‘Yell’ing With Joy As Group 1 Action Returns To Japan With Sprinters S.

On hiatus for the past several months, Group 1 action returns to the Land of the Rising Sun in Nakayama's 1200-metre Sprinters S. on Sunday. Sixteen horses have stood their ground, among them last out G2 Sankei Sho Centaur S. heroine Meikei Yell (Jpn) (Mikki Isle {Jpn}). Leaving from gate 13, the 4-year-old filly and 2-1 morning line pick is aiming to become the first horse to complete the Centaur/Sprinters S. double since Tower Of London (Jpn) (Raven's Pass) in 2019. Trained by Hidenori Take, the Nagoya Keibo Co. Ltd colourbearer will have Kenichi Ikezoe in the irons.

Assistant trainer Kaname Ogino said, “Everything went to plan in her last race, and the jockey got the best out of her. She has returned to training again and seems relaxed, which is a good thing. There doesn't seem to be any change in her condition.”

 

Brilliance Their Stock In Trade

Something of a novelty in Japan, Sunday Racing's German-bred Schnell Meister (Ger) (Kingman {GB}), who scored his Group 1 win in the G1 NHK Mile Cup in 2021 and was runner-up in the G1 Yasuda Kinen all the way back in June, will fly the flag for his Juddmonte sire. Connections did take a gamble and send him to Dubai to start his season in March, but it did not pay off. Half a world away, others looking to give their Juddmonte sire a fruitful weekend at the highest level include 'TDN Rising Stars' Habana (Ger) (G1 Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac, 1400mT), and Kinross (GB) (G1 Qatar Prix de la Foret, 1400mT) on Arc Day. The day prior, fellow Rising Star Laurel (GB) and Mrs Fitzherbert (Ire) go to the post in Newmarket's one-mile G1 Royal Bahrain Sun Chariot S. for the 11-year-old, who sits ninth on the TDN Europe General Sires List this year. A victory by the 4-year-old entire at Nakayama would nudge Kingman up to seventh, after the $1,198,977 was added to his progeny earnings.

Trainer Takahisa Tezuka said, “His condition wasn't so good after Dubai, even though he did manage to finish second in the Yasuda Kinen. After his usual summer break at Northern Farm Tenei, he returned to the stable early in September. He looks his usual self, if not a little bigger, but has moved well enough in recent work.”

 

Age Before Beauty?

Second choice is Mutsuhiro Namura homebred Namura Clair (Jpn) (Mikki Isle {Jpn}) at 3-1, who sneaks into the field under a flyweight of just 117 pounds. Classic-placed over 1600 metres in the G1 Japanese 1000 Guineas this spring, the June 12 G3 Hakodate Sprint S. victress was third over this trip in the G3 TV Nishinippon Corp. Sho Kitakyushu Kinen on Aug. 21.

If she prevails, she would be the sixth Group or Grade 1 winner tracing to 1993 G1 Prix Morny/G1 Prix de la Salamandre heroine and blue hen Coup De Genie (Mr. Prospector) and first in Japan. Appropriately considering the international stakes on offer this weekend, one of that sextet, the now Japanese-based sire Bago (Fr) (Nashwan), claimed the 2004 G1 Prix de l'Arc de Tromphe among his many Group 1 victories.

Trainer Kodai Hasegawa said, “She has had a break at the farm with this race in mind. She has recovered well, and has been able to handle her training workload since. It has also been good to have had some time between races.”

