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. We have one horse to focus on over the coming weekend at Hanshin Racecourse. The weekend's main event takes place Sunday at Tokyo with the running of the G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) over a metric two miles:
Sunday, May 1, 2022 5th-HSN, ¥14,250,000 ($109k), Allowance, 3yo, 1400mT MOZU GOLD BARREL (f, 3, Optimizer–Sweeter Still {Ire}, by Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) validated 1-2 favoritism in winning her maiden cozily on debut over 1400 meters at Chukyo in late December (see below, SC 1) and drops precipitously in class and is back in trip off a pair of competitive efforts at Group 3 level over a mile in her last two starts. Breeder Timothy Thompson acquired this filly's Grade III-winning dam for $1,500 at Keeneland November in 2018 and saw the mare's value begin to skyrocket when her foal of 2017, a Kitten's Joy colt named Kameko, won the G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy at the tail end of 2019. Kameko would go on to add the 2020 G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas and Mozu Gold Barrel fetched $190K at KEESEP that fall. A half-sister to G1 Racing Post Trophy hero Kingsbarns (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Group 3 winner Belle Artiste (Ire) (Namid {GB}), Sweeter Still has foaled fillies by Kitten's Joy in each of the last two seasons. B-Timothy Lesley Thompson (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 Sunday and Monday running at Chukyo and Nakayama Racecourses, with a pair of newly turned 3-year-old fillies taking a step up into Group 3 competition off maiden-breaking victories:
Sunday, January 9, 2022 3rd-CKO, ¥9,900,000 ($86k), Maiden, 3yo, 1900m THE KING (JPN) (c, 3, Curlin–Alluring Star, by Exchange Rate) is the first foal from his dam, second to Caledonia Road (Quality Road) in the 2017 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and purchased by Katsumi Yoshida with this colt in utero for $925K at the 2018 Keeneland November Sale. A Jan. 28 foal, The King was offered at the 2019 JRHA Select Sale and repaid a fair bit of the investment, hammering for ¥82 million ($754,400), while the now 2-year-old half-sister by Heart's Cry (Jpn) made ¥40 million ($372,820) at the same event in 2020. The King was a useful fifth on his career debut at this venue back in September. B-Northern Racing
11th-CKO, Shinzan Kinen-G3, ¥76.8m ($664k), 3yo, 1600mT MOZU GOLD BARREL (f, 3, Optimizer–Sweeter Still {Ire}, by Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}), a $1,500 in utero purchase at KEENOV in 2018, ran to the money in her debut to score by a measured half-length at long odds-on going 1400 meters over this course Dec. 19 (see below, SC 1). The $190K KEESEP acquisition is a half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Kameko (Kitten's Joy) and opts for this over Monday's sex-restricted G3 Fairy S. (see below). B-Timothy Lesley Thompson (KY)
Monday, January 10, 2022 4th-CKO, ¥11,400,000 ($99k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1800m
Neither US-bred or -sired, MODICA (AUS) (f, 2, American Pharoah–More Than Real, by More Than Ready) has plenty of appeal to an American audience. The early September foal, who spots her Northern Hemisphere rivals a fair bit of maturity, is the latest produce out of Bobby Flay's 2010 GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine, who was acquired by Australian bloodstock agent James Bester for $675,000 at the 2011 Fasig-Tipton November sale. All five of the mare's previous starters are winners, including SW Miss Debutante (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). Modica, an A$260,000 ($201,089) purchase out of last year's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, is a maternal granddaughter of MSW Miss Seffens (Dehere), whose daughter Miss Always Ready (More Than Ready) produced GI BC Juvenile Turf hero Structor (Palace Malice) and GSP 'TDN Rising Star' Always Carina (Malibu Moon). B-Kia Ora Stud Pty Ltd (NSW)
11th-NKY, Fairy S.-G3, ¥70.6m ($611k), 3yo, f, 1600mT SPEED GLAMOUR (f, 3, Into Mischief–Island Escape, by Petionville) failed to run a poor race in four appearances at two and earned a crack at this level with a narrow graduation going this trip at Chukyo Dec. 5 (see below, SC 14). A half-sister to MGSW Tricky Escape (Hat Trick {Jpn}), the February-foaled bay was bought back on a bid of $250K at Keeneland September in 2020 but blossomed into a $500K purchase at last year's OBS March Sale. B-Machmer Hall (KY)
