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‘Alegria’ Books Breeders’ Cup Berth With Victoria Mile Score

Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) put her stamp on the G1 Victoria Mile at Tokyo on Sunday, a “Win and You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. The 2020 Japanese Champion Sprinter/Miler was winning her fifth Group 1 race when drawing off to win by four lengths over the good to firm ground.

Bet down to 30 cents on the dollar, Gran Alegria perched in midfield as Christie (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) set a demanding tempo. Beginning to make inroads toward the front inside the final 600 metres, the Sunday Racing colourbearer burst to the head of affairs at the 150-metre mark and quickly distanced herself by an astonishing four lengths. Rambling Alley (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) was second, a neck ahead of Magic Castle (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who was a like margin to the good of Dirndl (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}).

“She was very strong as we had all expected,” commented jockey Christophe Lemaire, who won his 38th JRA Group 1 race and his 1,400th overall victory in Japan. “She's not a very good starter so we settled in mid-division, but she raced in good rhythm. After I took her to the outside entering the lane, she showed a remarkable response and geared up on her own. She showed that she's at a different level than her competitors and will probably win more Group 1 titles going forward.”

A winner of the 2019 G1 Japanese 1000 Guineas, Gran Alegria ran second in her 2020 bow, the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen last March, but then rattled off three Group 1s on the bounce-the June 7 Yasuda Kinen, the Oct. 4 G1 Sprinters S. and the G1 Mile Championship. Named the 2020 Japanese Champion Sprinter/Miler, the now 5-year-old mare ran fourth in the G1 Osaka Hai on Apr. 4.

Pedigree Notes
One of 48 Group 1 winners for her late supersire, Gran Alegria also has the second highest tally of top-level victories of Deep Impact progeny with five behind just Gentildonna (Jpn) (7). To date, the former Shadai Stallion Station supremo has sired 175 black-type winners 142 of them at the group level. In addition to Gran Alegria, he is also responsible for Japanese listed winner and group-placed Arusha (Jpn), who is also out of a Tapit mare. Tapit's daughters have produced five Grade/Group 1 winners among 43 black-type winners.

One of two winners from two foals to race for her dam, Gran Alegria is the star offspring of the late Listed Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf victress Tapitsfly (Tapit), who would go on to win both the GI Longines Just a Game S. and GI First Lady S. as a 5-year-old. Knocked down to Katsumi Yoshida for $1.85 million at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton November Sale, Tapitsfly's first foal is Gran Alegria after being barren in 2015.

Saturday, Tokyo, Japan
VICTORIA MILE-G1, ¥204,960,000, Tokyo, 5-16, 4yo/up, f, 1600mT, 1:31.00, fm.
1–GRAN ALEGRIA (JPN), 121, m, 5, Deep Impact (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Tapitsfly (MGISW-US, $1,495,503), by Tapit
                2nd Dam: Flying Marlin, by Marlin
                3rd Dam: Morning Dove, by Fortunate Prospect
O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-Kazuo Fujisawa;
J-Christophe Lemaire. ¥108,820,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. 3yo
Filly-Jpn, Ch. Sprinter-Jpn, Ch. Miler-Jpn, 12-8-1-1. Werk Nick
   Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Rambling Alley (Jpn), 121, m, 5, Deep Impact (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Blooming Alley (Jpn), by Symboli Kris S.
                2nd Dam: Princess Olivia, by Lycius
                3rd Dam: Dance Image (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
O-Shadai Race Horse; B-Shadai Farm (Jpn); ¥43,092,000.
3–Magic Castle (Jpn), 121, f, 4, Deep Impact(Jpn)
                1st Dam: So Magic (Jpn), by Symboli Kris S.
                2nd Dam: Xua (Ire), by Fairy King
                3rd Dam: Bold Starlet (GB), by Precocious (GB)
O-Shadai Race Horse; B-Shadai Farm (Jpn); ¥26,546,000.
Margins: 4, NK, NK. Odds: 0.30, 74.20, 13.70.
Also Ran: Dirndl (Jpn), Shigeru Pink Dia (Jpn), Resistencia (Jpn), Danon Fantasy (Jpn), Des Ailes (Jpn), Maltese Diosa (Jpn), Christie (Jpn), Sound Chiara (Jpn), Red Belle Deesse (Jpn), Ria Amelia (Jpn), Terzetto (Jpn), Smile Kana (Jpn), Affranchir (Jpn), Pourville (Jpn), Iberis (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart & video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Kingman’s Schnell Meister Claws Out NHK Mile Cup Victory

Sunday Racing's Schnell Meister (Ger) (Kingman {GB}) closed late to take the G1 NHK Mile Cup in a bobbing finish on Sunday, his first black-type victory.