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Bolt d’Oro Colt Looks To Double Up in Japan

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 Chukyo and Nakayama Racecourses:

Saturday, September 24, 2022
4th-CKO, ¥13,400,000 ($94k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1400m
CELADONITE (JPN) (f, 2, Mendelssohn–Celadon, by Gold Halo {Jpn}) is the first Japanese-foaled produce for her well-traveled dam, whose best produce to date was the very talented Copano Kicking (Spring At Last), a three-time Group 3 winner in Japan and a veteran of three starts overseas, including a thrilling victory in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint in 2021. A sound fourth in defense of that title this past February, he was injured in the days leading up to this year's G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen and was retired. Celadon was sent to India in 2016 and produced two winners from as many foals in that country, then returned to the U.S. in 2019 where she was covered by this sire and subsequently exported to Japan. Celadonite debuts in the colors of Silk Racing and has Christophe Lemaire in the irons. B-Northern Racing

 

 

 

 

5th-CKO, ¥13,400,000 ($94k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1400mT
RAIJIN (JPN) (c, 2, Speightstown–Kensington, by Kitten's Joy) is the first foal from a winning daughter of Irish Group 3 winner Rum Charger (Ire) (Spectrum {Ire}), who counts four-time Grade I winner Winchester (Theatrical {Ire}) and dual Grade III winner Middleburg (Lemon Drop Kid) among her seven to taste victory at least once. Kensington was purchased for $130,000 with this foal in utero at the 2019 Keeneland November Sale, was shipped to Japan and produced this chestnut colt on St. Patrick's Day 2020. Raijin was offered at the 2021 JRHA Select Sale, where he was hammered down for the equivalent of $245,095. B-Yuki Dendo

9th-NKY, ¥30,400,000 ($213k), Allowance, 2yo, 1200mT
FROM DUSK (c, 2, Bolt d'Oro–Foolish Cause, by Giant's Causeway) may not have been at his very best over a yielding turf course on Kokura debut Sept. 3, but managed to tough it out for a 3/4-length victory (video, SC 6). The April foal, a half-brother to SW Foolish Humor (Distorted Humor), is out of a half-sister to the late MGISW Get Stormy (Stormy Atlantic) and fetched $900,000 from trainer Hideyuki Mori at this year's OBS March Sale after making $200,000 as a Keeneland September yearling last fall. B-Springhouse Farm (KY)

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City of Light Represented by First Japanese Starter

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 three-day weekend running at Nakayama Racecourse:

Saturday, September 17, 2022
4th-NKY, ¥13,400,000 ($94k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m
EIGHT WAN (c, 2, City of Light–Banree, by Macho Uno) fetched a solid $150,000 as a short yearling at last year's Keeneland January Sale and improved over the next several months to hammer for $310,000 at the Keeneland September Sale. Out of a dual Grade III-placed half-sister to SW & MGSP Superstition (Ghostzapper) and GSW Gloryzapper (Ghostzapper). Eight Wan's Into Mischief half-brother sold to SF Bloodstock/Starlight/Madaket for $675,000 at KEESEP this week. The late February foal, the first Japanese starter for City of Light, is the 14-5 favorite in ante-post wagering. B-Pippa's Hurricane LLC (KY)

SILENT WIND (c, 2, Malibu Moon–Deana Street, by Street Sense) is out of an unraced daughter of SW Deanallen'skitten (Kitten Joy) who cost St. Simon Place $30,000 with this colt in utero at Keeneland November in 2019. A half-brother to a Vino Rosso colt that made $115,000 at last year's Keeneland November Sale, Silent Wind–the 13-2 fourth choice in the wagering as of this writing–was purchased by Paca Paca Farm for $117,000 at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. B-St. Simon Place LLC & Scott Stephens

Monday, September 19, 2022
6th-NKY, ¥13,400,000 ($94k), Newcomers, 2yo, 2000mT
SHONAN GALLO (JPN) (c, 2, Mendelssohn–Lonelily, by Medaglia d'Oro) cost Yuki Dendo $100,000 when offered in utero at KEENOV in 2019 and hails from a deep female family. Third dam Mr. P's Princess was a half-sister to the legendary Korean sire Menifee and was herself responsible for European champion MG1SW Fasliyev (Nureyev), GSW Kamarinskaya (Storm Cat) and the dam of highweighted Misty For Me (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), G1SW Ballydoyle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), SW & MGSP Twirl (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and GSP April Showers (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). B-Yuki Dendo

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Geoglyph Leaves Mark in Satsuki Sho

Sunday Racing's Geoglyph (Jpn) (Drefong) closed from off the pace to annex Sunday's G1 Satsuki Sho, the first leg in Japan's Triple Crown. The victory marked the first win top-level win for both Geoglyph and his trainer, Tetsuya Kimura.

