In this continuing series, Alan Carasso takes 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, Nakayama and Hanshin Racecourses. Juvenile Fillies got their chance at Group 1 glory last weekend and it's the boys' turn this weekend at Hanshin, with the running of the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity:
Saturday, December 17, 2022 5th-CKO, ¥13,400,000, Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m REGNUM (c, 2, American Pharoah–Big Meesh {Ire}, by High Chaparral {Ire}) was a $170,000 purchase out of the 2020 Keeneland November Sale and was bought back on a bid of $265,000 at KEESEP before fetching $340,000 as an OBS April breezer this past spring (:9 4/5). The colt's dam, a half-sister to MGSW turf distaffer Noble Stella (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), was acquired by Grantley Acres with Regnum in utero for $250,000 at the 2019 KEENOV sale. B-Grantley Acres & Ryan Conner (KY)
6th-NKY, ¥13,400,000, Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m KEEP SMILING (JPN) (f, 2, Quality Road–Weep No More, by Mineshaft) is the second foal from her dam, upset winner of the 2016 GI Ashland S. at Keeneland and who produced $400,000 KEESEP grad War Classic (War Front) before being acquired privately by Northern Farm and bred to this successful stallion prior to her export. Weep No More, a half-sister to GSW Current (Curlin) and to the dam of the SW & GSP Half Is Enough (Frosted), is also responsible for a colt by the late Duramente (Jpn) that fetched better than $735,000 as a yearling at this year's JRHA Select Sale. The filly's third dam is 2001 GI Kentucky Oaks victress Flute (Seattle Slew). B-Northern Farm
Sunday, December 18, 2022 11th-HSN, Asahi Hai Futurity-G1, ¥136m, 2yo, 1600mT FROM DUSK (c, 2, Bolt d'Oro–Foolish Cause, by Giant's Causeway) realized a bid of $200,000 at last year's KEESEP sale before blossoming into a $900,000 OBS March juvenile. A fighting debut winner at Kokura Sept. 3, he was compromised by a slow start first time against winners Sept. 24, but made the majority of the running when last seen in the G2 Keio Hai Nisai S. over seven furlongs and was caught in the dying yards (see below, SC 7). Yutaka Take takes the ride on the colt, whose dam is a half-sister to the treble Grade I-winning turfer Get Stormy (Stormy Atlantic). B-Springhouse Farm (KY)
Several of Japan's G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe challengers galloped on Wednesday morning, led by Classic winner and three-time Group 1 victor Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}). Successful in the G1 Japanese St Leger back in October of 2021, the 4-year-old is riding a three-race winning streak, having taken the G2 Nikkei Sho, G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) and G1 Takarazuka Kinen in March, May and June this term, respectively. Carrying the silks of Hiroshi Yamada, the son of five-time winner Mowen (GB) (Motivator {GB}) has not raced since.
“We gave him a grass gallop this morning,” said trainer Toru Kurita. “There were two horses in front of him and he was waiting behind and he adapted himself very well to the ground.
“They went approximately a mile and a quarter, went slowly at the beginning and then quickened in the final four furlongs. The horse came close to joining the other ones in front. It was a good workout.
“It is very difficult to put a number on it [how much he can improve], but I can feel that the horse is getting better–he is improving and coming right for the race.”
Another contender from the Land of the Rising Sun is this year's G1 Japanese Derby hero Do Deuce (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}). He has already tested the waters at group level in France and was fourth in the G2 Prix Niel on Sept. 11.
“In the beginning of the race three weeks ago he felt fine, but then I also felt that he was tired when we came to the final furlong,” said Japanese riding legend Yutaka Take.
“He hadn't run in quite some time but this morning [Wednesday], I didn't ride him when he worked but I saw him, and I saw that he moved really well and that he had improved since that last run in Longchamp.
“I've had the opportunity to ride very good horses in the race and Do Deuce is going to be one of them. He's only three and he is still improving.
“To win the Arc has always been a dream and it's always been an objective of mine. While I'm still riding it remains very high on my agenda in my career.”
Another Japanese Arc contender out for a spin on Wednesday was Stay Foolish (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}), who has already proved himself twice against overseas competition when taking the G3 Red Sea Turf H. on the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup undercard in February, and again in Dubai, when winning the G2 Dubai Gold Cup on Mar. 26. Returned to his native land, the 7-year-old was unplaced in Titleholder's Takarazuka Kinen in June but was a close second in the G2 Grand Prix de Deauville on Aug. 28.
“Stay Foolish has a different profile compared to the horses that have run the Classic races like Do Deuce, who has run in the Derby, and Titleholder, who has run in the Group 1s in Japan,” Christophe Lemaire explained.
“He's a horse who has improved a lot with age, especially over the longer trips. He's maybe not as strong as a Derby winner but he has got a lot of experience.
“It was a very good workout this morning on ground that I would call good to soft, I was very happy with the way he cantered and galloped.
“In fact, he actually gave me the feeling I had before the run in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It was important for me to connect with the horse and feel that's switched on to see how he moves and it was perfect.”
The legendary Yutaka Take, already five times a winner of the G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby), gave out an uncharacteristically bullish vibe about the chances of reigning champion 2-year-old male Do Deuce (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) ahead of Sunday's second jewel of the Japanese Triple Crown over 2400 metres of the Fuchu course, about 20 miles due west of the city centre.
And after a little less than a record-breaking 142 seconds on a warm and sunny warm afternoon and with a crowd on that looked and sounded a bit larger than the announced 62,364, the son of US import Dust and Diamonds (Vindication) kicked home down the centre of the track and found the line a neck better than an unlucky Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}). Ask Victor More (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), one of five in the race for the final intake of the 2005 Derby winner–also ridden by Take–was a forward factor throughout and clung on gamely for third.
“This is a truly emotional experience for me and I couldn't be happier,” said Take, 53, who can now boast of Derby victories in his 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s. “It's so wonderful to be able to win in front of a packed stand–you couldn't be a jockey and not dream of living this moment.”
Sent away as the 16-5 third choice exiting a wide-trip third behind Geoglyph (Jpn) (Drefong) and Equinox in the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) at Nakayama last month, last year's G1 Asahi Hai Futurity hero was away fairly from gate 13 and drifted back to settle in the latter third of the field, racing with Equinox in his wake, as Desierto (Jpn) (Drefong) cut out the running from Ask Victor More. Switched off nicely and unhurried entering the final half-mile, Do Deuce stalked Geoglyph into the final 600 metres and was pulled out and around that star-faced chestnut rival entering the long Tokyo straight.
Desierto hoisted the white flag not long thereafter, allowing Ask Victor More to inherit the lead, but Take had Do Deuce in high gear, raced up to the front-runner inside the furlong marker and held sway late to score narrowly. Equinox, who drew 18 in the Guineas was unfortunate to do so again Sunday afternoon, was beaten to the punch by the winner and was fractionally short of room in the waning stages before attacking the line for second. His final 600 metres was timed in a race-fastest :33.6, a tenth of a second quicker than the winner. Favored Danon Beluga (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) ran on for fourth.
“He had so much left in the tank at the final corner when I asked him for his run–he responded amazingly and took the lead earlier than planned, but held on well to the wire,” Take added. “The [G1] Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe should be a strong option for the owner and will probably be our next target.”
Do Deuce is one of seven Japanese entries for Europe's weight-for-age centrepiece and is the third Derby winner in the last seven years for trainer Yasuo Tomomichi, who saddled Makahiki (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in 2016 and Wagnerian (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) two years later.
Six Tokyo Yushuns for Yutake Take
1998 Special Week
1999 Admire Vega
2002 Tanino Gimlet
2005 Deep Impact
2013 Kizuna
2022 Do Deuce
Do Deuce is one of 11 top-level scores for the now-pensioned Heart's Cry, who famously defeated Deep Impact in the 2005 G1 Arima Kinen and gave Japan a notable victory on the world stage when carrying Christophe Lemaire to a barnstorming victory in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic at old Nad al Sheba in 2006. Do Deuce is the second Derby winner for Heart's Cry, who also supplied One and Only (Jpn) in 2014. Heart's Cry is also responsible for dual-surface Grade I winner Yoshida (Jpn), now standing at WinStar Farm in the US.
The winner's dam raced as a homebred for Satish Sanan's Padua Stables for the first 10 starts of her career, winning the GII Gallant Bloom H. for trainer Steve Asmussen in 2012 before finishing a clear second in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint with Richard Santulli part of the ownership group.
Sent through the Fasig-Tipton November Sale a few days later, Dust and Diamonds was purchased by Borges Torrealba Holdings for $900,000 and was turned over to trainer Todd Pletcher for whom she won the GIII Sugar Swirl S. in what would be her final racetrack appearance.
Of the three foals the mare produced for Torrealba/Three Chimneys, the most accomplished became Much Better, who went on to be placed twice in graded company. Dust and Diamonds was subsequently sold to Katsumi Yoshida for $1 million carrying a full-sibling to Much Better at the 2016 Keeneland November Sale.
Now 14 years of age, Dust and Diamonds is represented by a 2-year-old Lord Kanaloa (Jpn) filly and was most recently covered by Real Steel (Jpn), the full-brother to the ground-breaking GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Loves Only You (Jpn).
Given a perfectly rationed ride from the front by the evergreen Yutaka Take, Jean Gros (More Than Ready) became the first winner at group level in Japan for his legendary sire in Saturday's $841,637 G2 New Zealand Trophy at Nakayama, a steppingstone to next month's G1 NHK Mile Cup at Tokyo Racecourse.
The 6-1 third favourite off a stalk-and-pounce success in listed company over 1200 metres Feb. 27, the full-brother to MGSW & GISP Tom's Ready was kicked straight into the lead from gate six and led through reasonable fractions of :23.5 for the opening quarter-mile and :46.8 for the first 800 metres. Going comfortably on the single right-handed turn, Jean Gros turned for home after six furlongs in 1:10.5 and finished strongly to cross the line a head better than favoured Matenro Orion (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}). The latter, drawn gate one, was maneuvered to the outside past halfway and was forced to take the overland route on the bend. He kicked hard in the stretch, but could not quite overhaul the leader in the dying strides. Lubeck (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}), a full-brother to the globetrotting Deirdre (Jpn), was third. Take was riding his first winner of the race since landing the 2004 renewal–also for trainer Hideyuki Mori–atop fellow American-bred Seeking the Dia (Storm Cat). The 2021 winner was Bathrat Leon (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), upset winner of the G2 Godolphin Mile Mar. 26.
Pedigree Notes:
Jean Gros is the 98th worldwide graded/group winner for WinStar's More Than Ready, still going strong at the age of 25.
Blackstone Farm acquired Goodbye Stranger carrying the foal that would become Tom's Ready for $40,000 at Keeneland January in 2013 and also bred the stakes-placed Wrong Color (Gemologist) from the mare before selling her to Nursery Place for $120,000 with Jean Gros in utero at KEEJAN in 2019.
Entered for but withdrawn from the Keeneland November Sale eight months after his foaling date of Mar. 2, Jean Gros was bought back by John Mayer's operation on a bid of $130,000 at Keeneland September the following fall. Turned over to consignor Al Pike, the bay was knocked down to Mori for $265,000 at last year's OBS March Sale after breezing an eighth of a mile in :10 flat.
Mori, whose success with traveling American-bred gallopers is well-documented, signed for eight horses for over $2.2 million at OBS last March, including the $750,000 topper now named Clos de Mesnil (Practical Joke). She is a maiden winner from four starts to date. Six of the eight have won at least one race.
Barren to Arrogate for 2020, Goodbye Stranger is the dam of a yearling filly by Audible and is due to Horse of the Year Authentic this season.