Second choice in the wagering at 5-2 behind Group 1 winner Grenadier Guards (Jpn) (Frankel {GB}), the Sunday Racing colourbearer broke well from one of the widest draws and punched the breeze out in the centre of the course while unhurried early. Up front, Pixie Knight (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) led under minimal pressure from Ho O Amazon (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}), with Grenadier Guards and Gray in Green (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) just off the leading duo. The first 1000 metres was covered in :56.90. On the bend, Schnell Meister rallied sharply and was within shouting distance of the leaders with a quarter mile to travel. A furlong from home, he still had a couple lengths to find, but unleashed a powerful turn of foot to collar Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) by a nose at the line. Grenadier Guards was third, 2 1/2 lengths back. Bathrat Leon (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) dumped the rider at the break.

A winner of a Sapporo newcomers' affair in September over 1500 metres and the 1600-metre Hiiragi Sho at Nakayama over a mile on Dec. 19, Schnell Meister ran second in his 3-year-old bow, the G2 Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho Deep Impact Kinen upped to 2000 metres on Mar. 7.

Pedigree Notes
Out of G1 Preis der Diana heroine Serienholde, Schnell Meister is the fourth Group 1 winner by his Juddmonte sire and first in Japan. Kingman's total of black-type winners now stands at 35, with 17 of that number successful at the group level. Broodmare sire Soldier Hollow now has two stakes winners total, both of group class, with Schnell Meister joining G2 Oaks d'Italia heroine Nepal (Ger) (Kallisto {Ger}).

Since foaling Schnell Meister, Serienholde has a yearling colt by Lord Kanaloa (Jpn) and she was bred to Duramente (Jpn). The third dam, Salde (Ger) (Alkalde {Ger}), threw several top performers, among them German highweight Saldenschwinge (Ger) (In the Wings {GB}), group winner and MG1SP Saldentigerin (Ger) (Tiger Hill {Ire})-herself the dam of Group 1 winner Salomina (Ger) (Lomitas {GB})–and stakes winners Salden Licht (GB) (Fantastic Light) and Saldennahe (Ger) (Next Desert {Ire}), as well as the MG1SP Saltas (Ger) (Lomitas {GB}).

Sunday, Tokyo, Japan
NHK MILE CUP-G1, ¥204,960,000, Tokyo, 5-9, 3yo, c/f, 1600mT, 1:31.60, fm.
1–SCHNELL MEISTER(GER), 123, c, 3, Kingman (GB)
                1st Dam: Serienholde (Ger) (G1SW-Ger, $379,079),
                                by Soldier Hollow (GB)
                2nd Dam: Saldenehre (Ger), by Highest Honor (Fr)
                3rd Dam: Salde (Ger), by Alkalde (Ger)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. 1ST GROUP 1 WIN.
O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Ger); T-Takahisa Tezuka;
J-Christophe Lemaire. ¥108,822,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick
   Rating: C+.
2–Songline (Jpn), 121, f, 3, Kizuna (Jpn)–Luminous Parade (Jpn),
by Symboli Kris S. O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
¥43,092,000.
3–Grenadier Guards (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Frankel (GB)–Wavell
Avenue, by Harlington. O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm
(Jpn); ¥26,564,000.
Margins: NO, 2HF, HF. Odds: 2.70, 15.90, 2.40.
Also Ran: Rickenbacker (Jpn), Lord Max (Jpn), Time to Heaven (Jpn), Another Lyric (Jpn), Land of Liberty (Jpn), Ho O Amazon (Jpn), Rooks Nest (Jpn), Veil of Nebula (Jpn), Pixie Knight (Jpn), Shock Action (Ire), City Rainbow (Jpn), Raymond Barows (Jpn), Gold Chalice (Jpn), Gray in Green (Jpn). DNF: Bathrat Leon(Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart or video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Kingman’s Elizabeth Tower Shares the Spoils in Tulip Sho

Saturday's G2 Tulip Sho, a prep for the upcoming G1 Japanese 1000 Guineas next month, resulted in a dead heat between Nagoya Keiba's Meikei Yell (Jpn) (Mikki Isle {Jpn}) and Shadai Race Horse's Elizabeth Tower (GB) (Kingman {GB}), with the latter the first black-type winner in Japan for her sire.

Very headstrong through the early stages against the fence, Meikei Yell raced just inside a tugging Elizabeth Tower. Yutaka Take gave the signal and Meikei Yell burst through the field to decisively take command with a half-mile remaining and entered the lane with a narrow lead. Elizabeth Tower joined her on the inside 250 metres from home and the duo were inseparable at the wire, with Stutti (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) a neck back in third.

As a juvenile, Meikei Yell landed a Kokura newcomer affair on Aug. 22 and followed up in the G3 Kokura Nisai S. over 1200 metres on Sept. 6. She added the G3 KBS Kyoto Sho Fantasy S. that November and ended her season with a fourth in the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies to her maternal relative Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune) on Dec. 13. The Tulip Sho was her 3-year-old bow.

More lightly raced than her rival, Elizabeth Tower saluted at Hanshin versus newcomers on Dec. 19 and was ninth in the Feb. 6 Elfin S. over this trip at Chukyo.

