Deep Impact Filly Emulates Dam in Shuka Sho

The G1 Shuka Sho had been billed as the stomping grounds of wildly popular white filly and G1 Japanese 1000 Guineas heroine Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune {Jpn}), but instead, 7-1 shot Akaitorino Musume (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) spoiled the party at Kyoto on Sunday.

Following in the hoofsteps of her dam, 2010 Shuka Sho victress Apapane, the Makoto Kaneko Holdings-owned dark bay settled in a tracking sixth through the early going as A Shin Hiten (Jpn) (A Shin Hikari {Jpn}) cut out steady fractions while Sodashi sat in second several lengths back. At the head of the lane, pilot Keita Tosaki had Akaitorino Musume in an ideal position and ready to pounce on the leaders, as Sodashi took over from pacesetter A Shin Hiten.

However, with 200 metres remaining, Sodashi began to weaken and it was left to Akaitorino Musume, Andvaranaut (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}), and the rapidly closing Fine Rouge (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) to fight out the finish. A half-length separated Akaitorino Musume and Fine Rouge at the line, with the latter a half-length to the good of Andvaranaut at the wire. A Shin Hiten held on well to take fourth. Sodashi faded to 10th. G1 Japanese Oaks heroine Uberleben (Jpn) (Gold Ship {Jpn}) broke poorly and never factored in 14th.

“There was a strong idle horse in today's race but I'm really glad we were able to claim the last leg of the  Triple Crown. I was able to settle the filly in good position and let her find a good rhythm. She responded willingly and stretched really well in the lane. I think she is a strong horse and felt that she has stepped up to the next level. I look forward to her performances going forward,” commented Tosaki.

A two-time winner from three starts at two, Akaitorino Musume added her first black-type badge with a victory over a mile in the G3 Daily Hai Queen Cup at Tokyo on Feb. 13. Only fourth to Sodashi in the G1 Japanese 1000 Guineas, she improved to second behind Uberleben in the G1 Japanese Oaks, her first try at 2400 metres, as her previous five races had been at a mile.

 

Pedigree Notes

The winner is the 53rd Group 1 winner for the late  Deep Impact. Already successful at the Group 3 level prior to Sunday, she is among 178 worldwide black-type scorers and 144 group winners. Somewhat surprisingly, she is only the second top-level winner for her sire out of his deceased studmate King Kamehameha's daughters after G1 Japanese Derby hero Wagnerian (Jpn). King Kamehameha has 26 black-type winners and 19 group winners. His best runner as a broodmare sire is 2020 Japanese Fillies' Triple Crown heroine Daring Tact (Jpn) (Epiphaneia).

The fourth foal and fourth winner for her dual champion and Fillies' Triple Crown-winning dam Apapane, Akaitorino Musume is a full-sister to dual Japanese group-placed Jinambo (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and the Group 3-placed Rhinebeck (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). Her dam, who won three of her four starts at two, including the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies when it was only a listed race, built upon her juvenile form with Classic victories in the G1 Japanese 1000 Guineas, G1 Japanese Oaks and the 2010 edition of this event. As a 4-year-old, Apapane added the G1 Victoria Mile to her haul, and her latest produce are both by Deep Impact's brother Black Tide (Jpn)–a yearling filly and a weanling colt.

Katsumi Yoshida purchased the winner's second dam, Salty Bid, out of the Fasig-Tipton February Sale for $200,000 in 2002. Sent to Japan, she placed at the listed level in her adopted country, while her great granddam Piper Piper (Spectacular Bid) ran third in the 1990 GI Ashland S.

 

