Tag: Tokyo

Bricks And Mortar Sires First Stakes Winner In Japan

American Horse of the Year Bricks And Mortar (Giant's Causeway) sired his first stakes winner when his first-crop son Gonbade Qabus (Jpn) ran out a two-length winner of the G3 Saudi Arabia Royal Cup at Tokyo on Saturday.

A winner over this course and distance on his debut in June, the 8-1 chance jumped well and floated back through the field to race at the tail down the backstretch as Reve Genial (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) cut out fractions of :23.30 for the first 400 metres and :46.90 for the half-mile. Produced for his run around the 500-metre mark, the blaze-faced dark bay fanned out into the middle of the course by the quarter-pole, drove past his rivals 200 metres later and won going away in this 1600-metre affair. It was tight for second, with the short-priced favourite Bond Girl (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) a neck in front of Strauss (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}). Reve Genial hung on four fourth, another three-quarters-of-a-length behind.

 

Pedigree Notes

The winning Deep Impact mare Affilato (Jpn) took until her 6-year-old year to earn black type, and she accomplished that with a third in the G3 Nakayama Himba S. At stud, Gonbade Qabus is the second winner of two foals out of Affilato, who also has a yearling colt by Epiphaneia (Jpn).

His second dam Lady Of Venice (Fr) (Loup Solitaire) won a trio of graded races in the U.S., and, in addition to Affilato, produced the G3 Keisei Hai second Action Star (Jpn) (Agnes Tachyon {Jpn}). Father back in the pedigree is Classic winner and sire Soviet Star (Nureyev)and GI Santa Barbara H. heroine The Very One (One For All).

 

Saturday, Tokyo, Japan
SAUDI ARABIA ROYAL CUP, ¥63,050,000, Tokyo, 10-7, 2yo, 1600mT, 1:33.40, fm.
1–GONBADE QABUS (JPN), 123, c, 2, by Bricks and Mortar
                1st Dam: Affilato (Jpn), by Deep Impact (Jpn)
                2nd Dam: Lady of Venice (Fr), by Loup Solitaire
                3rd Dam: Lacewings, by Forty Niner
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. O-G1 Racing;
B-Shiraoi Farm (Jpn); T-Noriyuki Hori; J-Kohei Matsuyama;
¥33,315,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, ¥40,515,000. Click for
   the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Werk Nick
   Rating: D. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Bond Girl (Jpn), 121, f, 2, Daiwa Major (Jpn)–Coasted, by
Tizway. 1ST BLACK TYPE. 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE.
(¥210,000,000 Ylg '22 JRHAJUL). O-Susumu Fujita; B-Northern
Farm (Jpn); ¥13,090,000.
3–Strauss (Jpn), 123, c, 2, Maurice (Jpn)–Blumenblatt (Jpn) by
Admire Vega (Jpn). 1ST BLACK TYPE. 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE.
O-Carrot Farm; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥8,345,000.
Margins: 2, NK, 3/4. Odds: 8.60, 0.40, 1.80.
Also Ran: Reve Genial (Jpn), Ecoro Mars (Jpn), Win Acteur (Jpn), Meiner Bricks (Jpn), Happy Surprise (Jpn), Marine Bunker (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart & video.

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Seven-Figure Mendelssohn Colt On Debut at Hanshin

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. The weekend's main event takes place Sunday at Hanshin, where the world's top-rated racehorse Equinox (Jpn) returns in the G1 Takarazuka Kinen:

Saturday, June 24, 2023
4th-HSN, ¥10,480,000 ($73k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m
TOMODACHI (c, 3, Mendelssohn–Grace Is Gone, by Malibu Moon), a $100,000 purchase out of the 2020 Keeneland November Sale, matured nicely into a $235,000 Fasig-Tipton October Yearling and was one of five horses to breach the seven-figure threshold when fetching $1.3 million from trainer Mitsu Nakauchida at the 2022 OBS April Sale (breeze video). A late January foal, the chestnut is maternal grandson of Grade I-placed Grace Anatomy (Aldebaran), whose stakes-placed daughter Retro (Giant's Causeway) accounted for recent Churchill maiden winner American Retro (American Pharoah). B-Marcus Stables LLC (KY)

Sunday, June 25, 2023
5th-HSN, ¥13,720,000 ($95k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800mT
DANON SWITCH (JPN) (c, 2, American Pharoah–Switch In Time {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) was purchased by Katsumi Yoshida in utero for $350,000 at the 2020 Keeneland November Sale, and the February foal repaid that bill and then some when hammering to Danox Co. for the equivalent of $1,359,264 at the JRHA Select Sale in 2021. Switch In Time is out of dual Grade I winner Switch (Quiet American), who is also responsible for the Irish Group 3-placed Kiss You Later (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Christophe Lemaire has the call. B-Shunsuke Yoshida

