Tag: Sapporo

Notable US-Bred & -Sired Runners in Japan: Aug. 8 & 9, 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 Niigata and Sapporo Racecourses:

Saturday, August 8, 2020
1st-NII, ¥9,680,000 ($92k), Maiden, 2yo, 1600mT
KITTEN’S WALTZ (f, 2, Air Force Blue–Dances With Kitten, by Kitten’s Joy) was bet down to 6-1 for her 1400-meter debut at Hanshin July 18 and raced well off the early pace before finishing with interest to be fourth, beaten six lengths (video, gate 7). Campaigned in the green-and-white hoops of Carrot Farm, the February foal is out of a winning full-sister to MGISW Divisidero and GSP Kitten’s Kid and should appreciate the added real estate for this second trip to the post. B-Shadai Corporation (KY)

2nd-SAP, ¥9,680,000 ($92k), Maiden, 2yo, 1800mT
SHOVELHEAD (c, 2, Curlin–Date to Remember, by Bernardini) made a pair of starts over Tokyo’s metric mile in June, finishing a debut seventh June 6 ahead of an improved fourth-place effort three weeks later (see below, gate 5). The $700K Keeneland September graduate, a half-brother to GSW National Flag (Speightstown) and GISP Bernina Star (Harlan’s Holiday), was produced by a half-sister to GISW Eddington (Unbridled) and G1SP Star Crowned (Kingmambo). Shovelhead is bred on the same cross as recent GI CCA Oaks winner Paris Lights and GSW/MGISP Point of Honor. Owner Yuji Hasegawa was represented by first-time starter winner Vanishing Point (Tapit–Unrivaled Belle) at this venue Aug. 2. B-Siena Farms LLC (KY)

 

 

Sunday, August 9, 2020
6th-NII, ¥13,400,000 ($127k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1600mT
MALIBU STAR SONG (JPN) (f, 2, Malibu Moon–Emma’s Song, by Unbridled’s Song), a half-sister to MSP Emerald Pond (More Than Ready), was purchased in utero for $300K at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. The filly’s second dam was the versatile Advancing Star (Soviet Star), a dual Grade III winner sprinting on turf, victorious in the GIII Rancho Bernardo H. sprinting on the dirt and twice Grade I-placed, including a runner-up effort to Cara Rafaela (Quiet American) in the 1995 GI Hollywood Starlet S. B-Shadai Farm

7th-NII, ¥14,360,000 ($136k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 1200m
PRECIOUS GIRL (f, 3, Speightstown–Pressurizing, by Henrythenavigator), a debut second to the very talented Lecce Baroque (Uncle Mo) in February, was well-beaten in two subsequent tries, but found the winning thread to graduate over this track and distance when last seen July 25. The $375K FTKNOV weanling purchase is out of an unraced daughter of Vertigineux (Kris S.), the dam of the once-beaten Horse of the Year and three-time champion older mare Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}), MGISW Balance (Thunder Gulch) and SW Where’s Bailey (Aljabr), dam of GSW She’s Not Here (Street Cry {Ire}). B-Gilgai Farm

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Unique Bella Brother Wins Smartly on Sapporo Debut

Vanishing Point (Tapit), a full-brother to two-time Eclipse Award and three-time Grade I winner Unique Bella, was very green, but very good in his racecourse debut Sunday afternoon at Sapporo Racecourse, leading every step of the way en route to a seven-length tally.

The mount of perennial leading jockey Christophe Lemaire, the son of GI Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Distaff heroine Unrivaled Belle (Unbridled’s Song) jumped alertly from the widest gate in the field of seven and was switching back and forth across his leads while establishing the front passing under the line for the first time. Well rated on the lead, Vanishing Point was asked for a bit of a sprint with a little more than a quarter mile to run, opened a clear advantage while having a look around and once again switching his leads multiple times and crossed the line a convincing winner. The final time for the metric mile and a quarter on firm turf was 2:02.4.

“He is still a big baby,” the winning jockey commented. “He didn’t stretch out much and his back end is still a bit weak, but he has great potential. Around the turn he showed fantastic speed. I think this was the perfect distance for him.”

Vanishing Point was bred by Mandy Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm LLC, who acquired Unrivaled Belle for $3.8 million at the 2016 Keeneland November sale carrying a full-sister to Unique Bella. The 3-year-old filly, named Unrivaled Princess, is unraced to date. Through the Timber Town draft, Pope sold Vanishing Point for $1.5 million to Hiroyasu Takeuchi, agent for new owner Yuji Hasegawa, at last year’s Keeneland September Yearling sale. Unrivaled Belle was barren to Tapit for 2019, but foaled a full-sister to Unique Bella and Vanishing Point Mar. 19 and returned to the Gainesway stallion this past breeding season.

“The plan is to take him back to Japan and hopefully take him on the Japanese Road to the Kentucky Derby and bring him back over here as a Derby horse,” Takeuchi told the TDN’s Jessica Martini via translator Kate Hunter following the purchase last fall.

Vanishing Point is the 32nd Japanese winner from 36 runners for his sire, including Testa Matta, winner of the G1 February S.; and Rabbit Run, a Group 2 winner on the turf and a listed winner on dirt. Tapit is also represented in Japan by MSW & GSP Tahltan and MSW Golden Barows.

