Nakayama | Horse Racing Free Tips

Notable US-Bred Runners in Japan: Jan. 8, 2022

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. The first weekend of racing for the new year takes place at Chukyo and Nakayama, featuring a pair of Group 3 tests over a mile for newly turned 3-year-olds and each featuring one American-bred. Those horses will appear in Saturday's TDN, in the meantime, here are the runners of interest for Saturday's programs:

Saturday, January 8, 2022
4th-CKO, ¥11,400,000 ($98k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1200m
MASCHIETTA (f, 3, Into Mischief–Star Billing, by Dynaformer) is the second foal to make the races for her dam, upset winner of the 2011 GI Matriarch S. for owner/breeder George Krikorian and subsequently purchased by Greg Goodman's Mt. Brilliant Farm for $2.3 million in foal to Giant's Causeway at Keeneland November in 2013. Also from the same female family as MGISW Stellar Jayne (Wild Rush) and Krikorian's MGISW Starrer (Dynaformer), Maschietta cost $180K at KEESEP in 2020. B-Mt Brilliant Broodmares II LLC (KY)

7th-CKO, ¥14,250,000 ($123k), Allowance, 3yo, 1800m
JU TARO (c, 3, Arrogate–Bodacious Babe, by Mineshaft) made an enormous impression in his Nov. 13 debut at Hanshin, bounding clear through the Hanshin stretch to break his maiden on the bridle by a dozen lengths (see below, gate 9). The colt's dam, runner-up in the 2017 GIII Sugar Swirl S., was among the first mares covered by Arrogate in 2018 and was hammered down to Juddmonte subsidiary Breffni Farm for $350K at KEENOV later that year. Bodacious Babe is a half-sister to GISW Sippican Harbor (Orb). B-Breffni Farm (KY)

9th-NKY, ¥19,530,000 ($169k), Allowance, 3yo, 1800m
Like Ju Taro, JASPER GREAT (c, 3, Arrogate–Shop Again, by Wild Again) provided his late sire with a wide-margin maiden winner, graduating by 10 lengths at Hanshin Oct. 9 (see below, gate 2). The $200K Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearling Showcase graduate was part of the Breeders' Cup team sent over by trainer Hideyuki Mori, but he never factored after a slow start and finished better than 14 lengths behind Corniche (Quality Road) with a fair bit of pari-mutuel support. A half-brother to GISW Power Broker (Pulpit) and SW Fierce Boots (Tiznow), Jasper Great is out of a stakes-winning half-sister to GISW Miss Shop (Deputy Minister). B-Jamm Ltd (KY)

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Notable US-Breds in Japan: Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022

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 Wednesday's first JRA meetings of 2022 at Chukyo and Nakayama Racecourses:

Wednesday, January 5, 2022
4th-NKY, ¥11,400,000 ($99k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1800m
WONDERFUL HEAVEN (f, 3, Hard Spun–Couture Cat, by Storm Cat), a half-sister to SP High Fashion Diva (Girolamo), is out of a winning daughter of GSW & MGISP Runway Model (Petionville), the dam of four-time Grade I winner, 'TDN Rising Star' and current Gainesway stallion McKinzie (Street Sense). A $52K purchase at Keeneland November in 2019, the late January foal matured into a $180K KEESEP yearling the following fall. Wonderful Heaven is bred on the same Hard Spun cross over Storm Cat responsible for MGISW Hard Not to Like. B-Kenneth & Sarah Ramsey (KY)

12th-CKO, ¥21,110,000 ($183k), Allowance, 4yo/up, 1400m
LEMON POP (c, 4, Lemon Drop Kid–Unreachable, by Giant's Causeway) won the first two starts of his career, including the Cattleya S. (allowance) in November 2020, and most recently returned from a 13-month layoff to finish a strong second going this distance at Hanshin Dec. 12. A $70K KEENOV acquisition by Paca Paca Farm on behalf of Godolphin in 2018, the chestnut is a maternal grandson of MGSW Harpia (Danzig), a full-sister to the legendary Danehill as well as MGSW Eagle Eyed and GSW Shibboleth. B-Mr & Mrs Oliver S Tait (KY)

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Deep Impact Exacta in Hopeful as ‘Ability’ Prevails

Killer Ability (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) showed plenty of talent to take the G1 Hopeful S. at Nakayama on Tuesday. The 2000-metre affair featured 15 colts in the final Japan Racing Association Group 1 of 2021. It was an exacta for the deceased Shadai kingpin Deep Impact, as Justin Palace (Jpn) was 1 1/2 lengths behind.