MAPLE GANG (c, 2, War Front–Crimson Maple, by Rahy) is a half-brother to four winners from five to race and is a half-brother to five-time stakes winner Goldwood (Medaglia d'Oro). A $200,000 KEESEP yearling, the Apr. 17 foal is out of a daughter of GISW Maplejinsky (Nijinsky II), the dam of 1993 Filly Triple Crown heroine Sky Beauty (Blushing Groom {Fr}). Maplejinsky also serves as the granddam of GI Breeders' Cup Distaff upsetter Pleasant Home (Seeking the Gold), MGSW & MGISP Country Hideaway (Seeking the Gold), GISW Tale of Ekati (Tale of the Cat) and GSW Tale of Silence (Tale of the Cat). Crimson Maple passed away this year, but has left behind a filly by Medaglia d'Oro. B-Colts Neck Stables LLC (KY)

6th-TOK, ¥10,480,000 ($73k), Maiden, 3yo, 1600m
BREGAGH ROAD (JPN) (c, 3, Quality Road–Photo Call {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) is the first Japanese-foaled produce for his dam, who first changed hands for $3 million at Keeneland November in 2015 after winning that year's GI Rodeo Drive S. and would pad her resume when taking out the GI First Lady S. the following season. Photo Call was purchased by Katsumi Yoshida for $2.7 million with this colt in utero at KEENOV in 2019, and is also responsible for a Maurice (Jpn) colt that sold for nearly $1.2 million as a foal in 2021. Bregagh Road will carry the Carrot Farm colors. B-Northern Racing

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On ‘Song’–Again–In The Yasuda Kinen

A deluge of some 270 ml of rain–that's better than 10 inches for those of us less acquainted with the metric system–fell over the Tokyo Racecourse Friday and into early Saturday, leaving the turf course officially soft for the first of the two days of weekend racing.

Sunday dawned with perfect weather and by the time the field entered the gates for the G1 Yasuda Kinen, the course had been upgraded to good-to-firm, and that played right into the hands of Sunday Racing's Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), who came storming home down the centre to successfully defend her title in the spring mile feature. She joins Yamanin Zephyr (Jpn) (1992-93) and the great Vodka (Jpn) (2008, 2009) in putting wins back-to-back and is the third winner of the Yasuda Kinen in the last four years to carry the Sunday Racing black-and-red colours.

Sent off the fourth betting pick at 32-5, largely owing to her widest draw in 18, Songline was alertly away and settled just ahead of midfield and wide as Win Carnelian (Jpn) (Screen Hero {Jpn}) set a predicatbly furious tempo in advance of G1 Osaka Hai hero Jack d'Or (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) and the white mare Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune). Four off the rail and without cover for a time down the back of the course, Songline was eased back a spot or two by Keita Tosaki and critically managed to draft in behind recent G1 NHK Mile Cup winner Champagne Color (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) racing down the side.

Win Carnelian led narrowly into the long straight, but was soon besieged by Jack d'Or, who nosed in front with just shy of 400 metres to race. The chestnut, trying the mile for the first time, battled on bravely despite the demanding pace and took them deep into the final furlong, but Songline, switched off heels once heads were turned for home, was rallying strongly and raced over the top for the victory. Serifos (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}), a forward factor throughout, bid one off the fence in the late stages and was just home for second ahead of favoured Schnell Meister (Ger) (Kingman {GB}), who finished his final 600 metres in a race-fastest :32.8. It was the latter's third straight Yasuda Kinen placing, having finished third in 2021 after beating Songline in the NHK Mile Cup and second last year.

Songline has been sparingly raced since her win last year, and was only 10th in defence of her title in the G3 1351 Turf Sprint in Riyadh in February before besting Sodashi last time in the May 14 G1 Victoria Mile.

“I was able to gallop her last week and felt that her form had improved, so I had every confidence in her today,” said Tosaki, who took the 2011 Yasuda Kinen aboard Real Impact (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and was winning his 11th JRA Group 1. “The position we found was ideal, she responded beautifully and demonstrated her strong turn of foot and speed today. To score two Group 1 wins in a row is just incredible and I feel she is still steadily progressing.”

The Yasuda Kinen serves as a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile. Songline, who also earned a berth in the Filly & Mare Turf via the Victoria Mile success, was an intended runner in last year's Mile, but plans were scuppered due to inflammation in her epiglottis. Connections confirmed she will be pointed towards this year's Mile, to be held at Santa Anita Nov. 4.

Pedigree Notes:

Songline is the most accomplished runner by Kizuna, easily the best sire son of the late Deep Impact (Jpn) to date. The homebred is one of 22 black-type and 12 group winners for the 2013 G1 Tokyo Yushun hero, whose other elite-level scorer is G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2200m) victress Akai Ito (Jpn). Himself victorious in the 2013 G2 Prix Niel and fourth to Treve (Fr) in that year's G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Kizuna has also made an impression on foreign soil as a sire, as his son Deep Bond (Jpn) took out the G2 Qatar Prix Foy ahead of an Arc appearance in 2021, while Bathrat Leon (Jpn) posted surprise victories in the 2022 G2 Godolphin Mile in Dubai and in this year's 1351 Turf Sprint.

Songline's second dam was kin to three Japanese stakes winners, while her great-granddam not only bred a trio of black-type winners, but is also responsible for Reizend (Jpn) (Special Week {Jpn}). She serves as the dam of the globetrotting Deirdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}), who won the 2019 G1 Qatar Nassau S. while placing in the G1 Hong Kong Cup and G1 Dubai Turf.

