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 Fukushima and Kokura Racecourses:
Sunday, July 24, 2022 3rd-FKS, ¥9,900,000 ($72k), Maiden, 2yo, 1800mT MEINER VISION (JPN) (c, 2, Oscar Performance–Songoficeandfire, by Dynaformer) turned in a very promising debut effort when tried over this distance at Tokyo June 25, finishing a good third (see below, SC 15), and stands to come on in leaps and bounds for the effort. The Apr. 12 foal's dam, twice placed in Grade III contests over 12 furlongs on the turf, is a half-sister to Irish Group 2 winner and three-times GI/G1SP Antonius Pius (Danzig), and cost Big Red Farm $200,000 carrying this foal in utero at Keeneland January in 2020. B-Big Red Farm
10th-KOK, ¥28,710,000 ($209k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 1700m SHAILENE (f, 3, Arrogate–Amen Hallelujah, by Montbrook), a $150,000 KEESEP yearling turned $1-million OBSAPR breezer, a maiden winner at second asking over nine furlings, was third in a seven-furlong Tokyo allowance May 22 and most recently defeated fellow U.S.-bred Per Aa (American Pharoah) when stretched back out over course and trip July 10. The filly's dam was a two-time Grade II winner and placed in no fewer than six Grade I events from seven to 8 1/2 furlongs and on both dirt and turf. B-Town and Country Horse Farms LLC (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 Saturday running at Hanshin Racecourse. Sunday's action at Nakyama features the sophomore debut of last year's champion 2-year-old male Do Deuce (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) in the G2 Yayoi Sho over the metric mile and a quarter. Last year's G1 Asahi Hai Futurity hero is a son of the American-sourced Dust and Diamonds (Vindication):
Saturday, March 5, 2022 2nd-HSN, ¥9,900,000 ($86k), Maiden, 3yo, 1200m LE VERGER (f, 3, Maclean's Music–Wine Train, by Tiz Wonderful) is the second foal to race out of a daughter of the stakes-winning Stage Stop (Valid Expectation), the dam of MSW & GSP Stageplay (Curlin), GSW She Digs Me (Henny Hughes) and Mylute (Midnight Lute), third to Oxbow (Awesome Again) in the GI Preakness S. back in 2013. A $31K purchase as a short yearling at Keeneland January in 2020, Le Verger was bought back on a bid of $50K at that year's KEESEP sale and was sold for $100,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale after breezing a quarter in :21 4/5 (see below). B-Robert & Lawana Low (KY)
6th-HSN, ¥14,250,000 ($123k), Allowance, 3yo, 1800m SHAILENE (f, 3, Arrogate–Amen Hallelujah, by Montbrook) completed a 1-2 finish for her late sire behind Foolish Hobby on her course-and-distance debut Nov. 29 and most recently proved narrowly best going this same trip at Chukyo Jan. 9 (see below, SC 10). A daughter of the dual Group II winner and six-time Grade I-placed Amen Hallelujah, the mid-May foal was a $150K KEESEP grad and matured into a $1-million OBS April breezer (:10 flat), a price bettered only by champion 'TDN Rising Star' Corniche (Quality Road). B-Town & Country Horse Farms LLC (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 weekend running at Hanshin and Tokyo Racecourses. Click here for a preview of Sunday's G1 Longines Japan Cup at Tokyo, which has drawn four of the last six winners of the course-and-distance G1 Tokyo Yushun. Last year's Triple Crown hero Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) will start a warm favorite over this year's Derby winner Shahryar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}):
Saturday, November 27, 2021 5th-HSN, ¥13,400,000 ($118k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1600mT HYPER STORM (f, 2, Stormy Atlantic–Queen's Turf {Jpn}, by Deep Impact {Jpn}) is the first produce for her dam, purchased for nearly $490K as a foal at the 2012 JRHA Select Sales who made a successful career debut as the favorite in a 1400-meter newcomers event on the dirt at this track nearly seven years ago. The May foal's second dam is a full-sister to Furioso (Jpn) (Brian's Time), a nine-time stakes winner and runner-up in the G1 February S. on the dirt in Japan. B-Winchester Farm (KY)
6th-TOK, ¥13,400,000 ($118k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1600m SUCCESS LAUREL (JPN) (c, 2, Mastery–Courtesan, by Street Sense) is the first Japanese-foaled produce out of her dam, a two-time stakes winner and twice Grade III-placed on the turf for Ramona Bass and Christophe Clement. Purchased in utero for $250K at KEENOV in 2018, the bay was knocked down for better than $426K as a yearling at the 2020 Hokkaido Summer Yearling Sale, the third-priciest of his freshman sire (by Candy Ride {Arg})'s first-crop yearlings reported as sold. Pretty Discreet (Private Account), the dam of GISW sire and 'TDN Rising Star' Discreet Cat (Forestry), GISW Discreetly Mine (Mineshaft) and SW & MGISP Pretty Wild (Wild Again) serves as the colt's third dam. B-Oshima Bokujo
6th-HSN, ¥13,400,000 ($118k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m SHAILENE (f, 2, Arrogate–Amen Hallelujah, by Montbrook), a $150K KEESEP yearling acquisition, was knocked down to Katsumi Yoshida for an even $1 million at this year's OBS April sale–second in price only to likely champion 'TDN Rising Star' and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile hero Corniche (Quality Road)–after breezing an eighth of a mile in :10 flat. MGSW and four-time Grade I-placed Amen Hallelujah was purchased by the Courtelis's Town & Country for $950K in foal to Distorted Humor at KEENOV in 2013. She changed hands for $80K pregnant to Union Rags at the same auction last year and was RNAd for $135K at this year's KEENOV sale. B-Town & Country Horse Farms LLC (KY)
FOOLISH HOBBY (f, 2, Arrogate–Flatter Up, by Flatter) gives her sire a second crack at a third Japanese winner in this same heat. A daughter of the Grade III-placed Flatter Up, the gray was sold for $260K at last year's Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearling Showcase and made $450K at the auction house's Gulfstream Sale after covering two furlongs in a slick :21 1/5 (see below). The filly's granddam, Tenacious Tina (Benchmark), who is responsible for MGSP Tina Tina (Paddy O'Prado), is a half-sister to young sire and GISW Midnight Storm (Pioneerof the Nile). Three Chimneys purchased Flatter Up with this foal in utero for $300K at KEENOV in 2018. B-Three Chimneys Farm LLC (KY)
Saturday, November 28, 2021 5th-TOK, ¥14,360,000 ($127k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 1600m ISHTAR (JPN) (f, 3, American Pharoah–Mohini {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) is a full-sister to U.S.-bred Pista, a Group 3 winner in England and Group 1-placed in France, whose dam was covered once again by American Pharoah before her export to Japan in 2017. The bay filly is out of a daughter of champion Denebola (Storm Cat), granddam of G1 Prix de Diane heroine Senga (Blame) and SW Bolting (War Front), while her champion third dam Coup de Genie (Mr. Prospector)–a full-sister to Machiavellian–was responsible for the dam of Japanese-based sire Bago (Fr) (Nashwan), G1SW Maxios (GB) (Monsun {Ger}) and SW/MGSP Beta (GB) (Selkirk). B-Northern Farm