Second choice at 2-1, the blinkered colt rated in an ideal position perched in third while saving ground against the rails as Grand Line (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) carved out even splits of :23.90, :48.10 and 1:12.10 while followed by Born This Way (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}). Grand Line's lead shrank and he came back to the field at the 600-metre mark, as Killer Ability appeared poised to capitalize on his dream trip. Born This Way took up the baton with a furlong to cover and Grand Line soon packed it in, but Killer Ability was already at the new leader's throatlatch and soon stormed clear to win going away. Justin Palace rallied for second, with Lagulf (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) third another 1 1/4 lengths behind.

Favoured 'TDN Rising Star' and last out Group 3 winner Command Line (Jpn) went off at 9-5, but was restless in the stalls, broke in the air at the bell and was soon relegated to 11th for much of the journey. He improved on the far turn, but a needed gap did not materialise in the straight and he lost his unbeaten record to be 12th.

“Sitting in the saddle in his workouts two weeks in a row convinced me that he was going to run and run fast,” said jockey Takeshi Yokoyama. “We sat in a good position and when the colt was able to relax in the backstretch, I had all the confidence I needed that he was going to win. I'm sure he will go on to improve further and become stronger. Personally, my goal for this season was to capture a Group 1 title and land 100 seasonal

wins—winning five Group 1 titles is just unbelievable and I cannot thank all the connections and the horses enough for such a wonderful season.”

Fifth at first asking at Hanshin over 1800 metres on June 27, the Carrot Farm runner won a maiden at Kokura upped to this trip on Aug. 28 and was second in the Listed Hagi S. on Oct. 30.
Pedigree Notes
The Hopeful S. winner is Deep Impact's 181st black-type scorer, 145th group winner and 54th winner at the highest level. Killer Ability is the former Shadai resident's second winner of the race, and he is in good company, as his first was 2020 Japan Triple Crown hero Contrail (Jpn). Broodmare sire Congaree, who was a dual winner of the GI Cigar Mile H. in addition to Grade I wins in the Hollywood Gold Cup, Swaps S., and Carter H. and third in the 2001 Kentucky Derby, celebrated his first top-flight winner in this sphere on Tuesday and now has a baker's dozen of stakes winners to date. Now with four grade/group winners to his credit, they have struck in Ireland, Stateside and Peru besides Japan.

Already the dam of the SP Killer Presence (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), 2011 GI Starlet S. heroine Killer Graces produced a yearling colt by Just a Way (Jpn) in 2020 and a mating with Bricks and Mortar did not yield a foal this spring. Originally knocked down for $850,000 to Katsumi Yoshida at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton November Sale, the half-sister to MGSW Chocolate Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) was bred back to Duramente (Jpn). The fourth dam Middlefork Rapids (Wild Again) landed her biggest victory in the GIII Monrovia H., while her best offspring, the Grade III-winning Michigan Bluff (Skywalker) is the dam of Turkey's Champion Imported 2-Year-Old and 3-Year-old Colt Hakeem (Harlan's Holiday), who was also named the Champion Imported Stayer.

Tuesday, Nakayama, Japan
HOPEFUL S.-G1, ¥135,500,000, Nakayama, 12-28, 2yo, 2000mT, 2:00.60, fm.
1–KILLER ABILITY(JPN), 121, c, 2, by Deep Impact (Jpn)
          1st Dam: Killer Graces (GISW-US, $451,097), by Congaree
          2nd Dam: Heatherdoesntbluff, by Old Trieste
          3rd Dam: Michigan Bluff, by Skywalker
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. 1ST GROUP 1 WIN.
O-Carrot Farm; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-Takashi Saito;
J-Takeshi Yokoyama. ¥71,050,000. Lifetime Record: 4-2-1-0.
*1/2 to Killer Presence (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), SP-Jpn,
$197,667. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Justin Palace (Jpn), 121, c, 2, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Palace
Rumor, by Royal Anthem. 1ST BLACK TYPE. 1ST GROUP BLACK
   TYPE. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (¥190,000,000 Ylg '20
JRHAJUL). O-Masahiro Miki; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
¥28,300,000.
3–Lagulf (Jpn), 121, c, 2, Maurice (Jpn)–Abandonne (Jpn), by
Falbrav (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE. 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. 1ST
   GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (¥18,700,000 Ylg '20 JBBAAUG).
O-Takashi Muraki; B-Smile Farm (Jpn); ¥18,150,000.
Margins: 1HF, 1 1/4, 3/4. Odds: 2.10, 7.80, 28.80.
Also Ran: Fidele (Jpn), Born This Way (Jpn), Matenro Leo (Jpn), Achernar Star (Jpn), Shelby's Eye (Jpn), Grand Line (Jpn), Ask Wild More (Jpn), Onyankopon (Jpn), Command Line (Jpn), Satono Helios (Jpn), Crowned Magic (Jpn), Tyler Tesoro (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart & video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Efforia Brings the Joy in Arima Kinen

Classic winner Efforia (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}), who was claiming his third Group 1 ring, took the lead in the lane and fended off a stubborn Deep Bond (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) to win the G1 Arima Kinen at Nakayama on Sunday. Last year's winner, Chrono Genesis (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}), who was making her final start, was third. The Carrot Farm-owned winner attracted the most votes to gain entry to the race, where the 10 horses that accrue the most votes from the public compete and the field is completed by horses with the highest earnings.

