Nakayama | Horse Racing Free Tips

Danon the Kid Posts Emphatic Hopeful Win

Undefeated in two prior starts, Danon the Kid (Jpn) (Just a Way {Jpn}) came from off the pace to record the first Group 1 victory for both himself and his champion sire, Just a Way (by Heart’s Cry {Jpn}) in Saturday’s 2,000-meter G1 Hopeful S. at Nakyama.

Land of Liberty (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) went to the front soon after the start as Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente [Jpn}), who was pursued by Orthoclase (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}), prompted the issue through the first turn. Meanwhile, Danon the Kid advanced to third along the outside as the field continued down the backstretch. As the field approached the final bend, pacesetting Land of Liberty swerved suddenly, dislodging his rider, and the advantage quickly went to Danon the Kid, who carried the most momentum turning for home. In full flight late, the favorite kicked on in the final 100 meters, crossing the wire by 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Orthoclase with Yoho Lake (Jpn) (Deep Impact) third.

Winning rider Yuga Kawada commented following the race, “I’m just so happy that I have at last been able to win on one of my mentor and teacher, [trainer Takayuki] Yasuda. The stable staff did a great job in tuning up the colt and he ran much better than he did in his previous start but still, he couldn’t find a good rhythm and was not steady in the last two corners today. There is still a lot of room for improvement and we intend to work hard so he can kick off a good 3-year-old campaign.”

The 2-year-old kicked off his career with a victory going 1,800 meters at Hanshin in June before returning from a five-month break to collect his first graded stakes success in the 1,800m G3 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes at Tokyo Nov. 23.

Saturday, Nakayama, Japan
HOPEFUL S.-G1, ¥135,560,000, Nakayama, 12-26, 2yo, 2000mT, 2:02.80, fm.
1–DANON THE KID (JPN), 121, c, 2, by Just a Way (Jpn)
1st Dam: Epic Love (Ire) (GSW & G1SP-Fr, $205,233), by Dansili (GB)
2nd Dam: Leopard Hunt, by Diesis (GB)
3rd Dam: Alcando (Ire), by Alzao
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (¥100,000,000 wnlg ’18 JRHAJUL).
O-Danox Inc.; B-Northern Farm; T-Takayuki Yasuda; J-Yuga
Kawada; ¥71,092,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0. *1/2 to Mikki
Brillante (Jpn) (Deep Brillante {Jpn}), GSP-Jpn, $826,288.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: B.
2–Orthoclase (Jpn), 121, c, 2, Epiphaneia (Jpn)–Marialite (Jpn),
by Deep Impact (Jpn). O-Carrot Farm; B-Northern Farm;
¥28,312,000.
3–Yoho Lake (Jpn), 121, c, 2, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Crow Canyon
(Jpn), by French Deputy. O-Makoto Kaneko Holdings;
B-Northern Farm; ¥18,156,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, HF, 1HF; Odds: 1.10, 4.70, 12.10.
Also Ran: Titleholder (Jpn), Chevalier Rose (Jpn), Tenkaharu (Jpn), Aoi Sho (Jpn), Machaon d’Or (Jpn), Vigore (Jpn), Admire Sage (Jpn), Whole Shebang (Jpn), Vanishing Point, Say Hello to You (Jpn), Moriden Arrow (Jpn). DNF: Land of Liberty (Jpn)
Click for the Racing Post chart or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. japanracing.com Video.

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Japan: 2-Year-Olds Tackle Classic Distance In Saturday’s Hopeful Stakes

The year 2020 goes out with a bang this coming weekend, which will be a 'double' Grade 1 weekend at Nakayama Racecourse, kicking off with the Hopeful Stakes on Saturday (Dec. 26). The race for 2-year-olds (excluding geldings) was made a Grade 1 contest in 2017, and gives the young colts a chance to test their ability over 2,000 meters (1 1/4 miles), with a view to running in next year's Classics, the first of which for colts is run over the same course and distance as the Hopeful Stakes, on the inner turf track at Nakayama.

There have been 18 nominations for a maximum 18 runner field, as the competition heats up to follow in the footsteps of some big-name winners of the race that have included the likes of Victoire Pisa (2009), Japan Cup winner Epiphaneia (2012), Rey de Oro (2016), and just last year Contrail, to name but a few.

Here's a look at some of the colts expected to make the starting line-up:

Danon the Kid: The unbeaten colt by Just a Way ran out a good winner of the Grade 3 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes last time, when he was sent off favorite. He won his only other race on his debut at Hanshin in June over 1,800 meters. Trainer Takayuki Yasuda, who made headlines in Hong Kong recently with Danon Smash, might have another big race success here. He was pleased with Danon the Kid's recent work at Ritto Training Center.

“The jockey said the horse was relaxed, and I thought he was moving well during that piece of training,” said the trainer.

Yoho Lake: Another colt who lays his unbeaten record on the line here is the Northern Farm bred Yoho Lake. By Deep Impact, he's been favorite in both his races so far, and his latest win came in the Shigiku Sho over 2,000 meters at Kyoto in October, when the soft ground wasn't an issue for him. Jockey Yutaka Take will ride him in this next race.

Trainer Yasuo Tomomichi commented: “He worked well recently on the woodchip course at Ritto, and picked up well from the third and fourth corners. I think he'll be well suited by the 2,000 meters at Nakayama.”