Luminous Parade is also the dam of the 2-year-old colt Sonic Line (Jpn) (Real Impact {Jpn}), a yearling full-brother to Songline and foaled a colt by Satono Diamond (Jpn) Apr. 21.

Sunday, Tokyo, Japan
YASUDA KINEN-G1, ¥347,400,000, Tokyo, 6-4, 3yo/up, 1600mT, 1:31.40, gd/fm.
1–SONGLINE (JPN), 123, m, 5, by Kizuna (Jpn)
1st Dam: Luminous Parade (Jpn), by Symboli Kris S
2nd Dam: Luminous Point (Jpn), by Agnes Tachyon (Jpn)
3rd Dam: Soninke (GB), by Machiavellian
O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm; T-Toru Hayashi; J-Keita Tosaki; ¥183,780,000. Lifetime Record: GSW-KSA, 15-7-2-1, $6,030,499. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Serifos (Jpn), 128, c, 4, Daiwa Major (Jpn)–Sea Front (Fr), by Le Havre (Ire). O-G1 Racing; B-Oiwake Farm; ¥73,080,000.
3–Schnell Meister (Ger), 128, h, 5, Kingman (GB)–Serienholde (Ger), by Soldier Hollow (GB). O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm; ¥45,540,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, HD, NK. Odds: 6.40, 4.80, 3.20.
Also Ran: Gaia Force (Jpn), Jack d'Or (Jpn), Red Mon Reve (Jpn), Sodashi (Jpn), Win Carnelian (Jpn), Soul Rush (Jpn), Elusive Panther (Jpn), Matenro Orion (Jpn), Cafe Pharoah, Danon Scorpion (Jpn), Champagne Color (Jpn), Meikei Yell (Jpn), Namur (Jpn), Naran Huleg (Jpn), Dolce More (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart & video.

 

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Schnell Meister Requires Very Best For Yasuda Kinen

Having gone excruciatingly close in the last two renewals of the G1 Yasuda Kinen, Sunday Racing's Schnell Meister (Ger) (Kingman {GB}) takes a third crack at Japan's premier spring mile event, a 'Win and You're In' challenge race for the GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita in early November.

The bay, one of 10 elite-level winner in the field, defeated Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) in the age-restricted G1 NHK Mile Cup over this course and distance two years ago and was narrowly beaten by champion Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in this race his next start. He found Songline just a neck too good 12 months ago and was well below par for the remainder of his 4-year-old campaign, but he hinted at a return to form with a close fourth in the G2 Nakayama Kinen over 1800 metres Feb. 26 and most recently cut back to the mile for a victory in the G2 Yomiuri Milers Cup Apr. 23, with Gaia Force (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) and Soul Rush (Jpn) not far away in second and third. Christophe Lemaire, who took the 2018 Yasuda Kinen aboard Mozu Ascot (Frankel {GB}), will need to work out a trip from barrier 14.

“As a 5-year-old, he's more mature now,” said trainer Takahisa Tezuka. “He runs well at Tokyo, so returning to the track this time makes conditions good for him and he has a chance to win. Things to consider will be the ground and the weather before the race and on the day, as I would like him to run on good ground.”

The Milers Cup also-rans figure to be well-fancied here as well, as Gaia Force was trying the mile for the first time, while Soul Rush has shown he can hold his own at this level.

 

 

 

Songline also carries the Sunday Racing colours and will need to overcome gate 18 if she is to become the first Yasuda Kinen repeater since Vodka (Jpn) (Tamino Gimlet {Jpn}) in 2008-2009. She's raced only sparingly since, finishing fifth to Meikei Yell (Jpn) (Mikki Isle {Jpn}) in the G2 Centaur S. (1200m) last September and 10th to compatriot Bathrat Leon (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) in defence of her title in the G3 1351 Turf Sprint in Saudi Arabia in February. She bounced back last time to just touch off fan favourite Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune) in the G1 Victoria Mile over track and trip May 14.

“She has not only kept her condition since her last race, but she also seems to have improved for it,” trainer Toru Hayashi said of Songline. “It's the same concept as last year with these two races, and we're seeing the real Songline. With another strong field this time, and even after winning the Victoria Mile, I still think she's a challenger again here. I'm hoping she can run another strong race.”

Serifos (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) ran home strongly to be fourth while facing his elders here last June and closed the season with a smart 1 1/4-length success in the G1 Mile Championship. The chestnut has one run under his belt this season, a meritorious fourth behind the three-peating Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G1 Dubai Turf over a nine-furlong trip that might be a bit longer than optimal. Derby-winning jockey Damian Lane retains the call.

Jack d'Or (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}), whose sire won this in 2015, is the likely leader from gate three for Yutaka Take. The flashy chestnut, who has raced exclusively over the 2000 metres to this point in his career, took a thrilling running of the G2 Sapporo Kinen over Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) last August and was at his front-running best when landing the G1 Osaka Hai on his seasonal return Apr. 2

 

 

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