Sunday, Kyoto, Japan
SHUKA SHO-G1, ¥194,800,000, Kyoto, 10-17, 3yo, f, 2000mT, 2:01.20, fm.
1–AKAITORINO MUSUME (JPN), 121, f, 3, Deep Impact (Jpn)
        1st Dam: Apapane (Jpn) (Ch. 2yo Filly & 3yo Filly-Jpn,
                  MG1SW-Jpn, $1,682,719), by King Kamehameha (Jpn)
        2nd Dam: Salty Bid, by Salt Lake
        3rd Dam: Piper Piper, by Spectacular Bid
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Makoto Kaneko Holdings; B-Northern
Farm (Jpn); T-Sakae Kunieda; J-Keita Tosaki. ¥103,360,000.
Lifetime Record: 7-4-1-0. *Full to Jinambo (Jpn) (Deep Impact
{Jpn}), MGSP-Jpn, $921,944; and Rhinebeck (Jpn) (Deep
Impact {Jpn}), GSP-Jpn, $783,280. Werk Nick Rating: A+++.
   *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Fine Rouge (Jpn), 121, f, 3, Kizuna (Jpn)
        1st Dam: Passion Rouge (Jpn), by Boston Harbor
        2nd Dam: Sexy Coconuts (Jpn), by Dance in the Dark (Jpn)
        3rd Dam: Coco Passion (Fr), by Groom Dancer
(¥33,000,000 Wlg '18 JRHAJUL). O-Genichi Mutsui; B-Northern
Farm (Jpn); ¥40,960,000.
3–Andvaranaut (Jpn), 121, f, 3, King Kamehameha (Jpn)
        1st Dam: Gullveig (Jpn), by Deep Impact (Jpn)
        2nd Dam: Air Groove (Jpn), by Tony Bin (Ire)
        3rd Dam: Dyna Carle (Jpn), by Northern Taste
O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥25,480,000.
Margins: HF, HF, 1HF. Odds: 7.90, 4.60, 6.30.
Also Ran: A Shin Hiten (Jpn), Slyly (Jpn), Stellaria (Jpn), Art de Vivre (Jpn) Dead Heat, Another Lyric (Jpn), Miss Figaro (Jpn), Sodashi (Jpn), Through Seven Seas (Jpn), Sulfur Cosmos (Jpn), Uberleben (Jpn), Enthusiasm (Jpn), Cool Cat (Jpn), Ho O Ixelles (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart & video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

The post Deep Impact Filly Emulates Dam in Shuka Sho appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Maurice Colts One-Two in Chukyo Contest

Pixie Knight (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) caused an upset in the G3 Nikkan Sports Sho Shinzan Kinen at Chukyo on Sunday. He led home an exacta for his sire, former Japanese Horse of the Year Maurice (Jpn), 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Rooks Nest (Jpn), who was 3/4 to the good of Bathrat Leon (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}). Favoured Kukuna (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}) reported home fourth, another half-length back.

The 12-1 shot surged immediately to the head of affairs and raced with ears pricked through splits of :23.40 for the quarter and :46.30 for the half-mile. Still full of run 600 metres from home, he was soon pressured by Bathrat Leon to his outside, but shifted to another gear and quickened away again 200 metres out. Under mainly hands and heels, Pixie Knight had built up enough of a cushion that Rooks Nest’s late rally fell short and he scored a shade handily, appearing to have plenty more to give if asked.

Off the mark at first asking in a Chukyo newcomer race on Sept. 26, the Silk Racing colourbearer was wheeled back going the same 1400-metre trip at Hanshin on Nov. 23 and ran third in the Shumeigiku Sho.

Pedigree Notes
Part of the first Northern Hemisphere crop of his sire, Japanese Horse of the Year Maurice, Pixie Knight is his Shadai-based sire’s initial black-type winner. Maurice was named the champion sprinter/miler in 2015 and scored six times at the highest level in Japan and Hong Kong. Maurice’s Infinite (Jpn) has also filled the runner-up position in the G3 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup.

The third foal from his three-time winning dam, Pixie Knight has the older half-brother Salpa (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}), the winning 4-year-old half-sister Vidia (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}), a juvenile half-brother by Black Tide (Jpn) and a yearling half-sibling by Mikki Isle (Jpn). Pixie Hollow visited the court of Kizuna (Jpn) last spring.

His third dam produced Japanese MSW & MGSP Danon Come On (Jpn) (Symboli Kris S), GSW Queen’s Barn (Jpn) (Special Week {Jpn}), SW Wild Soldier (Jpn) (Brocco), SP Lebaiserdel’ange (Jpn) (Gold Allure {Jpn}) and the dam of MGSW & G1 Sprinters S. third Ukiyono Kaze (Jpn) (On Fire {Jpn}). GI Vanity H. heroine A Kiss For Luck (Reflected Glory) is his fourth dam, while GI La Brea S. heroine Alphabet Kisses (Alphabet Soup) is also in the extended family.

