Yuugiri | Horse Racing Free Tips

Yuugiri Half-Brother Kicks Off Career at Kyoto

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 Saturday running at Kyoto and Tokyo Racecourses:

Saturday, February 3, 2024
4th-KYO, ¥11,850,000 ($81k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1800m
AIR SAMSARA (c, 3, Nyquist–Yuzuru, by Medaglia d'Oro) is the latest to the races out of this stakes-winning dam, whose daughter Yuugiri (Shackleford) pieced together a very productive 4-year-old season in 2023, winning the GII Thoroughbred Club of America S. ahead of a gallant runner-up effort behind repeat champion Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper) in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. According to Winchester Farm's Dr. Naoya Yoshida, Yuugiri has been retired and is booked to Elite Power for the upcoming breeding season. The family has served these breeders very well, as Yuzuru's half-sister Nokaze (Empire Maker) has bred five winners from five starters–all in Japan–including Group 2 scorer Air Almas (Majestic Warrior) and Air Fanditha (Hat Trick {Jpn}), a two-time listed stakes winner. The colt's third dam Angelic Song (Halo) was a full-sister to Devil's Bag, Saint Ballado, et al. B-Sekie & Tsunebumi Yoshihara (KY)

5th-TOK, ¥11,850,000 ($81k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1600mT
RAINBOW TOPAZ (JPN) (c, 3, Ghostzapper–Lady Dyna, by Tapit), a $125,000 in-utero purchase at Keeneland November in 2020, is a maternal grandson of Dr. John Chandler's Dynaforce (Dynaformer), a stakes winner and Group 2-placed in France for Andre Fabre and later winner of the GI Beverly D. S. and GI Flower Bowl S. while under the care of Bill Mott upon her repatriation to the U.S. The dam of English SW & GSP Aljezeera (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Dynaforce is kin to 12 winners out of Aletta Maria (Diesis {GB}), including MGISW Cetewayo (His Majesty), GSW & GISP Bowman Mill (Kris S.), SW Ntombi (Quiet American) and De Aar (Gone West), the MGSP dam of three-time graded winner and multiple Grade I-placed Willcox Inn (Harlan's Holiday). B-Yuki Dendo

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Keeneland Workers Prep For Opening Weekend Stakes

Several runners being pointed to opening weekend stakes turned in works Sunday morning over the fast main track.

Dixiana Farms' homebred Hayes Strike (Connect) along with Mendelssohns March (Mendelssohn), owned by Harold Lerner, Nehoc Stables, AWC Stables and Team Stallion Racing Stable, tuned up for expected starts in Saturday's GI Toyota Blue Grass S. by working 5 furlongs in 1:00.60 in company together.

Hayes Strike comes into the 1 1/8-mile Blue Grass off a victory in the Private Terms S. at Laurel March 18.

“I don't run many horses in Maryland,” trainer Kenny McPeek said of Hayes Strike. “His race at Turfway (in the Leonatus Stakes on Jan. 21 in which he finished ninth) … nothing went right. He didn't ship well, and he didn't handle the synthetic surface at all. I just needed to get him back on the dirt and get him back to winning.”

Mendelssohns March has two wins in two starts with victories on the turf at Fair Grounds and on a sloppy dirt track at Oaklawn Park.

McPeek is the most recent of six trainers to have swept the GI Central Bank Ashland and Toyota Blue Grass in the same year. McPeek, who first accomplished the double in 2002 with Take Charge Lady and Harlan's Holiday, is expected to send out Magdalena Racing, Colette Marie Vanmatre and James Ball's Defining Purpose (Cross Traffic) in the Ashland. Defining Purpose worked 5 furlongs in 1:00.20.

Half-mile workers included Mr. and Mrs. Tsunebumi Yoshihara's Yuugiri (Shackleford) who went in :48.80 in preparation for the GI Madison S. for trainer Rodolphe Brisset; Tom Durant's Run Classic (Runhappy) who worked a half in :47.80 for the GIII Commonwealth S. for trainer Bret Calhoun; and Michael J. Ryan's Be Your Best (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) in :49.80 for the GII Appalachian S. for trainer Horacio De Paz.