Pedigree Notes
Although unplaced on the racecourse, Shiroinger has hit the jackpot with Meikei Yell, who was winning her third group race on Saturday. She has foaled a juvenile colt by Just a Way and, although her date with Real Impact (Jpn) did not produce a foal, she was covered by Suave Richard (Jpn) last term. Meikei Yell's second dam is the MSW Yukichan (Jpn) (Kurfune), who is a half-sister to Buchiko (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}), the dam of last year's Japanese Champion 2-Year-Old Filly, the aforementioned Sodashi.

A daughter of the G1 German Oaks heroine Turfdonna, Elizabeth Tower is her first foal and the 30th black-type winner for her Juddmonte sire. She has a juvenile half-sister by Postponed (Ire) and a yearling half-brother by Kizuna (Jpn). Turfdonna was bred to Kizuna (Jpn) last spring. This is the extended family of Italian champion and Group 1 winner Turfrose (Ger) (Big Shuffle), who is also the dam of Japanese dual Group 2 winner Rosa Gigantea (Jpn) (Fuji Kiseki {Jpn}) and Japanese listed winner Star of Persia (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}), who was also group placed. German champion and sire Turfkonig (Ger) (Anfield {Ire}) is under the fourth dam.

Saturday, Hanshin, Japan
TULIP SHO-G2, ¥100,200,000, Hanshin, 3-6, 3yo, f, 1600mT, 1:33.80, gd.
1–MEIKEI YELL (JPN), 119, f, 3, by Mikki Isle(Jpn)
                1st Dam: Shiroinger (Jpn), by Harbinger (GB)
                2nd Dam: Yukichan (Jpn), by Kurofune
                3rd Dam: I Shirayukihime (Jpn), by Sunday Silence
(¥26,000,000 Ylg '19 JRHAJUL). O-Nagoya Keiba; B-Northern
Farm (Jpn); T-Hidenori Take; J-Yutaka Take. ¥37,040,000.
Lifetime Record: 5-4-0-0. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the
   free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
1–ELIZABETH TOWER (GB), 119, f, 3, Kingman (GB)
                1st Dam: Turfdonna (Ger) (G1SW-Ger, $343,824),
                                by Doyen (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Turfaue (Ger), by Big Shuffle
                3rd Dam: Turfquelle (Ire), by Shaadi
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Shadai Race Horse;
B-Shadai Farm (Jpn); T-Tomokazu Takano; J-Yuga Kawada.
¥37,040,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0. Click for the
   free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Werk Nick
   Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
3–Stutti(Jpn), 119, f, 3, Maurice (Jpn)–Lilavati (Jpn), by Zenno
Rob Roy (Jpn). O-Carrot Farm; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
¥13,120,000.
Margins: DH, NK, NO. Odds: 0.60, 7.00, 7.40.
Also Ran: Tagano Diana (Jpn), Shirley Poppy (Jpn), Shadow Eris (Jpn), Tiny Romance (Jpn), Malina (Jpn), Rare Champagne (Jpn), Ten Happy Rose (Jpn), Barikono Yume (Jpn), A Shin Pixel (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart or video.

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Japanese Horse of the Year Jungle Pocket Dead at 23

Japanese Horse of the Year Jungle Pocket (Jpn) (Tony Bin {Ire}-Dance Charmer, by Nureyev) passed away at Breeders' Stallion Station in Japan, Tokyo-Sports reported on Tuesday. The grandson of GII Del Mar Debutante S. heroine Skillful Joy (Nodouble) was 23.

Bred by Northern Farm and campaigned by Katsumi Yoshida, the May foal won two of three starts at two including the Sapporo Sansai S. in September of 2000 before a second-place finish in the Radio Tampa Hai Sansai S. Back in the winner's circle in the Kyodo News Service Hai, he was third in the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) before rebounding to take the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) in May of 2001. Only third in the Sapporo Kinen that August and fourth in the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) that October, he claimed his Group 1 in the Japan Cup by a neck over T.M. Opera O (Jpn) (Opera House {GB}) that November. He was named Japanese Horse of the Year and Champion 3-Year-Old of 2001.

Shelved until March of his 4-year-old year, Jungle Pocket ran second in the G2 Hanshin Daishoten and filled the same spot in the Tenno Sho (Spring) in April. His final two runs were off-the-board finishes at Nakayama in the G1 Japan Cup and G1 Arima Kinen. The Katsumi Yoshida colourbearer was retired to stand at Shadai Stallion Station with a mark of 13-5-3-2 and $5,788,198 in earnings.

Besides standing at Shadai in the Northern Hemisphere, he moved to the Breeders' Stallion Station in 2013 and also shuttled to Rich Hill Stud in New Zealand for a few seasons. He sired 29 black-type winners, 16 of them at the group level. Among his best progeny were Group 1 winners Tosen Jordan (Jpn), Aventura (Jpn), Queen Spumante (Jpn), Jaguar Mail (Jpn) and Jungle Rocket (NZ). As a broodmare sire, Jungle Pocket's daughters have foaled 10 black-type winners, six at the group level. Although he does not have a Group 1 winner in that sphere yet, Group 2 winner Mikki Swallow (Jpn) (Tosen Homareboshi {Jpn}) ran third in the G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) and fellow Group 2 winner Solveig (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) was third in the G1 Sprinters S.

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