Sunday, Kyoto, Japan
NIKKAN SPORTS SHO SHINZAN KINEN-G3, ¥72,760,000 (US$700,043/£515,984/€572,589), Chukyo, 1-10, 3yo, 1600mT, 1:33.30, fm.
1–PIXIE KNIGHT (JPN), 123, c, 3, Maurice (Jpn)
          1st Dam: Pixie Hollow (Jpn), by King Halo (Jpn)
          2nd Dam: Rhein Regina (Jpn), by Sakura Bakushin O (Jpn)
          3rd Dam: Shinko Angel, by Ogygian
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUp WIN. O-Silk Racing; B-Northern
Farm (Jpn); T-Hidetaka Otonashi; J-Yuichi Fukunaga. ¥38,532,000. Lifetime
Record: 3-2-0-1. Werk Nick Rating: D. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
*1st SW/GSW for sire (by Screen Hero {Jpn}).
2–Rooks Nest (Jpn), 123, c, 3, Maurice (Jpn)–Villa (Jpn), by
Deep Impact (Jpn). O-Yoshiro Kubota; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
¥15,152,000.
3–Bathrat Leon (Jpn), 123, c, 3, Kizuna (Jpn)–Bathrat Amal
(Jpn), by New Approach (Ire). O-Hiroo Race; B-Mishima Bokujo
(Jpn); ¥9,576,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 3/4, HF. Odds: 12.00, 19.40, 3.20.
Also Ran: Kukuna (Jpn), Seraphinite (Jpn), Blue Symphony (Jpn), Maria Elena (Jpn), Wazamono (Jpn), Luz (Jpn), Raison du Sourire (Jpn), Daddy’s Vivid (Jpn), Tokai King (Jpn), Fervore (Jpn), Castilla (Jpn), Lord Max (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart & video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

The post Maurice Colts One-Two in Chukyo Contest appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Japan: Trio Of Grade 1 Winners Line Up For Sunday’s Queen Elizabeth II Cup

This week's top racing action moves from Tokyo to western Japan and the Sunday, Nov. 15 Queen Elizabeth II Cup.

Unlike other years, the Yodo fall tradition will be held, not at Kyoto Racecourse, but at Hanshin, due to the massive renovation under way at the former. It's not the first time the all-female Grade 1 will be held at Hanshin. Hanshin hosted the 2,200-meter turf competition back in 1979, the year the current Kyoto grandstand was built.

This year marks the 45th running of the Queen Elizabeth II Cup. The race, which used to serve as the final leg of the filly triple crown, was opened to older females in 1996, and since then, first prize has gone to a 3-year-old only eight times. This year, 19 fillies and mares aged 3 to 5 have been nominated to fill the race's 18 berths.

There are three Grade 1 winners in the mix – last year's champion Lucky Lilac, 2019 Japanese Oaks winner Loves Only You and the 2019 Victoria Mile victor Normcore. Youth figures strongly in this year's field. Six youngsters are set to go up against the formidable older ladies, and though none of the 3-year-olds are Grade 1 winners, participating will be this year's Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) runner-up Win Marilyn and third-place finisher Win Mighty, as well as the third-place finisher in the Shuka Sho, Soft Fruit.

The difference in venues, however, will make study of past results largely moot. The courses are similarly shaped and at both the race starts far to the right of the grandstand. Races are also run to the right at both Kyoto and Hanshin (the inner and outer course, respectively), but there are marked differences in their respective 2,200-meter courses.

At Hanshin, the distance to the first turn is more than half a furlong longer than at Kyoto, allowing for more room to maneuver from the break. And, the track is downhill, resulting in faster first lap times. At Kyoto there is a significant backstretch upgrade, which causes speed to pick up as the track drops turning out of the backstretch and disadvantage horses on the outside around the turn and into the straight.

Additionally, at Hanshin, there is a slight hill just before the finish line that starts 200 meters out and rises two meters over about 150 meters.

Also, rather than a brilliant final burst of speed, the Hanshin 2,200 (its most notable race being the Grade 1 Takarazuka Kinen) tends more to favor horses who can run at a good steady speed over a long distance. But the homestretch is shorter than Kyoto's and adds to the fun.

Here's a look at some standouts:

Lucky Lilac – A big chestnut like her sire Orfevre, Lucky Lilac is expected to be the favorite Sunday. Highly consistent, the 5-year-old mare suffered her only finish out of Top 3 since spring 2019 in this year's Takarazuka Kinen. She had won the Grade 1 Osaka Hai over the Hanshin 2,000 meters before that and last out, in the Grade 2 Sapporo Kinen, she finished third after racing in second position and leaving herself open to studied attack. Lucky Lilac was runnerup in the last year's Hong Kong Vase and, amid all-female competition, will be a hard one to beat. The relatively long time between races, however, is a concern. “She went to the farm after her last race and was back at Ritto on Oct. 9,” says trainer and former jockey Mikio Matsunaga, “but she didn't quite meet expectations in her work Nov. 4, though still moved well. She has come along well though and this time, I think it'll be ideal if she can hold back and race from midfield like she did last year.”

