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Notable US-Breds in Japan: Aug. 22, 2021

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 Sunday running at Kokura, Niigata and Sapporo Racecourses. Sunday's G3 Kitakyushu Kinen at Kokura, one of a couple of steppingstones to October's G1 Sprinters' S., has attracted US-bred GISW Mozu Superflare (Speightstown) and GSW/G1SP Gendarme (Kitten's Joy) going the metric six furlongs:

Sunday, August 22, 2021
1st-SAP, ¥9,680,000 ($88k), Maiden, 2yo, 1500mT
SEA VIXEN (f, 2, Into Mischief–Sly Warrior, by First Samurai) is out of a four-time winning half-sister to MSP Pull Dancer (Pulpit), the dam of the versatile Good Samaritan (Harlan's Holiday), a two-time graded winner and Grade I-placed on the main track and GSW/GISP on the grass; and GSW Brave Nation (Pioneerof the Nile). The February foal's third dam Emmaus (Silver Deputy) produced Wise Dan's sire Wiseman's Ferry (Hennessy) and was a half-sister to GSWs Della Francesca (Danzig), Country Cat (Storm Cat) and Bernstein (Storm Cat). A $130K Keeneland September yearling, Sea Vixen fetched $500K from Yuji Hasegawa after breezing a furlong in the bullet time of :9 4/5 at OBS this past March. B-Breeze Easy LLC (KY)

3rd-NII, ¥13,400,000 ($122k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m
HANA KIRI (c, 2, Tapit–Tamarack Bay, by Dehere) was snapped up for $325K by trainer Hideyuki Mori on behalf of owner Tsuyoshi Ono at KEESEP last fall and looks to become the eighth winner from nine to race from his GSP dam. Of the seven previous winners, four have earned full black-type, including GISW Tamarando (Bertrando), GSW turf marathoner Ward 'N Jerry (Lucky Pulpit)–third in a Del Mar optional claimer Thursday–MSW Luckarack (Lucky Pulpit) and SW U'narack (Unusual Heat). To date, the all-conquering Tapit is the sire of 37 winners from 41 starters in Japan. Mirco Demuro sees fit to ride. B-Mr & Mrs Larry D Williams (KY)

5th-KOK, ¥13,400,000 ($122k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1200mT
JEAN GROS (c, 2, More Than Ready–Goodbye Stranger, by Broad Brush) was acquired by John Mayer's Nursery Place for $120K carrying this full-brother to MGSW & GISP Tom's Ready at Keeneland January in 2019 and led the colt out unsold on a bid of $130K at KEESEP in 2020. Pike Racing consigned the early March foal to this year's OBSMAR sale, where he was knocked down to the aforementioned Mori for $265K after breezing in :10 flat. Jean Gros is out of a half to the MSW dam of Deep Opus (Exchange Rate), a four-time winner of better than $600K in Japan. B-Nursery Place & Partners (KY)

6th-KOK, ¥9,680,000 ($88k), Maiden, 3yo, 1000m
LA LA CHANDON (c, 3, Street Sense–Divine Praises, by Medaglia d'Oro) cost $260K at KEESEP in 2019 and is out of a full-sister to MGSW & GISP Valid and a half to GISW Malibu Prayer (Malibu Moon). The colt's third dam Lyrical Prayer (The Minstrel) produced future GISW Swagger Jack (Smart Strike) when she was 18 years of age, a decade after foaling GSW Tap Dance (Pleasant Tap). The now 2-year-old out of Divine Praises, a filly named Harper's Road (Quality Road),was purchased by the Albaugh Family for $400K at KEESEP last fall. B-Three Chimneys Farm LLC (KY)

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Second Chances: James Aloysius

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar.

It was a tale of two trips with James Aloysius (c, 2, More Than Ready–Olorda {Ger}, by Lord of England {Ger}) having to settle for an educational second on debut behind the well-meant firster Portfolio Company (Kitten's Joy) going 1 1/16 miles over the Saratoga lawn on opening weekend (video).

Off at 4-1, the rail-drawn dark bay brushed with a rival just after the start, and, after slightly tapping on the brakes in some early traffic passing the stands for the first time, settled in sixth beneath Luis Saez as the aforementioned favorite stalked in second behind easy fractions of :25.15 and :50.86 over the “good” going.

