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Owner/Breeder Fipke Represented By First Japanese Winner

Prominent North American owner/breeder Charles Fipke was represented by his first winner in Japan when the newly turned 3-year-old filly Kana Tape (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) ran out an impressive three-length winner of a newcomers' event going 1800 meters on turf at Tokyo Racecourse Sunday afternoon.

Sent off the narrow second favorite at odds of 3-2, the bay filly jumped well from gate two for top rider Takeshi Yokoyama and tracked pacesetting Mozu Cleopatra (Jpn) (American Pharoah) from close up in second. Felt for as the field entered the final 400 meters, Kana Turn quickened nicely while racing a touch greenly switching her leads back and forth in the final furlong, but maintained a safe margin to the wire (see below). Boulard Buck (Jpn), the 13-10 chalk, completed the exacta for her leading Shadai-based stallion. Kana Tape is conditioned for Fipke by Noriyuki Hori.

Kana Tape is a daughter of American-raced 2004 GI American Oaks and GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup heroine Ticker Tape (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}), who was acquired by Katsumi Yoshida for $950,000 in foal to Giant's Causeway at the 2011 Keeneland November Sale. The bay, bred in the name of Yoshida's Northern Farm, was purchased by Fipke for ¥84 million ($772,800) as a foal at the 2019 JRHA Select Sale.

According to Umanity.jp, Kana Tape is the third horse to race in the Fipke silks in Japan, following Stellar Impact (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}–Topliner, by Thunder Gulch) and Galileo Impact (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}–Galileo Always {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}).

Fipke's best North American runners include champion and GI Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Forever Unbridled (Unbridled's Song), GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare upsetter Perfect Shirl (Perfect Soul {Ire}), Tale of Ekati (Tale of the Cat), Unbridled Forever (Unbridled's Song) and Grade I-winning milers Jersey Town (Speightstown) and his son Bee Jersey. Fipke also races horses in England, Ireland, France, Australia and Dubai.

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Notable US-Bred and -Sired Runners in Japan: Jan. 29-30, 2022

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 and Tokyo Racecourses:

Saturday, January 29, 2022
4th-CKO, ¥11,400,000 ($99k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1400m
CUTE VILLAIN (f, 3, Arrogate–She Be Wild, by Offlee Wild) is the latest foal out of the Eclipse Award-winning juvenile filly of 2009 and cost Katsumi Yoshida $550K at last year's Fasig-Tipton Florida sale after breezing an eighth of a mile in :10 flat (see below). The Mar. 31 foal becomes the ninth Japanese starter for her late sire, six of which have already tasted success at the races. That number includes wide-margin debut winner Jasper Great, who is out of a mare by Offlee Wild's sire, Wild Again. B-Nancy Mazzoni (KY)

4th-TOK, ¥14,250,000 ($124k), Allowance, 3yo, 1600m
FOOLISH HOBBY (f, 3, Arrogate–Flatter Up, by Flatter) is another of those half-dozen Arrogate winners in Japan, having led home an exacta for the sire when besting next-out graduate Shailene on 1800-meter debut at Hanshin Nov. 27 (, SC 7). The first foal from a Grade III-placed mare, Foolish Hobby fetched $260K at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase and matured into a $450K FTFMAR breezer (:21 1/5). Foolish Hobby is from the female family of GISW and young sire Midnight Storm (Pioneerof the Nile). Three Chimneys acquired Flatter Up for $300K with this foal in utero at KEENOV in 2018. The field also includes favored Ju Taro (Arrogate) and World Connector (Connect). B-Three Chimneys Farm LLC (KY)

6th-TOK, ¥11,400,000 ($99k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1600mT
KANARRA CREEK (c, 3, Kitten's Joy–Wilson's Creek, by Bernardini), a $160K KEESEP acquisition on behalf of Godolphin by Paca Paca Farm, is out of a daughter of Darley-bred River Street (GB) (Machiavellian), a full-sister to the late and influential Street Cry (Ire) and to the stakes-placed dam of European champion 2-year-old colt Shamardal (Giant's Causeway). The colt's dam Wilson's Creek was acquired by William Harrigan/Miacomet Farm for $80K in foal to Midshipman at KEENOV in 2018. B-William B Harrigan & Mike Pietrangelo (KY)

Sunday, January 30, 2022
6th-TOK, ¥11,400,000 ($99k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1800mT
MOZU CLEOPATRA (JPN) (f, 3, American Pharoah–Audubon Park, by Candy Ride {Arg}), acquired in utero for $130K at KEENOV in 2018, was purchased by the Capital Systems ownership group for $383,526 as a yearling at the 2020 JRHA Select Sales. The filly's winning dam is a daughter of Zealous Cat (Storm Cat), whose produce include GSW Tapicat (Tapit), GSP Enthusiasm (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and the dam of Japanese Group 3-placed Dieu du Vin (Jpn) (Declaration of War). B-Satoshi Morinaga