 

WATCH: Vanishing Point goes gate to wire to score by daylight on debut

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Notable US-Bred Runners in Japan: August 2 & 3, 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 Niigata and Sapporo Racecourses, including the racecourse debut of a well-related son of Tapit:

Saturday, August 2, 2020
7th-NII, ¥14,360,000 ($137k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 1800m
NILE RIVER (c, 3, American Pharoah–Jeweliana, by Smart Strike), a $235K Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling turned $775K Fasig-Tipton Florida juvenile, got his career off on the right foot, scoring by a half-length over Tokyo’s one-turn dirt mile last November. He was last seen in the Listed Hyacinth S. at headquarters Feb. 22, finishing well down the field behind future G3 Unicorn S. hero Cafe Pharoah (American Pharoah). Nile River’s dam is a daughter of Roshani (Fantastic Light), who did her best running on turf, winning a trio of graded stakes and nearly a half-million dollars. B-Rosedown Racing Stable LLC (KY)

Sunday, August 3, 2020
5th-SAP, ¥13,400,000 ($127k), Newcomers, 2yo, 2000mT
VANISHING POINT (c, 2, Tapit–Unrivaled Belle, by Unbridled’s Song) is the full-brother to two-time Eclipse Award winner Unique Bella, a treble Grade I winner for Don Alberto Stable, who acquired GI Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic heroine Unrivaled Belle for $2.8 million at Keeneland November in 2011. Mandy Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm bid $3.8 million to purchase Unrivaled Belle at KEENOV in 2016 carrying a full-sibling to Unique Bella and sold this offspring for $1.5 million at KEESEP last fall. Second dam Queenie Belle (Bertrando) was herself a two-time Grade II winner. Christophe Lemaire takes the call. B-Whisper Hill Farm LLC (KY)

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Notable US-Bred & -Sired Runners in Japan: July 25 & 26, 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. Just two tracks on the menu for the weekend, but American-bred and -sired juveniles are set to make their presence felt at Niigata and Sapporo Racecourses:

Saturday, July 25, 2020
5th-NII, ¥13,400,000 ($125k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1600mT
REFRAME (f, 2, American Pharoah–Careless Jewel, by Tapit) is the latest to the races from her dam, who powered her way to a whopping 11-length victory in the 2009 GI Alabama S. and who was sold for $1.95 million at Fasig-Tipton November in 2010. Careless Jewel was subsequently purchased by this breeder for $1.85 million in foal to Bodemeister at FTKNOV three years later and Reframe repaid part of that investment when hammering for $410K at Keeneland September last fall. American Pharoah has had six winners from seven to race in Japan, including G3 Unicorn S. hero Cafe Pharoah and listed winner Danon Pharaoh (Jpn). B-Summer Wind Farm (KY)

5th-SAP, ¥13,400,000 ($125k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1200mT
YUINO ZAPPER (c, 2, Ghostzapper–Baruta {Brz}, by Crimson Tide {Ire}), a $180K KEESEP graduate, is a son of a mare who was twice placed at Group 1 level in Brazil and was imported to this country to win the GIII Monrovia H. on the downhill turf course at Santa Anita while placing second to former ‘TDN Rising Star’ Taris (Flatter) in the GIII Rancho Bernardo H. on the main track for trainer Richard Mandella and Rio Dois Irmaos LLC. The latter is also the breeder of recent Churchill allowance winner Ivar (Brz) (Agnes Gold {Jpn}), who they race in partnership with Bonne Chance Farm. B-Bonne Chance Farm & Stud RDI LLC (KY)

6th-NII, ¥13,400,000 ($125k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1200m
SATONO APOLLON (JPN) (c, 2, Into Mischief–Final Decision, by Super Saver) is the first foal out of her dam, a half-sister to Eclipse Award-winning female sprinter Informed Decision (Monarchos), who was acquired with this colt in utero for $425K at FTKNOV in 2017. The April foal was consigned by Northern Farm to the 2019 JRHA Select Yearling Sale, fetching ¥80 million ($737,000) from Satomi Horse Co. Final Decision is the dam of yearling filly by Heart’s Cry (Jpn) and a filly foal by Lord Kanaloa (Jpn). B-Northern Farm

Sunday, July 26, 2020
6th-SAP, ¥13,400,000 ($125k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1700m
DERMA MIROKU (f, 2, Uncle Mo–Diza, by Empire Maker) debuts on the dirt despite the preponderance of high-class black-type on the turf in her female family. The $200K KEESEP purchase is a half-sister to J R’s Holiday (Harlan’s Holiday), a stakes winner and Grade III-placed on the grass, while her dam is a half-sister to GI Sword Dancer Invitational H. hero Cetewayo (His Majesty); Dynaforce (Dynaformer), who landed the GI Beverly D. S. and GI Flower Bowl Invitational S.; GSW & GISP Bowman Mill (Kris S.); SW Ntombi (Quiet American); and MGSP De Aar (Gone West), dam of MGSW/MGISP Willcox Inn (Harlan’s Holiday). B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY)

11th-NII, Ibis Summer Dash-G3, ¥74.6m ($696k), 3/up, 1000mT
MONT PERDU (f, 4 Cairo Prince–Spanish Post, by Flatter) set track records twice in the space of three races last summer and fall at Chukyo and Kyoto and makes her first appearance since finishing down the field in Kyoto allowance company in February. On her day, she is one of the fastest female sprinters in Japan and though she tries the turf for the first time in her career, her lone try at this abbreviated trip resulted in a handy victory over a sloppy strip at Kokura last August (see below, gate 2). B-Bluewater Sales LLC & Three Diamonds Farm (NY)

 

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