In between horses once the gates flew, the 3-year-old settled in midfield just behind Chrono Genesis. Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) cut out fractions on the front end many lengths clear, until coming back to the field in the final half-mile. The even-money favourite passed Chrono Genesis shortly before the third and final turn, while Panthalassa's advantage had shrunk to just three-quarters of a length.

With only 1 1/2 furlongs to cover, Efforia began to unwind, with G2 Prix Foy victor Deep Bond (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) to his inside, closely tracked by Chrono Genesis. Deep Bond clawed his way to the lead inside the final 100 metres, but Efforia was going the better of the two late on, just getting the best of that foe by three-parts of a length. Chrono Genesis finally got going, but it was too little too late, and she was a half-length back in third, the same margin ahead of early stretch leader Stella Veloce (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}).

“He wasn't in the same perfect condition today as in the Tenno Sho (Autumn) in which he was 120%, but his potential proved he still could give a remarkable performance even with the added distance–2500 meters was the longest he's ever run. Unlike in the Derby, he was relaxed and positioned well and was able to show his true strength,” said jockey Takeshi Yokoyama.

Flawless barring a second in the G1 Japanese Derby, Efforia first captured a Sapporo newcomer's heat last August, before adding a Tokyo allowance-both over 2000 metres of grass-in November of 2020. Back in action on Valentine's Day, he added the G3 Kyodo News Hai (Tokinominoru Kinen) and the Apr. 30 G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas), before his Derby blip on May 30. Resuming on Halloween, the colt defeated 2020 Japanese Triple Crown hero Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the 2000-metre G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn), prior to stepping out on Sunday.

Pedigree Notes

Epiphaneia continues to consolidate his position in the Japanese sire ranks, and Efforia is one of three Group 1 winners for the rising star. Besides 2020 Japanese Triple Tiara winner Daring Tact (Jpn), the 11-year-old also has 2021 G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies victress Circle of Life (Jpn), and G2 American Jockey Club Cup scorer Aristoteles (Jpn), second in the G1 Kikuka Sho and the stakes winner Orthoclase (Jpn), twice placed at Group 1 level.

The second foal out of the winning Katies Heart, who did her best work around nine furlongs on the dirt, Efforia is followed by the placed Vangaurd's Heart (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}), a yearling filly by Maurice (Jpn) and a weanling filly by Satono Crown (Jpn). His dam, a daughter of the Listed Prix du Cercle and Remembrance Day S. victress Katies First, was bred back to Epiphaneia this spring. Katies's First, in turn, was a half-sister to Japanese Champion 2-Year-Old and 3-Year-Old Filly Hishi Amazon (Theatrical {Ire}), who also was named the Japanese Champion Older Mare. Sleepless Night (Jpn) (Kurofune), winner of the G1 Sprinters S. in her native land and also a champion sprinter in Japan, is also under the third dam.

Sunday, Nakayama, Japan
ARIMA KINEN-G1, ¥574,800,000, Nakayama, 12-26, 3yo/up, 2500mT, 2:32.00, fm.
1–EFFORIA (JPN), 121, c, 3, Epiphaneia (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Katies Heart (Jpn), by Heart's Cry (Jpn)
                2nd Dam: Katies First, by Kris (GB)
                3rd Dam: Katies (Ire), by Nonoalco
O-Carrot Farm; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-Yuichi Shikato;
J-Takeshi Yokoyama. ¥303,360,000. Lifetime Record: 7-6-1-0.
Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Deep Bond (Jpn), 126, c, 4, Kizuna (Jpn)–Zephyranthes (Jpn),
by King Halo (Jpn). (¥17,820,000 Ylg '18 JBBAJUL). O-Shinji
Maeda; B-Murata Farm (Jpn); ¥120,960,000.
3–Chrono Genesis (Jpn), 121, m, 5, Bago (Fr)–Chronologist
(Jpn), by Kurofune. O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
¥75,480,000.
Margins: 3/4, HF, HF. Odds: 1.10, 19.90, 1.90.
Also Ran: Stella Veloce (Jpn), Titleholder (Jpn), Aristoteles (Jpn), Akai Ito (Jpn), Mozu Bello (Jpn), You Can Smile (Jpn), Kiseki (Jpn), Win Kiitos (Jpn), Shadow Diva (Jpn), Panthalassa (Jpn), Persian Knight (Jpn), Melody Lane (Jpn), Asamano Itazura (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart & video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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