James Aloysius began to launch a flashy, three-wide blitz on the far turn as the Chad Brown-trained Portfolio Company enjoyed first run and hit the front at the top of the stretch. James Aloysius continued to rally nicely in the lane despite repeatedly getting in and cut the final margin to 3/4 of a length. He earned a 71 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.

“He's a nice colt, just a little green,” trainer Danny Gargan said. “I'm not really a first-time starter kind of person. We told the jock to break and get a good position and just make sure that he's running turning for home. Luis said if he had hit him left-handed instead of right-handed, he would've won the race. He just shied from it, and got on top of those other horses for a minute. He's a pretty talented colt.”

He continued, “Chad told me probably six weeks before the race that the Kitten's Joy was a nice horse and that he thinks he's gonna be a really good horse. He's really high on him. So, hopefully we'll be around somewhere in the fall.”

Bred in Kentucky by Martin Schwartz, James Aloysius is the first foal out of Olorda, a two-time Grade III winner in the U.S. and a Group 3 winner in France. She was also third in the 2015 G1 Pour Moi Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary. James Aloysius brought $200,000 from Oracle Bloodstock, agent, on behalf of West Paces Racing LLC at last year's Keeneland September sale.

“He's named after the owner [Larry Connolly]'s brother who passed away and another friend of theirs,” Gargan said. “One of them was named James and the other's last name was Aloysius.”

As for what's next for the equine James Aloysius, Gargan said, “I don't run back fast–I run every seven-eight weeks. We're probably gonna aim to get a race into him towards the end of the meet. Hopefully, if everything goes as planned, that's what we're shooting for.”

Gargan concluded, “We like him a lot. I'm pretty lucky this year. We have a little better stock than we normally do baby wise, so that's exciting.”

Previous standouts featured in 'Second Chances' include: GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner Honor A. P. (Honor Code), GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner and Royal Ascot G2 Norfolk S. runner-up Golden Pal (Uncle Mo), MGISW and 'TDN Rising Star' Paradise Woods (Union Rags), GIII Las Virgenes S. heroine Moonlight d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro), GII Los Alamitos Futurity winner and MGISP Spielberg (Union Rags), GSW Backyard Heaven (Tizway), and MSW and 'TDN Rising Star' Gidu (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).

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Empire Maker Filly, Malibu Moon Colt Breeze Fastest Furlongs During First Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Under Tack Session

Two juveniles tied for the fastest time at an eighth of a mile on Tuesday during the first session of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds In Training Sale Under Tack Show, each covering the distance in :10 seconds flat.

Hip 109 is an Empire Maker filly out of the placed Deputy Minister mare Pontiana. All four foals to race out of the dam are winners, including the stakes-placed Addibel Lightning. The filly's second dam is the multiple Grade 1 winner Shine Again.

McKathan Bros. Sales consigns the filly, as agent.

Also hitting the time on Tuesday was Hip 164, a Malibu Moon colt out of the unraced Seeking the Gold mare Seeking Atlantis. The bay colt is a sibling to four winners from as many runners out of the dam, including Grade 3-placed Seeking Her Glory and stakes-placed Castellani. His second dam is the multiple Grade 3 winner Atlantic Ocean.

The colt is consigned by Eddie Woods, agent.

Tuesday's fastest juvenile at a quarter-mile was Hip 166, a More Than Ready colt who stopped the clock in :21 2/5 seconds.

The dark bay or brown colt is out of the Grade 3-winning Forestry mare Separate Forest, whose three foals to race are all winners, including the Grade 2-placed stakes winner Hendy Woods. Kirkwood Stables consigns the colt, as agent.

The Fasig-Tipton Midlantic under tack show continues daily through Thursday, May 13, with each day's breezes beginning at 8 a.m. Eastern.

The auction itself will take place May 17-18, starting each day at 11 a.m. Eastern.

To view the full results from Tuesday's under tack show, click here.

The post Empire Maker Filly, Malibu Moon Colt Breeze Fastest Furlongs During First Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Under Tack Session appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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More Than Ready Colt Sets Midlantic Bullet

TIMONIUM, MD – The under-tack show ahead of next week's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale kicked off under sunny skies and unseasonably cool temperatures in the mid-50s at the Maryland State Fairgrounds Tuesday. A colt by More Than Ready turned in the day's fastest quarter-mile work, while a colt by Malibu Moon and a filly by Empire Maker shared the fastest furlong time.

