In this continuing series, Alan Carasso takes 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 running at Chukyo Racecourses:
Sunday, September 20, 2021 9th-CKO, ¥19,110,000 ($174k), Allowance, 2yo, 1400m KOLN CONCERT (c, 2, Mohaymen–Gold Glimmer, by Smart Strike) turned in a pair of useful efforts on the turf at longshot odds to kick off his career, but most recently shortened up to a five-furlong trip on dirt and prevailed by three-quarters of a length when bet to just under 6-1. The $100K Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearling Showcase graduate is out of a winning half-sister to a pair of black-type winners and will be ridden Sunday afternoon by Yutaka Take. B-Buck Pond Farm Inc (KY)
Koln Concert (Mohaymen@ShadwellStud -Gold Glimmer,Smart Strike) (2019) breaks his maiden on his 3rd time out and it was 1st time on dirt. He was bred by @buck_pond_farm and sold @keenelandsales Sep for $100k. The 1st and only runner by Mohaymen in Japan became a winner. https://t.co/tRaRsV3t5M
— Toshi Onikubo (鬼窪峻大) (@toshionikubo) July 11, 2021
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 Hanshin and Sapporo Racecourses, including the first Japanese runner for Horse of the Year Gun Runner:
Saturday, June 19, 2021 11th-HSN, Yonago S.-Listed, ¥47.6m ($432k), 3yo/up, 1600mT
The progressive LOTUS LAND (f, 4, Point of Entry–Little Miss Muffet, by Scat Daddy) has finished in the exacta in six of her seven career trips to the post and enters this first black-type attempt on the back of consecutive victories at this track, a first-level allowance going this trip Mar. 28 and a soft win over nine furlongs when last seen Apr. 18 (see below, gate 4). Connections have opted for this spot over Sunday's G3 Mermaid S., a gender-restricted event at 2000 meters. B-Dr Aaron Sones & Dr Naoya Yoshida (KY)
Sunday, June 20, 2021 5th-SAP, ¥13,400,000 ($122k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1200mT GRAN APLAUSO (c, 2, Gun Runner–Fiducia, by Medaglia d'Oro) becomes the first Japanese starter for his freshman sire (by Candy Ride {Arg}) and is the first foal from his dam, a Japanese listed winner over six furlongs and a near-miss second in the G3 Ibis Summer Dash (1000m). Fiducia is a daughter of Japanese champion Believe (Jpn) (Sunday Silence), who is also responsible for connections' MSW & G1SP Faridat (Kingmambo) and GSW & G1SP Gendarme (Kitten's Joy). B-North Hills Co Limited (KY)
GRAN APLAUSO (Gun Runner x Fiducia, by Medaglia d'Oro) will debut in Japan (Sapporo) on Sunday, June 20!
The Weight for Age race is 5 furlongs / 1200m long and will start at 12:15 PM local time. Trainer is Mikio Matsunaga and the Jockey is Yutaka Take.#グランアプロウソpic.twitter.com/QpQYJlGPPa
7th-HSN, ¥14,360,000 ($130k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 1800m ROSE EMPEROR (c, 3, Medaglia d'Oro–Arch Support, by Arch) was bought back on a bid of $220K at the 2019 Keeneland September sale, but was hammered down for $350K at OBS March after breezing an eighth of a mile in :10 1/5. The late April foal is a veteran of two starts to date, both going this track and distance, including a runner-up effort on debut Feb. 14 before a narrow maiden victory Mar. 21 (see below, gate 7). Rose Emperor's dam was second in the 2010 GIII Miss Grillo S. for this breeder and trainer Gary Contessa. B-Lee Pokoik (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. Plenty of activity this weekend, so we'll begin with Saturday's runners at Tokyo and Chukyo, where the promising Careerism (Upstart) will try to build on an impressive maiden victory from three weeks ago:
4th-CKO, ¥9,680,000 ($88k), Maiden, 3yo, 1400mT ROARING (f, 3, California Chrome–Warbling, by Unbridled's Song) looks to become the fourth winner from five to race for her dam, winner of the 2010 GII Inside Information S. and placed in the GI Princess Rooney H. and GI Ballerina S. before fetching $1.1 million at Fasig-Tipton November that fall. Warbling's stakes-winning full-sister Arianna's Passion is the dam of MSW & MGSP Distorted Passion (Distorted Humor). Roaring was a $260K purchase at Keeneland September in 2019. B-Aaron & Marie Jones LLC (KY)
6th-CKO, ¥13,830,000 ($126k), Allowance, 3yo, 1800m CAREERISM (c, 3, Upstart–Out of Goodbyes, by Out of Place) ran too good to lose in finishing runner-up in each of his first two trips to the post over the winter and most recently overcame a bit of a slow start from a double-digit gate to graduate by seven lengths over this track and distance in strong time May 8 (see below, gate 14). An $85K FTKNOV weanling purchase, the February foal fetched $120K at FTKJUL in 2019 and $200K as an OBS March breezer last year. Yuichi Fukunaga has a return call. B-Golden Pedigree LLC (KY)
9th-TOK, ¥28,600,000 ($261k), Allowance, 4yo/up, 1400m MYTYL (f, 4, Verrazano–Blue Bird Lady, by Congrats) was perfect in two starts going this distance last term, winning her maiden impressively at first asking over this track in February (see below, gate 1) before overcoming an impossible trip to take a one-win class allowance (N1X) from a high draw at Hanshin in June (video, gate 14). A $100K KEENOV weanling and $130K OBSMAR juvenile, Mytyl is out of an unraced half-sister to SW Yes She's A Lady (Yes It's True) and the further female family includes MGISW Pure Clan (Pure Prize), the dam of SW & GSP Princesa Carolina (Tapit); and MGSW Greater Good (Intidab). B-Denali Broodmare Partnership II (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 running at Hanshin, Nakayama and Chukyo Racecourses, the last of which hosts the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen and its defending champion US-bred 6-year-old mare Mozu Superflare (Speightstown):
Sunday, March 28, 2021 3rd-CKO, ¥9,680,000 ($89k), Maiden, 3yo, 1900m MOZU TREASURE (f, 3, California Chrome–Somethinaboutbetty, by Forestry), a $200K Keeneland September acquisition in 2019, finished well down the field in her career debut on the grass at Kyoto last October and switches to the main track here. Though her Maryland-bred dam earned her lone graded placing on the turf, she was a four-time stakes winner on the dirt and has thrown GSP Dewey Square (Bernardini) and SP Something Super (Super Saver). This is also the family of MGSW/MGISP Eskenformoney (Eskendereya). B-Siena Farms LLC (KY)
7th-HSN, ¥14,360,000 ($132k), Allowance, 4yo/up, 1600mT LOTUS LAND (f, 4, Point of Entry–Little Miss Muffet, by Scat Daddy) has a record of 1-3-0 from five starts, but has kept some rugged company, finishing second to Takamatsunomiya Kinen entrant and future G1SW Lauda Sion (Jpn) (Real Impact {Jpn}) as a juvenile and to subsequent MGSW Babbitt (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) in allowance company last May. A comebacking second off an eight-month absence over course and distance Feb. 20, she should take a fair bit of beating here. B-Dr Aaron Sones & Winchester Farm (KY)
11th-NKY, March S.-G3, ¥68m ($623k), 4yo/up, 1800m AMERICAN SEED (c, 4, Tapit–Sweet Talker, by Stormin Fever) looks to remain unbeaten and untested in four tries since switching to the main track in the Sunday feature at Nakayama. Bred by Courtlandt Farm, who is set to be represented by GI Curlin Florida Derby favorite Greatest Honour (Tapit), this $825K KEESEP grad, listed-placed on the turf last year, has won his three previous races by a combined 17 lengths, including a ridiculously easy drubbing of his opposition in a Jan. 24 allowance over this track and trip (see below, gate 6). Don Adam's operation acquired American Seed's Grade I-winning dam for $1.15 million at KEENOV in 2005 and she has gone on to produce SW & GSP Sweet Tapper (Tapit) and MGSP Perregaux (Distorted Humor). Sweet Talker is a half-sister to the versatile Silver Medallion (Badge of Silver). Christophe Lemaire retains the call. B-Courtlandt Farms (KY)
(Mohaymen