Orthoclase: The well bred colt by Epiphaneia out of Marialite would certainly please trainer Takashi Kubota if he can continue winning in the style of his dam, who has provided the trainer with his two Grade 1 victories to date. Coming off a win in the Listed Ivy Stakes over 1,800 meters at Tokyo in October, Orthoclase will be ridden by the jockey that won on him in his debut race at Sapporo in August, this year's champion rider Christophe Lemaire.

Land of Liberty: An easy winner last time in the Fuyo Stakes over the Hopeful Stakes course and distance in October, the Deep Impact colt bred at Shadai Farm will endeavor to give jockey Kosei Miura a well deserved first JRA G1 victory. He's ridden the horse in his two career wins from the same number of starts, and connections will be hoping the winning streak can continue.

Admire Sage: Trainer Yasuo Tomomichi could well have two runners in the race, with Admire Sage by no means looking like his second string here. The Duramente colt posted a strong final three-furlong time (33.4 seconds) in his last race, the Kigiku Sho over 2,000 meters at Hansin in November, which he won to make it two wins from two starts.

Titleholder: Another colt by Duramente, his earnings are already about equal to his sale price at the 2018 Select Sale. Jockey Keita Tosaki has ridden him in both his races so far, winning on the horse's debut over 1,800 meters at Nakayama in October, and finishing second to Danon the Kid in the Grade 3 Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes.

Chevalier Rose: It's three starts two wins for Chevalier Rose, a colt by Deep Impact. He won his last race, the Listed Hagi Stakes over 1,800 meters at Kyoto in October, as well as winning on his debut at Hanshin in June. He's trained by Hisashi Shimizu, who enjoyed seven Grade 1 successes with Kitasan Black. Chevalier Rose worked under jockey Yuichi Kitamura at Ritto on the 16th, and posted a six-furlong time of 81.2 seconds, finishing off the final furlong in 12.0 seconds.

“He moved well in that piece of work and his times were good. The jockey also reported him to be in good condition,” said the trainer.

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Notable US-Breds in Japan: Dec. 19 & 20, 2020

Saturday, December 19, 2020
7th-HSN, ¥13,830,000 ($134k), Allowance, 2yo, 1800m
FRANCE GO DE INA (c, 2, Will Take Charge–Dreamy Blues, by Curlin) was a sound fourth behind next-out Cattleya Sho hero Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid) in a 1300-meter newcomers’ event at Toyko Nov. 7 before switching to this track and distance to post a convincing maiden-breaking victory Nov. 28 (see below, #10). A $100K Keeneland September yearling, the chestnut is out of a half-sister to GSW Shawklit Mint (Air Forbes Won) and is the early 6-5 favorite to take this next step. B-Betz, Kidder, B & K Canetti & Jim Betz (KY)

Sunday, December 20, 2020
6th-NKY, ¥13,400,000 ($130k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m
BLACK LOTUS (c, 2, American Pharoah–Arravale, by Arch) is the latest to make the races from his dam, Canada’s Horse of the Year and Sovereign Award-winning turf female of 2006, whose victories included the GI E.P. Taylor S. at home and the GI Del Mar Oaks south of the border. The dam of GSP Nancy O (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), Arravale was purchased by John Moores and Charles Noell’s Merribelle Stable for $490K in foal to Animal Kingdom at KEENOV in 2016. Black Lotus, who could become his sire’s 10th Japanese winner, was a $200K KEESEP purchase. B-Merribelle Stable (KY)

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Notable US-Bred Runners in Japan: Dec. 6, 2020

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 weekend running at Nakayama and Chukyo Racecourses. The latter plays host to the G1 Champions Cup Sunday, which features an intriguing clash between reigning Japanese champion dirt horse Chrysoberyl (Jpn) (Gold Allure {Jpn}), the country’s top dirt 3-year-old Café Pharoah (American Pharoah) and dual-surface Group 1 winner Mozu Ascot (Frankel {GB}), having his final career start:

Sunday, December 6, 2020
4th-CKO, ¥9,680,000 ($93k), Maiden, 2yo, 1200mT
JASPER GOLD (c, 2, Khozan–Gracious Lady, by Put It Back) went very close in his first two career starts–both over this trip and surface–missing by a half-length when favored at Fukushima Nov. 8 and by a neck over course and distance two weeks later. The Florida-bred is the first foal from his dam, an unplaced half-sister to SP Lucky Peridot (Itsmyluckyday), and cost $100K at this year’s OBS March Sale after breezing an eighth of a mile in :10 flat. The deeper female family includes Eclipse Award winner Storm Song (Summer Squall). B-Randy Lee Myers (FL)

6th-NKY, ¥13,400,000 ($129k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m
SKY NILE (f, 2, Pioneerof the Nile–Joyful Victory, by Tapit) is the final US-bred produce for her Grade I-winning dam, whose foal of 2017, the colt Saqqara King (American Pharoah) was stakes-placed three times in France as a juvenile. Joyful Victory was acquired privately by this breeder after being withdrawn from Fasig-Tipton November in 2017, dropped this foal and was covered by Kitten’s Joy before being exported. That produce, a colt, fetched ¥105 million ($982,202) as a yearling at this year’s JRHA Select Sale. Joyful Victory produced a colt by Daiwa Major (Jpn) this year. B-Teruya Yoshida (KY)

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