Kip Elser's Kirkwood Stables sent out hip 166, a son of More Than Ready out of graded winner Separate Forest (Forestry) to work the quarter-mile bullet of :21 2/5 during the fifth of seven sets Tuesday. Elser purchased the colt for $75,000 as part of his Gulfstream Gallop pinhooking partnership at last year's Fasig-Tipton October. After galloping at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream under-tack show, the dark bay colt RNA'd for $115,000.

“He galloped well and I was surprised he didn't get more attention at Gulfstream,” Elser said. “We took him home, gave him three weeks in the paddock and galloped him and breezed him a couple of times. And that's all he did.”

Elser said of the colt, “He's like a lot of More Than Readys, he's not real big. But I have loved More Than Ready since the day I bet on him the day he broke his maiden at Keeneland for Todd [Pletcher]. And he's been good to me ever since. He's a remarkable sire–200+ stakes winners all over the world. He's been good for everybody that's ever been near him.”

Three years ago, Elser had success in the Midlantic sales ring with another colt who had RNA'd at a previous juvenile sale that spring. By Mucho Macho Man, the colt RNA'd for $55,000 at OBS March before working the quarter-mile bullet in :21 1/5 and selling for $625,000 to Michael Lund Petersen. Named Mucho Gusto, the handsome chestnut went on to win the 2020 GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational.

“They liked him better here,” Elser said of that 2018 result.

Asked if he thought the buyers might also like this colt by More Than Ready more in Timonium, Elser chuckled and said, “I'd imagine.”

The first 195 catalogued juveniles worked over seven sets, beginning at 8 a.m. and continuing until shortly before 3 p.m. Tuesday.

“This is always as a good a track as there is anywhere,” Elser said of conditions at the Timonium oval. “These guys are consistent. They do a great job. They care about it. One of the things that really helps–it makes for a slightly longer day–but cutting it off at 22 in every set so every horse gets a fresh racetrack. I'm a big fan of this racetrack and the crew that takes care of it and I always have been. Not just this year, but every year.”

During the day's first set, a colt by Malibu Moon (hip 164) worked the furlong in what would be the day's co-bullet :10 flat. Out of Seeking Atlantis (Seeking the Gold), the bay is a half-brother to Seeking Her Glory (Giant's Causeway). His second dam is multiple graded stakes winner Atlantic Ocean (Stormy Atlantic).

Bred by Castleton Lyons and Kilboy Estate, the juvenile RNA'd for $135,000 at the 2020 Keeneland January sale. He is consigned to the Midlantic sale by Eddie Woods.

“I was delighted with the work,” Woods said. “He's a big, stretchy horse. So for him to be able to do that around here is pretty good. He wasn't on his right lead, unfortunately, but the video still looks good. He just tries so hard. And he's coming off a mile track. So they have trouble adjusting to a little track like this and the leads some of the time.”

Woods continued, “I haven't had him that long. He came up from Bill Harrigan. Bill owns him in his partnership. They did a great job, as usual, getting him ready.”

Last year's Midlantic sale was pushed back to the end of June due to the pandemic and Woods did not offer a consignment at the 2020 auction. The Irishman admitted he was happy to be back in Timonium this year.

“All of the sales are important, just to keep our industry rotating, rolling along, and this is part of the rotation,” Woods said. “And this is a good sale because there are buyers who come here that don't go anywhere else. It's always been a good place to sell a nice horse, but then anywhere is a good place to sell a nice horse. They always find them. You look around, most of the top-end people, they attend all the sales. It's the other guys that kind of clean up, the locals come in and buy here. There are a lot of racetracks within a short commute of here, so hopefully they need product.”

Working during Tuesday's fourth set, a filly by Empire Maker (hip 109) shared the bullet furlong time of :10 flat. The bay is out of Pontiana (Deputy Minister)–a daughter of Grade I winner Shine Again (Wild Again)–and she is a half-sister to stakes-placed Addibel Lightning (Colonel John).

The juvenile was consigned by Kevin McKathan's McKathan Bros. Sales and was purchased for $125,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton October sale.

The seventh and final session of Tuesday's under-tack show was delayed when hip 130 was injured and had to be pulled up on the backstretch following her work. The filly was taken off the track by horse ambulance.

The under-tack show continues through Thursday with sessions beginning each day at 8 a.m. The Midlantic sale will be held next Monday and Tuesday with bidding commencing both days at 11 a.m.

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