The White House Monday announced plans to ease COVID-19 travel restrictions into the United States by foreign visitors from 33 countries, including the United Kingdom and European Union, starting in November. The move is expected to clear the way to make it easier for foreign nationals to attend important equine-related events in the United States like the Breeders' Cup World Championships in California and the November breeding stock sales at Fasig-Tipton and Keeneland in Kentucky.
The new rules will require all foreign nationals from the impacted countries arriving in the United States to show proof of being fully vaccinated and a negative COVID test taken within three days of flight, according to the White House.
“This is very welcome news as Thoroughbred breeding and racing in the United States continues to rebound from the negative impacts of the coronavirus pandemic,” said NTRA President and Chief Executive Officer Alex Waldrop.
Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 1st-KD, $135K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1mT, post time: 1:20 p.m. ET CARIOQUINHA (Gun Runner), listed as a $475,000 Keeneland November weanling, is the latest to make the races for her dam Pure Clan (Pure Prize), a three-time Grade I winner on turf who was purchased by Torrealba Holdings for $4.5 million in foal to Bernardini at KEENOV in 2012. Undefeated at two and also a three-time GSW on the main track, Pure Clan is the dam of two winners from three to start, including Three Chimneys' Princesa Carolina (Tapit), who validated 4-5 favoritism in the Dueling Grounds Oaks over this course in 2019. Pure Clan is a half-sister to the pint-sized MGSW Greater Good (Intidab). Carioquinha is inbred 4×3 to Storm Cat, a topic highlighted in Sid Fernando's Taking Stock column Sept. 10. TJCIS PPs
6th-KD, $135K, Msw, 2yo, 6 1/2fT, post time: 4:08 p.m. ET IBERVILLE (Pioneerof the Nile) cost $260,000 at KEESEP last fall and is out of Fascinating (Smart Strike), herself a $1.2-million KEESEP grad who finished runner-up as a maiden to She's a Tiger (Tale of the Cat) in the 2013 GI Del Mar Debutante. Iberville is a maternal grandson of GSW/GISP Untouched Talent (Storm Cat), whose son Bodemeister (Empire Maker) won the 2012 GI Arkansas Derby before taking excruciating losses when making nearly all the running in the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Preakness S. The colt's third dam Parade Queen (A.P. Indy) was a dual graded-stakes winner on the grass. TJCIS PPs
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 Niigata and Hakodate Racecourses:
Saturday, August 7, 2021 6th-NII, ¥13,400,000 ($122k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m BEYOND THE FATHER (JPN) (c, 2, Curlin–Galileo's Song {Jpn}, by Galileo {Ire}), twice graded-placed on the grass for Dell Ridge Farm and Chad Brown, sold for $1 million with this foal in utero at the 2018 Keeneland November sale. Galileo's Song is out of Song to Remember (Storm Cat), who fetched $1.6 million in foal to Tiznow at Fasig-Tipton November in 2006 not long after her daughter Magnificent Song (Unbridled's Song) came from last to win the GI Garden City Breeders' Cup S. in New York. Top jockey Mirco Demuro sees fit to ride. B-Shimokobe Farm
7th-NII, ¥9,680,000 ($88k), Maiden, 3yo, 1200m SCATTER SEED (JPN) (f, 3, Uncle Mo–Scatladybdancing, by Scat Daddy), a distant sixth on Tokyo debut in a single juvenile appearance, cut back in trip for a course-and-distance test and just missed when last seen July 24. The filly's stakes-placed dam, a full-sister to SW Ultima D, was acquired for $390K with the filly in utero at KEENOV in 2017. This is the extended female family of G1SW and successful young sire No Nay Never (Scat Daddy). B-Oiwake Farm
Sunday, August 8, 2021 4th-NII, ¥9,680,000 ($88k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m CARABELLA (JPN) (f, 3, Ghostzapper–Include Betty, by Include) is the first produce for her dam, last-to-first winner of the 2015 GI Mother Goose S. for Brereton C. Jones and Tim Thornton and trainer Tom Proctor. The filly hails from an active female family, as Include Betty is the half-sister to Gagetown (Exaggerator), narrow winner of the June 4 Prairie Mile and a latest third in the Iowa Derby July 2. The third dam includes GISW My Trusty Cat (Tale of the Cat) and GSP Entrustment (Forestry). B-Northern Racing
8th-HAK, ¥14,360,000 ($131k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 2000mT AIR SAGE (c, 3, Point of Entry–Nokaze, by Empire Maker), a half-brother to GSW and $1.6-million earner Air Almas (Majestic Warrior), made an enormous debut impression when scoring over this trip at Chukyo Jan. 5 (see below, gate 10) before finishing a close fifth when tried over 2400 meters Feb. 7. Produced by a half-sister to SW Yuzuru (Medaglia d'Oro) and from the deeper female family of Devil's Bag and Saint Ballado, Air Sage will be ridden by Christophe Lemaire, who currently holds a 22-win lead atop the JRA jockeys' premiership. B-Winchester Farm (KY)
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 Niigata Racecourse:
3rd-NII, ¥9,680,000 ($88k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m MOZU LOTUS LAND (c, 3, Tapit–Sacred Feather, by Carson City), a $425K Keeneland September acquisition by the owner of MG1SW and now Japanese sire Mozu Ascot (Frankel {GB}), was a debut sixth to the promising Careerism (Upstart) May 8 ahead of an improved fourth-place effort two weeks later. A half-brother to French GSW & G1SP Taareef (Kitten's Joy), the chestnut is out of a daughter of GSW Marianna's Girl (Dewan), also 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). B-Dixiana Farms LLC & Tapit Syndicate (KY)
5th-NII, ¥13,400,000 ($122k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1600mT PIONIER (JPN) (f, 2, Pioneerof the Nile–Skylander Girl, by Stroll) is the first produce for her Grade III-winning dam, who fetched $260K from Polo Green Stable on behalf of Shimokobe Farm when offered as a broodmare prospect at KEENOV in 2017. The filly's second dam, Heliotrope (Northern Score), was a Sovereign Award-winning grass mare in Canada. Skylander Girl's foal of 2021, a colt by Satono Aladdin (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), was knocked down for ¥41 million ($369,370) at the JRHA Select Sale earlier this month. B-Shimokobe Farm