Ask Victor More (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) soon went to the front as Geoglyph–in tandem with Danon Beluga (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn})–traveled on the heels of stablemate Equinox (Jpn) (Kitisan Black {Jpn}) mid-pack. Fanned out a few paths wide turning for home, the colt battled for supremacy with the early pacesetter in the final furlong, dug in to overtake his stablemate, gaining a short advantage late en route to a one-length success over Equinox with favored Do Deuce (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn), last season's champion juvenile in Japan, 1 1/4-lengths back in third.

“His start was good and we were able to sit in an ideal position which was crucial in winning today,” said winning rider Yuichi Fukunaga, who also won the Japanese 2000 Guineas with Contrail (Jpn) in 2020. “I already knew that he was in good form when I rode him during workouts and had every belief that, although the colt was fifth pick, he was capable of winning. The colt has the strength to sustain his speed, so I geared him wide launching an early bid before the fourth corner. I'm just glad I was able to do my job. In the upcoming Derby, we'll have to see if he can handle the 400-meter added distance.”

After debuting in June last year, Geoglyph notched two consecutive wins including the G3 Sapporo Nisai S. and capped off his 2-year-old season with a fifth in the G1 Asahi Hai

Futurity S. in December. In his sole prior start this term, he finished runner-up behind Danon Beluga in the G3 Kyodo News Hai Feb. 13.

Pedigree Notes:
Sunday's Classic victory marked the first Group 1 score for U.S. Sprint Champion Drefong, winner of a trio of Grade I races, including the 2016 GI Breeders' Cup Sprint. Geoglyph represents the Japanese-based stallion's first crop of sophomores.

Geoglyph's dam, listed scorer and multiple Group 1-placed Aromatico, is also responsible for a pair of minor winners–Albilia (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) and Copacati (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}).

Sunday, Nakayama, Japan
SATSUKI SHO (JAPANESE 2000 GUINEAS)-G1, ¥320,750,000, Nakayama, 4-17, 3yo, 2000mT, 1:59.70, fm.
1–GEOGLYPH (JPN), 126, c, 3, by Drefong
1st Dam: Aromatico (Jpn), by King Kamehameha (Jpn)
2nd Dam: Nasca (Jpn), by Sunday Silence
3rd Dam: Andes Lady (Jpn), by Northern Taste
O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm; T-Tetsuya Kimura; J-Yuichi
Fukunaga; ¥174,325,000. Lifetime Record: 5-3-1-0. *First Group 1 winner for sire (by Gio Ponti).
2–Equinox (Jpn), 126, c, 3, by Kitasan Black (Jpn)–Chateau
Blanche (Jpn), by King Halo (Jpn). O-Silk Racing; B-Northern
Farm; ¥66,950,000.
3–Do Deuce (Jpn), 126, c, 3, by Heart's Cry (Jpn)–Dust and
Diamonds, by Vindication. O-Kieffers Inc.; B-Northern Farm;
¥41,475,000.
Margins: 3, NK, NK; Odds: 8.10, 4.70, 2.90.
Also Ran: Danon Beluga (Jpn), Ask Victore More (Jpn), Onyankopon (Jpn), Justin Rock (Jpn), Lagulf (Jpn), Justin Palace (Jpn), Dante's View (Jpn), Be Astonished (Jpn), Matenro Leo (Jpn), Killer Ability (Jpn), Born This Way (Jpn), Grand Line (Jpn), Tosen Vanno (Jpn).

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