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Drefong Colt Lands First Blow on Japan Road to the Derby

The first crop of foals sired by Eclipse Award-winning sprinter Drefong (Gio Ponti) have performed so well since 2-year-old racing in Japan began in early June that he has seen his covering fee bumped from ¥3 million (about $26,400) to ¥7 million (about $61,700) for the 2022 breeding season. Consigliere (Jpn) has done his part to help cement his sire's footing on the competitive Japanese breeding landscape and ran his record to two wins from as many starts with a neck defeat of Cafe Karma (Jpn) (Henny Hughes) in Saturday's Cattleya S. (allowance) at Tokyo Racecourse, the first of four races on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Having graduated by 9 1/2 lengths going 1800 meters at Niigata in his lone previous appearance Aug. 22, the bay was favored at 7-10 and jumped fairly for Christophe Lemaire, then settled in a position slightly better than midfield as OBS March topper Clos de Mesnil (Practical Joke) speared through to make the running. Allowed to creep a bit closer on the turn, the Kazumi Yoshida colorbearer loomed up four wide at the top of the long Tokyo straight, was held together into the final furlong and a half and held sway late as 21-1 Cafe Karma dove at him to make a race of it (see below, SC 10). Geraldo Barows (Jpn) (Sinister Minister) was a further neck away in third, while second choice World Connector (Connect) was a meritorious fourth.

Consigliere, one of 22 first-crop winners for Drefong, is a half-brother to the Japanese SW & GSP Esmeraldina (Harlan's Holiday) and his dam Tasha's Star (Spanish Steps) is a half-sister to MGSW & GISP Tasha's Miracle (Harlan's Holiday). Tasha's Star did not produce a foal in 2020 and is the dam of a weanling filly by Shadai's two-time G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen (1200mT) hero Kinshasa no Kiseki (Aus).

A total of 17 Kentucky Derby points (10-4-2-1) were awarded Saturday. The series continues in the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun at Kawasaki on the NAR circuit Dec. 15.

WATCH: Consigliere holds on in the Cattleya S.

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World Connector Must Overcome High Draw In Cattleya S.

The 2022 Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby kicks off Saturday with the running of the Cattleya S. (allowance) at Tokyo Racecourse. Thirteen colts and two fillies line up for the 1600-meter test which begins with a run-up on the grass before linking up with the dirt track.

World Connector (Connect) has made both of his career starts to date at Tokyo, settling for a debut second as the 8-5 favorite going this course and trip Oct. 9 before dead-heating for the maiden win in a one-mile event on the turf track Oct. 31 (video, SC 2). A $250,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $410,000 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream juvenile (see below), the half-brother to SW & GISP Savings Account (Medaglia d'Oro) has to contend with the outside post in the bulky field. Ryan Moore, in to ride Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) in Sunday's G1 Longines Japan Cup, has been recruited by trainer Kazuo Fujisawa. World Connector trades as the 4-1 second favorite ante-post.

Eclipse Award-winning sprinter Drefong (Gio Ponti) has gotten off to a flying start at stud in Japan, with progeny earnings to date of a leading ¥258 million (US$2.28 million) and having been represented by 21 individual winners. One of those is Consigliere (Jpn), a 9 1/2-length graduate over nine furlongs at Niigata on his lone racetrack appearance Aug. 22 (video, SC 2). The bay is a half-brother to the Japanese SW & GSP Esmeraldina (Harlan's Holiday) and his dam Tasha's Star (Spanish Steps) is a half-sister to MGSW & GISP Tasha's Miracle (Harlan's Holiday). Consigliere was the 8-5 selection as of this writing.

Cafe Karma (Jpn) (Henny Hughes), a first-out second going nine furlongs at Nakayama Sept. 25, cut back to this track and distance and donned cap and gown by 3/4 of a length Oct. 24.

The connections of Clos de Mesnil (Practical Joke) opt for this spot over a sex-restricted allowance on the grass this weekend. This year's OBS March sales-topper on a bid of $750,000 (under-tack preview) overcame a bit of an eventful trip to break her maiden by a head at first asking over 1200 meters Nov. 7 at Hanshin (see below, SC 7) and is bred to appreciate the extra quarter mile of the Cattleya S.

A total of 17 Kentucky Derby points (10-4-2-1) are on the line Saturday. The series continues with the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun (1600m) at Kawasaki Dec. 15, the Listed Hyacinth S. (1600m) back at Tokyo Feb. 7 and the 1800-meter Fukuryu S. (allowance) at Nakayama Apr. 2.

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