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A Raving Beauty Filly Looks To Make Up For Lost Time 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. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Kokura, Niigata and Sapporo Racecourses:

Saturday, August 12, 2023
2nd-NII, ¥10,480,000 ($72k), Maiden, 2yo, 1800mT
ROCK CITY BOY (c, 2, City of Light–Mississippi Coast, by Super Saver) was acquired in utero for $125,000 at the 2021 Keeneland January Sale and is out of a winning half-sister to the stakes-winning No Use Denying (Maria's Mon), the dam of 2019 GI Spinaway S. and GII Adirondack S. heroine Perfect Alibi (Sky Mesa) as well as GSP Noble Thought (Harlan's Holiday). Third dam Missed the Wedding, a half-sister to Chris Evert, produced former Pin Oak GSW turf star Green Means Go (Green Dancer) and GI Test S. victress Missed the Storm (Storm Cat). B-Yuki Dendo

3rd-KOK, ¥10,480,000 ($72k), Maiden, 3yo, 1000m
A SURE VICTORY (JPN) (f, 3, Justify–A Raving Beauty {Ger}, by Mastercraftsman {Ire}) makes a belated first trip to the races Saturday afternoon. Her dam was a two-time German listed winner and champion in that country at age four before relocating to the barn of Chad Brown, for whom she won the GI Just A Game S. and GI First Lady S. while finishing third to stablemate Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Oiwake Farm's Haruya Yoshida acquired A Raving Beauty for $2 million at Fasig-Tipton November in 2018 and she was covered by Justify prior to her export to Japan. B-Haruya Yoshida

Sunday, August 13, 2023
12th-SAP, ¥15,200,000 ($105k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 1700m
DOUBLE JOKE (c, 3, Practical Joke–Double Date, by Rahy) was beaten into second by recent Listed Japan Dirt Derby runner-up Kirinji (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) Feb. 12 before defeating fellow US-bred Mystic Lore (Arrogate) to break his maiden two weeks later (see below, SC 7) and was most recently unplaced in the G3 Mainichi Hai on the turf in late March. An $80,000 purchase as a weanling at FTKNOV in 2020, the chestnut is out of a half-sister to Canadian Horse of the Year and MGISW Peaks and Valleys (Mt. Livermore) and MSW/MGSP Alternate (Seattle Slew), the dam of GISW Higher Power (Medaglia d'Oro) and MGSW Alternation (Distorted Humor). B-William Humphries & Altair Farms LLC (KY)

12th-KOK, ¥15,200,000 ($105k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 1000m
JASPER ROYAL (c, 3, Violence–Sumthingtotalkabt, by Mutakddim) is bred to be a quick one, as his 10-time stakes-winning half-sister Lady Shipman (Midshipman) produced GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint hero Golden Pal (Uncle Mo). A $140,000 KEENOV weanling, $170,000 FTKJUL buyback and $140,000 OBS March graduate, the chestnut has never been worse than third in his four career starts to date and exits a facile maiden victory going this track and distance in his most recent appearance Feb. 4 (video, SC 4). B-SF Bloodstock (KY)

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Saratoga’s Hall Of Fame S. Rescheduled Friday

After a deluge of rainfall this past week in the Saratoga Springs area, last Friday's $500,000 GII National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame S. for 3-year-old colts at a mile over the grass was postponed seven days, as an interesting mix of American and European invaders reconvene on the Inner Turf.

With conditions which could be soft to yielding, trainer Chad Brown saddles three entries with GISP Appraise (Ire) Kodiac {GB}), Mischievous Angel (Into Mischief) and Carl Spackler (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), while also present is the winner of GIII Manila S. July 7 in Elmont, More Than Looks (More Than Ready) from the stable of Cherie DeVaux, who was installed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite and cross-entered in the GII Secretariat S. at Colonial Downs on Saturday.

General Jim (Into Mischief) gets back to the turf, something he hasn't tried since he was a juvenile. The Shug McGaughey trainee won the GII Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs on the Derby undercard and then was a well-beaten sixth to Arabian Lion (Justify) in the GI Woody Stephens on Belmont S. Day.

As for the European contingent, who customarily relish a saturated course, Ocean Vision (Ire) (U S Navy Flag) ships over. The bay colt competed in Ireland, France and Qatar and is trained by Godolphin Flying Start program grad Tim Donworth and was last seen running fifth June 11 in the G3 Prix Paul de Moussac at ParisLongchamp. He will be joined by Mysterious Night (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) for Charlie Appleby, who will look to harness some of that late speed that he flashed the last time he was in North America when he won the GI Summer S. at Woodbine over Appraise as a juvenile.

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Summer Breezes: Lane’s End Stallions Represented at Saratoga

Some of the most highly anticipated races during the summer racing season are the 'baby' races during the boutique meetings at both Saratoga and Del Mar and at Ellis Park, which attract its fair share of high-priced offspring from a variety of top national outfits.

