In this continuing series, Alan Carasso takes 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 Sunday running at Niigata Racecourse:
Sunday, July 30, 2023
11th-NII, ¥78.2m ($555k), Ibis Summer Dash-G3, 3/up, 1000mT
JEAN GROS (c, 4, More Than Ready–Goodbye Stranger, by Broad Brush), a brother to MGSW & GISP Tom's Ready, has won four of his nine starts to date, including a stunning, front-running success in last year's G2 New Zealand Trophy over the metric mile (see below, SC 6). Also a listed winner going six furlongs last term, the $130,000 Keeneland September buyback turned $265,000 OBS March breezer makes his first start since the G1 NHK Mile Cup last May in which he bombed the start, but courageously ran on from the tail to finish seventh, beaten under four lengths (video, SC 13). A winner of over $855,000 to date, Jean Gros has the services of top jockey Keita Tosaki. B-Nursery Place & Partners (KY)
Jean Gros (the one on the rail)
final fast work ahead Ibis Summer Dash G3 https://t.co/1SNA7eK5gu— Nakayama Festa (@NakayamaFesuta1) July 26, 2023
12th-NII, ¥21,740,000 ($154k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 1200m
META MAX (c, 3, Into Mischief–Zapara, by Not For Love) was unplaced in a pair of starts on the turf to begin his career, but has shown marked improvement with a switch to the dirt, having amassed a record of 2-1-0 from four tries on the surface. Well beaten behind the classy Perriere (Jpn) (Henny Hughes) in the Listed Hyacinth S. this past February, the $180,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling and $1.1-million OBSMAR pinhook exits a victory in a six-furlong Chukyo allowance July 15 (video, SC 16). Both Jean Gros and Meta Max are raced by owner Susumu Fujita and trained by Hideyuki Mori. B-Brookstone Farm & Lee Mauberret (KY)
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