Unusual Heat
                2nd Dam: Spanish Beam, by El Gran Senor
                3rd Dam: Solar Beam, by Majestic Light
($220,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Gainesway Stable (Antony Beck);
B-Gainesway Thoroughbreds Ltd. (NY); T-H. Graham Motion;
J-Tyler Gaffalione. $179,025. Lifetime Record: GSW, 3-3-0-0,
$283,675. *Full to Spanish Loveaffair, MSW & MGSP,
$284,090; 1/2 to Spanish Queen (Tribal Rule), GISW, $423,600.
Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Dolce Zel (Fr), 118, f, 3, Zelzal (Fr)–Dolce Attesa (GB), by Dr
Fong. O-Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables LLC and Robert V.
LaPenta; B-Scuderia Micolo Di Nicola Galli & C. SNC (FR);
T-Chad C. Brown. $57,750.
3–Skims (GB), 118, f, 3, Frankel (GB)–Royal Decree, by Street
Cry (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE.
($235,000 RNA Ylg '20 KEESEP). O/B-Andrew Rosen; T-Claude
McGaughey III. $28,875.
Margins: 1 3/4, 3/4, 2 1/4. Odds: 0.70, 3.20, 7.00.
Also Ran: Kneesnhips, An Agent Mistake, Glenall (Ire), Ouraika (Fr), Trobairitz.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Saturday’s Insights: Code of Honor Sibling Returns Off Strong Debut

7th-GP, $55K, Msw, 3yo, 7f, 3:10 p.m. ET

BEARS WATCHING (Karakontie {Jpn}), a half-brother to MGISW Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}), looks to earn his diploma at second asking following a very good closing third on debut in the Gulfstream slop Feb. 6. The William S. Farish homebred, trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, finished two spots ahead of subsequent 'TDN Rising Star' Collaborate (Into Mischief) that day, who returned with a daylight maiden victory Feb. 27.

The field of 12 also includes $510,000 KEESEP graduate Stainless Steel (Quality Road), who makes his debut for WinStar Farm LLC and CHC INC., and trainer Rodolphe Brisset. TJCIS PPs

4th-OP, $93K, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 2:32 p.m. ET

A full field of 3-year-olds will line up in this deep contest.

CRYO (Frosted), a half-brother to MGSW and GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint runner-up Dust and Diamonds (Vindication), debuts for Flurry Racing Stables LLC and David Flannigan, and trainer Brad Cox. He brought $185,000 as an OBS April juvenile (:21 3/5).

Fox Hill Farm's Battle Hymn (Tapit), a $500,000 KEESEP yearling produced by millionaire Gold Mover (Gold Fever), kicks off his career for Larry Jones.

The field also includes additional firsters of note: Cronus (Constitution) ($175,000 EASMAY); Golden Flash (Into Mischief) ($300,000 OBSAPR); and Title Shot (Union Rags) ($360,000 KEESEEP). TJCIS PPs

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Karakontie Filly Handles Dirt in Rained-Off Mrs. Revere

Lightly raced Princess Grace handled the main track best of this turf-meant group to make the grade in only her fourth lifetime start. A 5 1/2-length debut romper on the Colonial sod and over a next-out winner Aug. 2, the Moore homebred cleared her first-level allowance condition at Monmouth Sept. 5. She had last been seen splitting Stunning Sky (Declaration of War) and How Ironic when second in the GIII Pin Oak Valley View S. at Keeneland Oct. 16.

Prompting the pace from second among a strung-out field, the dark bay was forced to hit the accelerator midway down the backside to avoid getting shuffled back as foes behind her attempted to take closer order. Princess Grace took command midway around the turn for home under a seemingly confident Florent Geroux, and kicked on nicely from there while never seriously threatened.

“The pace unfolded exactly how I thought that the horse to my inside (Positive Danger {Uncle Mo}) would go to the lead and we could sit just to her outside,” Geroux said. “She broke very alertly and was tracking nicely throughout the race. She’s a nice filly and with winning on the dirt it gives the connections more options in the future but I would guess goes back to turf.”

Winning conditioner Mike Stidham added, “You’re always concerned about a horse that didn’t race on dirt yet. She had pretty consistent works over the Tapeta surface at Fair Hill. We didn’t necessarily have a great line on how she would take to the dirt, but her early works were on the dirt. We thought she handled it very well then, so we were cautiously optimistic. We knew that her dam Masquerade was game on both dirt and turf so we felt good trying it. Down the backside you saw Florent was in a great spot just off the leader. When he let out a notch she just opened up impressively.”

Pedigree Notes:

Princess Grace becomes the sixth black-type winner, third graded, for young sire Karakontie. A rare North American runner whose sire and broodmare sire were both bred in Japan, she is the first stakes winner out of a mare by Canada’s leading sire Silent Name.

Stidham trained the winner’s dam Masquerade, a $15,000 yearling, for four of her six career wins–she scored three times on the grass, twice on the dirt and once on synthetic over a career that stretched from two to seven. Her two stakes placings came for Stidham on the turf.

Masquerade has a yearling filly by Kitten’s Joy and was bred to Frosted for 2021.