Loves Only You – The 4-year-old Loves Only You, by Deep Impact, finished third here last year and had preceded that six months earlier with a win of the Japanese Oaks. This year, she was already in Dubai when racing was cancelled and started the year with the Grade 1 Victoria Mile and a seventh-place result. Though she won a 1-win class race over the distance, the mile has never been her best. The Victoria Mile was followed with a second in the Grade 3 Naruo Kinen at Hanshin, after which she returned a full 12 kg heavier nearly four months later to take on her first heavy track, resulting in a fifth-place finish in the Oct. 17 Grade 2 Fuchu Himba Stakes. Improvement is expected. Trainer Yoshito Yahagi is on a roll this year and looking to scoop his fifth Grade 1 win of 2020.

Normcore – The Harbinger-sired 5-year-old Normcore beat the boys and topped the field in the Sapporo Kinen last start and put 2 1/2 lengths between her and Lucky Lilac in doing so. Though most of her recent outings have been over the mile, including a 4th-place finish in this year's Yasuda Kinen only 0.1 seconds behind Almond Eye and her record win of the Victoria Mile in 2018, Normcore has scored two of her career six wins over 10 furlongs. She was fifth here in 2018. As a half-sister to Chrono Genesis (runnerup in this year's Osaka Hai and winner of the Takarazuka Kinen), Normcore should find the 2,200 meters within her grasp. Trainer Kiyoshi Hagiwara plans to ship his mare in from the east early. “I want to make the trip to Hanshin on Thursday or Friday. I really want her to land another Grade 1.” The 52-year-old Norihiro Yokoyama is expected to be in the saddle and is gunning for his first win of the race since 1990, a feat that would set a JRA record for a jockey's longest span between wins of the same Grade 1.

Salacia – Another 5-year-old and daughter of Deep Impact, Salacia won her first graded-stakes race with victory in the Grade 2 Fuchu Himba Stakes. Her third bid at the Grade 1 level, Salacia finished a close sixth here last year, only 0.4 seconds behind Lucky Lilac. Her four wins from 18 starts have come at 1,600-1,800 meters and she is 4-4-3-6-9 in contests 2,000 meters and up. However, the switch to Hanshin, with its shorter homestretch will be a plus for Salacia. On the other hand, a strike against her is that she has never win amid a big field. Excluding her debut win, her other three wins have come in fields numbering 10, 12 and 8. And, in her five starts with 17 or more in the lineup, she has never fared better than fourth place.

Win Marilyn – A 3-year-old by Screen Hero, Win Marilyn returned after a five-month layoff following her second in the Japanese Oaks to disappoint with a 15th place in the Shuka Sho on Oct. 18. Her three wins from four starts before the Oaks were all over 2,000 meters, and considering that it was her first time to ship west, that she was up 12 kg, and the fact that she'll carry 2 kg less than the mares and be well prepped to run, Win Marilyn is not one to overlook.

Others to watch are: The 3-year-old Soft Fruit was third in the Shuka Sho after pre-race tensions, a slow break, and having to cover extra ground going into the stretch. She finished only 0.3 seconds behind Daring Tact, who clinched the filly triple crown. A better trip could stand her well. Fourth here last year, Centelleo won her first graded-stakes race and her second race over the distance last out in the Grade 2 Sankei Sho All Comers at Nakayama 2,200-meter in a field that included Curren Bouquetd'or, runnerup in the 2019 Japan Cup. Win Mighty is 1-3-6-9 at 2,000 meters and up and was slow out of the gate the last two starts. Her win was over the Hanshin 2,000 meter on a slightly heavy track. If she can break sharply, she may be able to improve her score.

The post Japan: Trio Of Grade 1 Winners Line Up For Sunday’s Queen Elizabeth II Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Contrail Shows Grit to Earn Triple Crown Honours

Kyoto played host to the 3000-metre G1 Kikuka Sho on Sunday, and Contrail (Jpn) put his name in the record books as the eighth Japanese Triple Crown Winner and only the third to take the Japanese equivalent of the St Leger while undefeated. Symboli Rudolf (Jpn) (Partholon {Ire}) first accomplished that feat in 1984 and Contrail’s sire, the late Deep Impact (Jpn), was the second in 2005.

In marked contrast to his earlier wins, Contrail was tested all the way to the line, with recent allowance winner, the SP Aristoteles (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}), relishing the trip, but managed to fend off that foe and hold on by a neck. It was 3 1/2 lengths back to Group 2 winner Satono Flag (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), while GSW Deep Bond (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) was fourth, another neck behind.