Summer Breezes highlights debuting 2-year-olds at those meetings that have been sourced at the breeze-up sales earlier in the year, with links to their under-tack previews. To follow are the horses entered for Thursday at Saratoga:

Friday, August 11, 2023
Ellis 7, $70k, 2yo, 6f, 3:50 p.m.
Horse (Sire), Sale, Price ($), Breeze
Penrod (Upstart), OBSAPR, 120,000, :10.2
Consignor: Eisaman Equine, agent
Buyer: Southern Springs Stables

Saratoga 7, $88k, 2yo, (S), 6f, 4:34 p.m. ET
Catalina Crush (Catalina Cruiser), OBSMAR, 75,000, :10
Consignor: Sequel Bloodstock, agent for Chester & Mary Broman
Buyer: Deuce Greathouse, agent for Norman Casse

Vettriano (Liam's Map), FTMMAY, 350,000, :10.2
Consignor: Wavertree Stables Inc (Ciaran Dunne), agent
Buyer: Kerri Radcliffe, agent

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Bobby Montano, The Star Of The Play “SMALL,” Joins The TDN Writers’ Room Podcast

Growing up in Queens, Bobby Montano eventually became an actor and a dancer, a career he was happy to follow. But before that, his path took him in an entirely different direction. Montano, who was so small as a child that he was bullied, discovered horse racing and decided he wanted to be a jockey. On March 2, 1977, his dream came true as he rode in his first race at Aqueduct. He only rode in seven races and did not have a winner, but he left the sport with a story to tell. That story has turned into the Off-Broadway play “SMALL,” which Montano wrote and stars in. It's coming to New York and the 59 E. 59 Theater on Aug. 12 and will run through Sept. 2.

In advance of SMALL's run in New York, Montano joined the TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland to talk about the play and what has been a fascinating life full of ups and downs. Montano was the Green Group Guest of the Week.

Looking at those jockeys riding in New York, he saw people who were as small as he was, but instead of being bullied they were respected athletes, admired by thousands of racing fans. That's what he wanted for himself.

“I was tired of getting picked on,” he said. “But when I saw these little men coming out into the paddock area I saw that they were getting respect. It would get quiet and I would ask my mother what was happening and she said, 'The jockeys have come. That's called respect.' I was just so in love with the whole pageantry of it all. My mother was there to bet on her jockey friend Roberto Pineda. He reminded me of Bruce Lee and I was a huge fan of Bruce Lee.”

Nothing ever came easily for Montano on the racetrack. After a growth spurt, he became too big to be a jockey and his weight was the reason why he couldn't get any mounts. He rode for just five months. He resorted to using laxatives, amphetamines, cocaine and pills called Black Beauties. He would run 17 miles a day.

“I couldn't get there. I was just getting bigger and bigger, and I just didn't know what to do with my life,” he said.

Yet, Montano said he wouldn't trade his time on the racetrack for anything.

“I would do it again in a heartbeat,” he said. “There are people who have made it work. I look at people like Trevor McCarthy, who I love. He's a wonderful rider and he's five-foot-ten. There were others, like Marco Castaneda. But they all had thin bones. I was born with thick bones. I just was fighting Mother Nature and there was just nothing I could do about it.”

After giving up on his dream to be a jockey, Montano saw Saturday Night Fever, went to the famous disco, the Rafters and discovered the world of dancing and acting. On television, he has appeared as one of Kim Cattrell's lovers, “We William,” in Sex In The City. He has guest starred in, CSI: Miami, Third Watch, Six Degrees, Law & Order, New York Undercover, Law & Order: SVU, Harrison – Cry Of The City, numerous soaps, and as Resto in the HBO film Undefeated, directed by John Leguizamo.

Elsewhere on the podcast, which is also sponsored byhttps://coolmore.com/https://lanesend.com/ the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association, Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders, NYRABets.com, WinStar Farm, XBTV.com, Stonestreet Farms and https://www.threechimneys.com/ West Point Thoroughbreds, the team of Bill Finley, Randy Moss and Zoe Cadman discussed the tragic breakdown of Maple Leaf Mel (Cross Traffic) in the GI Test S. Like virtually everyone else in racing, the team tried to come up with answers to what is a horrible problem for the sport but admitted that they had none. The GI Whitney S. was a major topic of discussion, from the huge performance by winner White Abarrio (Race Day) to the lackluster third-place finish by Cody's Wish (Curlin). Looking ahead at the weekend, the focus was on the GI Arlington Million and the other stakes formerly run at Arlington Park that will be run at Colonial Downs. Finley said the Million has lost its mojo since Arlington has closed and said it may be time to simply discontinue these races.

To watch the Writers' Room, click here. To view the show as a podcast, click here.

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