Saturday, Churchill Downs
MRS. REVERE S.-GIII*, $200,000, Churchill Downs, 11-14, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m (off turf), 1:44.00, ft.
1–PRINCESS GRACE, 118, f, 3, by Karakontie (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Masquerade, by Silent Name (Jpn)
                2nd Dam: Present Colors, by Prized
                3rd Dam: Blue and Green, by Miswaki
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O/B-John &
Susan Moore (KY); T-Michael Stidham; J-Florent Geroux.
$122,760. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0, $205,260. Werk Nick
   Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Pass the Plate, 118, f, 3, Temple City–Pocket Gift, by Great
Notion. O/B-Silverton Hill, LLC (KY); T-Paul J. McGee. $39,600.
3–How Ironic, 118, f, 3, Tonalist–Sarcastic, by Distorted Humor.
O/B-G. Watts Humphrey (KY); T-Victoria H. Oliver. $19,800.
Margins: 2 3/4, 1HF, 4. Odds: 2.50, 2.90, 7.50.
Also Ran: Stunning Sky, Witez, Positive Danger. Scratched: Hendy Woods.
*Automatically downgraded from Grade II status due to surface switch. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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Pricey Karakontie Colt Highlights Book 5 Opener

A colt by Karakontie (Jpn) (Hip 2814) achieved a very rare feat in Keeneland September’s Book 5 opener Tuesday, summoning a session-topping $500,000 from Marsha Naify. The Gainesway stallion had another yearling in the top five lots of the day with a full-sister to graded stakes-bound Spanish Loveaffair (Karakontie {Jpn}) (Hip 3161) bringing $220,000 from Ballyfair Bloodstock.

A total of 253 yearlings brought $6,484,100 Tuesday with an average of $25,629 and a median of $15,000.Fifty-five horses failed to meet their reserves Tuesday.

Throughout the first nine days of trade, 1,880 youngsters sold for a gross of $240,340,300 with an average of $127,841 and median of $62,000. There were 743 RNAs.

“It has been really thin except for top horses in your draft,” said Brian Graves of Gainesway, which bred and consigned the day’s top lot. “The top horses have a lot of action and bring more than you think they will bring and the horses below that are tougher to sell and you really have to adjust your expectations and be willing to let the market say what they are worth.”

Karakontie Colt Sparks Fireworks in Book 5

It is pretty unusual to see a yearling summon $500,000 in Book 5 of Keeneland September, but a colt by Karakontie (Jpn) (Hip 2814) did just that Tuesday, selling to California-based owner Marsha Naify, who did her bidding over the phone.

“The sire can be grass or dirt,” said Naify. “We think the yearling would be a good dirt miler, but he could also go on turf. There is a lot of upside. There were obviously a lot of bidders for that horse, which drove the price up. But, that’s okay. I stuck to my guns and stayed in there.”

The chestnut is out of Untouch (Speightstown), a half-sister to SW and GI Kentucky Derby third-place finisher Mr. Big News (Giant’s Causeway). This is also the family of GISW sire Sligo Bay (Ire). The yearling was bred and consigned by Gainesway, where Naify keeps her broodmares.

“The Karakontie was a drop-dead gorgeous horse,” Gainesway’s Brian Graves said. “He had everything you want to see. I know we were in Book 5, but he had everything you want to see in a Book 1 horse. He had a lot going for him. Physically, he was a standout. He was really athletic with a big, sweeping walk and was correct. He attracted the interest of Maria Niarchos [of Flaxman Holdings, who bred and campaigned Karakontie] and of Marsha Naify, who decided she wasn’t going to leave the sale without him. It culminated to a perfect sale. It is a very good thing for Karakontie. We wish Marsha Naify the best of luck with him.”

With Naify not in attendance at the sale, it was Graves that pointed the colt out to her.

“Brian Graves helped me and my trainer Karen Headley out,” Naify said. “That is who I will be sending the horse to here in California once it gets cold in Kentucky. I send all my purchases back to Gainesway just to stay in Kentucky a little longer.”

She continued, “He was on my short list. I made some other smaller purchases, not like that one of course. There were a couple I lost out on. Everyone else I know who is over there said he was a good-looking horse and of course they have the videos online. I also got another cell phone video sent to me.”

Naify has purchased five yearlings at Keeneland so far, but Hip 2814 is by far the most expensive. Her other purchases include: a $75,000 Liam’s Map filly (Hip 2235), a $70,000 son of Carpe Diem (Hip 1905), a $35,000 daughter of Jimmy Creed (Hip 3064) and a $30,000 filly by Gormley (Hip 2842).

“I am usually pretty conservative on my bidding,” Naify said. “I don’t spend a lot of money at auctions. I look for horses in the more conservative range who could be stars. This one was just special. He just caught my eye. Everybody said he was a great horse and obviously the underbidders thought he was a great horse. Sometimes you have to just go for it.”

She added, “They will all go to Karen. This is the biggest grouping we will have together. I used to have horses with Bruce Headley. He also looked at the video and thought this was a great horse. He still has an eye for the horses.”

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