Only eventual seventh-place finisher and 9-1 shot Weltreisende (Jpn) (Dream Journey {Jpn}) was also under 10-1 odds in the field of 18, and Contrail was 1-10 to complete the triple. Chimera Verite (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) was hard sent from the bell, and Contrail perched in seventh with Aristoteles, under Christophe Lemaire, sitting directly to his outside a half-length back. Positions were largely unchanged throughout the early stages, but Contrail turned in well off the fence with 600 metres to travel, Aristoteles still closely shadowing him. Chimera Verite folded entering the straight and Babbitt (Jpn) (Nakayama Festa {Jpn}) picked up the baton, but Contrail was already within a few lengths of the leaders poised to pounce, still harried by Aristoteles.

That duo drew even with the vanguard 300 metres out and quickly distanced themselves. Although Aristoteles, under a brilliant ride by Lemaire, came within a short neck of Contrail a few strides from the wire, the dark bay repelled his challenge and refused to let his rival pass. The official margin was a neck. Satono Flag came from far back to take third, just in front of the stalking Deep Bond.

“I can’t say that I was successful in keeping him relaxed during the race with so much pressure from Aristoteles,” said winning jockey Yuichi Fukunaga. “It turned out to be a tough race for us with Aristoteles looking quite strong and persistent, and this race may not have been his best performance, but I kept my faith in Contrail and he certainly showed how strong he is to have maintained his position up to the end of the 3000-meter trip.”

Named the 2019 Japanese Champion Juvenile Colt after going three-for-three last term with wins in the G3 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai S.-in a record time of 1:44.50 for 1800 metres-and in that December’s G1 Hopeful S., Contrail was not seen in action until a bloodless victory in the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) this April. He easily made it two Classics in a row with a three-length win in the 2400m G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) in May and rattled off a two-length victory in the G2 Kobe Shimbun Hai, a prep for this race, on Sept. 27.
Pedigree Notes
One of 47 Group 1 winners for his sire, Contrail is also Deep Impact’s third Japanese St Leger hero after Fierement (Jpn) (2018), and Satono Diamond (Jpn) (2016). They are the first father-son pair to take the three Classics in Japan. Placed four times as a juvenile in Japan after selling to Koji Maeda for $385,000 at Keeneland September in 2011, Rhodochrosite foaled two winners from two runners prior to Contrail. Barren in 2018, the daughter of American champion juvenile filly and GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile heroine Folklore (Tiznow) has a yearling colt from the second-to-last crop of Deep Impact and a Heart’s Cry (Jpn) colt foal born on Mar. 26. Folklore is a half-sister to SW & GSP Divided Attention (A.P. Indy), as well as the GSP Delightful Quality (Elusive Quality). Delightful Quality, in turn, is the dam of GI Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity hero Essential Quality (Tapit).

 

Sunday, Kyoto, Japan
KIKUKA SHO (JAPANESE ST. LEGER)-G1, ¥267,040,000 (US$2,550,789/£1,955,624/€2,150,288), Kyoto, 10-25, 3yo, c/f, 3000mT, 3:05.50, fm.
1–CONTRAIL (JPN), 126, c, 3, by Deep Impact (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Rhodochrosite, by Unbridled’s Song
                2nd Dam: Folklore, by Tiznow
                3rd Dam: Contrive, by Storm Cat
JAPANESE TRIPLE CROWN WINNER. O-Shinji Maeda; B-North
Hills (Jpn); T-Yoshito Yahagi; J-Yuichi Fukunaga. ¥147,328,000.
Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo Colt-Jpn, 7-7-0-0. ¥675,186,000 Werk Nick Rating:
   A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Aristoteles (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Epiphaneia (Jpn)–Blue Diamond
(Jpn), by Deep Impact (Jpn) O-Hideko Kondo; B-Northern Farm
(Jpn); ¥55,808,000.
3–Satono Flag (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Balada Sale
(Arg), by Not For Sale (Arg). (¥165,000,000 Wlg ’17 JRHAJUL).
O-Satomi Horse Company; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
¥33,904,000.
Margins: NK, 3HF, NK. Odds: 0.10, 22.00, 33.90.
Also Ran: Deep Bond (Jpn), Black Hole (Jpn), Robertson Quay (Jpn), Weltreisende (Jpn), Valcos (Jpn), Galore Creek (Jpn), Babbitt (Jpn), Man of Spirit (Jpn), Satono Impresa (Jpn), Diamant Minoru (Jpn), Turkish Palace (Ire), Danon Gloire (Jpn), L’Excellence (Jpn), Bitterender (Jpn), Chimera Verite (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart & video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

The post Contrail Shows Grit to Earn Triple Crown Honours appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights