Pricey Uncle Mo Colt Among Japanese Debuters

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 Chukyo, Fukushima and Hakodate Racecourses:

Saturday July 1, 2023
5th-HAK, ¥13,780,000 ($95k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1200mT
DONA NOBLE (f, 2, Medaglia d'Oro–Gender Agenda {GB}, by Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) cost JS Company $200,000 at last year's Keeneland September Sale and is out of a mare who upset the GIII Robert J. Frankel S. in 2015 for Carla Gaines and owners Keith Brackpool, Alon Ossip and Tim Ritvo. Gender Agenda changed hands for $80,000 at Keeneland November last fall and produced a filly by Violence this season. The deeper female family includes G1 Oaks and St Leger victress User Friendly (GB) (Slip Anchor {GB}). B-Town & Country Horse Farms LLC (KY)

6th-FKS, ¥13,780,000 ($95k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1150m
ESCALE (c, 2, American Pharoah–Pretty Girl {Arg}, by Harlan's Holiday) is the latest to make the races from his well-traveled dam, a Group 1 winner in her native Argentina for Stud RDI in 2014, a listed winner in France for Mikel Delzangles in 2016 and twice placed at Grade II level in California in 2017, with Bonne Chance Farm part of the ownership. Escale was a $310,000 purchase by Koji Maeda at Keeneland last September. B-Bonne Chance Farm LLC (KY)

11th-FKS, ¥35,040,000 ($242k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 1700m
AIR SAGE (h, 5, Point of Entry–Nokaze, by Empire Maker) won three of his first four career appearances and did not disgrace when beaten just over eight lengths into eighth behind Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) in the 2021 G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger). He makes his first start since a dead-heat third in a 10-furlong allowance in February 2022 and switches to the dirt, a surface his family has proven more than capable over. Half-brother Air Almas (Majestic Warrior) is a Group 3 winner on dirt, while full-brother Air Anemoi successfully negotiated the surface when tried for the first time Apr. 30. Nokaze is a half-sister to the stakes-placed dam of dirt GSW Yuugiri (Shackleford). Keita Tosaki sees fit to ride. B-Winchester Farm (KY)

 

 

 

Sunday, July 2, 2023
5th-HAK, ¥13,720,000 ($95k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800mT
KANJI (c, 2, Uncle Mo–Nikki's Choice, by Forestry), a $600,000 KEESEP acquisition and the year-younger full-brother to $1.1-million KEESEP grad Evergrande, is bred on the exact same cross as champion Nyquist. The colt's unraced second dam Charming Lauren (Meadowlake) was a full-sister to GI Champagne S. winner Greenwood Lake and a half to GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile hero Success Express (Hold Your Peace) and MGSW/MGISP Charlie Barley (Affirmed). Top jockey Takeshi Yokoyama takes the call. B-Aaron Sones (KY)

 

 

 

5th-CKO, ¥13,720,000 ($95k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1600mT
ROUGE STUNNING (JPN) (f, 2, Into Mischief–Boyne Beauty, by Giant's Causeway), a half-sister to recent Ellis maiden romper Check Engine Light (Uncle Mo), was acquired in utero for $700,000 by Nobutaka Tada at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. The filly's unraced dam is a daughter of MSW & GSP Bubbler (Distorted Humor), herself responsible for the late Arrogate (Unbridled's Song) and SW Osare (Medaglia d'Oro), whose first foal Quester (Into Mischief) fetched $775,000 from Repole Stable and Robert and Lawana Low at KEESEP last year. B-Mint Co

 

 

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Medina To Open Public Stable in Kentucky

Trainer Robert “Robbie” Medina has opened a public stable based out of Lexington, KY and is now accepting new clients.

Since April 2020, Medina has served as the general manager and trainer for Blackwood Stables, the state-of-the-art training center near Lexington. At Blackwood, he focused on breaking, training, and rehabilitation for many of the sport's leading owners and trainers. He also ran horses under his own name at Kentucky tracks for a few select clients, including August Dawn Stable's Gun Runner S. winner Play Action Pass (Cairo Prince), who was selected as a yearling by Medina.

Medina will operate his stable out of the Thoroughbred Training Center on Paris Pike in Lexington, while also continuing to develop 2-year-olds at Blackwood before they are ready to graduate to the Thoroughbred Training Center.

“The last three years at Blackwood have been wonderful, but I am excited to be opening a full public stable in Kentucky,” Medina said. “I am a lifelong race tracker and have been fortunate enough to work for some tremendous horsemen and play a crucial role in the development of some the sport's best horses. The timing is right for me to devote myself full time to a public stable. I have a great staff and setup in place and am ready to grow our operation.”

Prior to taking the job at Blackwood in 2020, Medina worked for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey from 1995 to 2020, starting as a groom for McGaughey before eventually working his way up to assistant trainer. He was instrumental in the development and training of such McGaughey stars as GI Kentucky Derby winner Orb (Malibu Moon), GI Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Pleasant Home (Seeking the Gold), and multiple Grade I winners Point of Entry (Dynaformer) and Honor Code (A.P. Indy).

Medina may be contacted at (518) 441-0502 or at Robertmedinaracing@gmail.com.

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Classy Lotus Land Resumes 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. The weekend's racing is highlighted by a high-class renewal of the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn) at Toyko, and with plenty of U.S.-bred activity, here are the horses of interest for Saturday running at Tokyo and Hanshin Racecourses. Sunday's runners of note will appear in Saturday's TDN:

Saturday, October 29, 2022
1st-TOK, ¥9,900,000 ($68k), Maiden, 2yo, 1600m
MODERNIZE QUEEN (f, 2, Distorted Humor–Never Grow Old, by Scat Daddy), a $180,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase, is the first foal to the races for her dam, sold for $100,000 in foal to California Chrome at Keeneland November in 2018. Never Grow Old is a winning daughter of Chilean Group 1 winner Noches de Rosa (Chi) (Stagecraft {GB}), who defeated fan favorite Megahertz (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) in the 2004 GI Gamely Breeders' Cup H. when trained by Richard Mandella for Gerald Ford's Diamond A Racing Corp. Breeders' Cup-winning jockey Yuga Kawada takes the ride on the chestnut, whose lone start resulted in distant fourth-place effort over nine furlongs at Niigata Aug. 7. B-Grantley Acres (KY)

11th-HSN, Swan S.-G2, ¥113m ($772k), 3yo/up, 1400mT
LOTUS LAND (m, 5, Point of Entry–Little Miss Muffet, by Freud) kicks off her autumn preparation in this spot which connections could use as a springboard to loftier targets at home and/or abroad. Victorious in six of her 15 lifetime appearances, the bay was a winner in Group 3 company last season over a mile and has proven her versatility this season with success in the G3 Kyoto Himba S. (video, SC 7) in February at this intermediate trip ahead of a fast-closing second in the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen (1200m) (video, SC 9). She was last seen finishing 10th, but not beaten far, in the G1 Yasuda Kinen back over a mile in June and holds entries for the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile and G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint in December. A start in next month's G1 Mile Championship could also be on the cards. B-Dr Aaron Sones & Dr Naoya Yoshida (KY)

 

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Point of Entry’s Kitodan Pulls Off Dueling Grounds Derby Upset

Kitodan, claimed for $80,000 just four starts ago, flew home from out of the clouds to pull the 20-1 upset in the GIII Dueling Grounds Derby on Kentucky Downs's rescheduled card Monday. The bay colt settled near the back of the 12-horse field and was well off the pace as Double Clutch (Optimizer) bowled along on the front end through pedestrian splits. Kitodan was well-held by jockey Gerardo Corrales as the field began to bunch up climbing the hill. He was mired in traffic turning for home and was tipped to the center of the track as Double Clutch began to grudgingly give way to a host of challengers. It was Kitodan moving best of all late, surging clear to an authoritative victory.

Kitodan, winner of the Apr. 2 Rushaway S., was claimed from trainer Mike Maker and Paradise Farm and David Staudacher for $80,000 in his very next start, a third-place effort at Churchill Downs May 15. He won the $200,000 Audubon S. in his first start for the new connections June 4 before a fourth-place effort over the main track in the July 2 American Derby. He was most recently fifth in the Aug. 7 Evan Williams Turf Mile S. at Ellis Park.

Pedigree Notes:

Kitodan is the seventh graded winner for Point of Entry. His dam, Divine Presence, produced fillies by Karakontie (Jpn) in each of the last three years. The mare is a daughter of champion Divine Proportions, who also produced group winner Eightfold Path (Giant's Causeway). She was exported to Japan after selling for $50,000 at last year's Keeneland November sale. She had RNA'd, with Kitodan in utero, for $80,000 at the 2019 Keeneland January sale. Her Karakontie weanling filly sold for $87,323 at this year's JRHA July sale.

Monday, Kentucky Downs
BIG ASS FANS DUELING GROUNDS DERBY-GIII, $750,000, Kentucky Downs, 9-5, 3yo, 1 5/16mT, 2:15.41, gd.
1–KITODAN, 124, c, 3, by Point of Entry
1st Dam: Divine Presence, by A.P. Indy
2nd Dam: Divine Proportions, by Kingmambo
3rd Dam: Myth to Reality (Fr), by Sadler's Wells
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($9,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Foster
Family Racing, Douglas E. Miller & William J. Wargel;
B-Flaxman Holdings Limited (KY); T-Eric N. Foster; J-Gerardo
Corrales. $432,450. Lifetime Record: 15-6-1-3, $779,641. *1/2
to Market King (Into Mischief), GSP, $236,271. Werk Nick
Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Grand Sonata, 124, c, 3, Medaglia d'Oro–A. P. Sonata, by A.P.
Indy. ($125,000 RNA Ylg '20 KEESEP). O/B-Whisper Hill Farm,
LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $139,500.
3–Mount Rundle, 118, g, 3, Jack Milton–Beaucoup, by English
Channel. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($7,000
Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Circle 8; B-Pope & Marc McLean, Pope
McLean Jr. & Taproot Bloodstock, LLC (KY); T-Michelle Nihei.
$69,750.
Margins: 4, 3HF, HD. Odds: 20.74, 4.80, 17.19.
Also Ran: Always Above, Dripping Gold, Ready to Purrform, Speaking Scout, Double Clutch, Running Bee, Red Run, Tallahatchiebridge, Western River. Scratched: Camp David, Russian Tank. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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