Also working Sunday morning was West Coast Stables' Pride of the Nile (Pioneerof the Nile), currently 28th on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks with 17 points, who drilled 6 furlongs in 1:16 on the main track under Ferrin Peterson for trainer Doug O'Neill in preparation for Friday's GI Central Bank Ashland S. Pride of the Nile shipped to Keeneland the middle of last month after a troubled trip in the GIII Santa Ysabel at Santa Anita March 5.

“I was glad to get her,” said Stephanie Murray, who oversees the O'Neill string at Keeneland. “Today was her third work here. The first time, she worked on the (all-weather) training track because of the rain.”

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Shackleford Filly Game as they Get in Fantasy

Sekie and Tsunebumi Yoshihara's Yuugiri (Shackleford) looked in all sorts of bother as she was besieged from either side with time ticking away in Saturday's GIII Fantasy S. at Oaklawn Park, but she refused to lay down and battled her way to a neck defeat of Beguine (Gun Runner). Second choice Bubble Rock (More Than Ready) was third in her first try on a conventional dirt surface.

Quickly into stride from gate six, Yuugiri won the race into the first turn and set the pace from the two path, with Bubble Rock chasing from second and Beguine monitoring proceedings from the box seat in third. That trio would have the race to themselves, as it would happen. Yuugiri did it well on the engine and went along comfortably, sharp though the fractions were. On a long rein with Bubble Rock stalking her wherever she went and Beguine still traveling strongly, Yuugiri was shaken up 2 1/2 furlongs from home, but appeared to be going better than Bubble Rock to her outside. In the meantime, Beguine emerged as the more serious danger at the fence and was within a head as they entered the final eighth of a mile. But the pacesetter maintained a slender advantage as the duo came together late and proved a most determined winner. Stewards launched an inquiry into the final stages, but ultimately allowed the result to stand.

“That was really not the initial plan (go to the lead), but she broke so sharp,” said winning trainer Rodolphe Brisset. “[Jockey Florent Geroux] did good to just go with the flow. The fractions were pretty fast. It's very demanding to go to the wire, going :46 and change, and she did it. It's a fun one.”

A romping 7 1/4-length debut maiden winner at Churchill Downs Sept. 17, Yuugiri was a distant runner-up in the Oct. 31 Rags To Riches S. and filled the same spot when beaten a length by Fantasy favorite Dream Lith (Medaglia d'Oro) in the GII Golden Rod S. Nov. 27. She raced prominently in the GIII Honeybee S. in her sophomore debut Feb. 26 but weakened late to be third behind leading local lady Secret Oath (Arrogate) in an effort she was likely to be in need of and sure to come on for.

Pedigree Notes:

Yuugiri is the 19th stakes winner and seventh winner at the graded level for GI Preakness S. winner Shackleford, who was sold to Korean interests to continue his stallion career in that country in 2020.

The winner's dam was campaigned by Sekie and Tsunebumi Yoshihara to a victory for trainer Michael Matz in the grassy Forever Together S. and Yuugiri is her only winner from two of racing age. Yuzuru is a half-sister to the Winchester Farm-bred Nokaze (Empire Maker), the dam of Japanese Group 2 winner Air Almas (Majestic Warrior), Japanese stakes winner Air Fanditha (Hat Trick {Jpn}) and the promising Air Sage (Point of Entry), winner of three of six starts on the demanding JRA circuit. The Yoshiharas campaign those horses in Japan under the banner of Lucky Field, the literal translation of Yoshihara. Lucky Field has also raced 1997 Tenno Sho hero Air Groove (Jpn) (Tony Bin {Ire}) and MGSW/MG1SP Air Spinel (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}).

Yuzuru is the dam of a 2-year-old colt by Air Force Blue that has already been exported to Japan as well as a yearling colt by Nyquist. She was most recently bred to American Pharoah.

FANTASY S.-GIII, $600,000, Oaklawn, 4-2, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:43.65, ft.
1–YUUGIRI, 119, f, 3, by Shackleford
                1st Dam: Yuzuru (SW, $105,759), by Medaglia d'Oro
                2nd Dam: Macarena Macarena, by Gone West
                3rd Dam: Angelic Song, by Halo
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O/B-Sekie & Tsunebumi Yoshihara (KY); T-Rodolphe Brisset; J-Florent Geroux. $360,000. Lifetime Record: MGSP, 5-2-2-1, $543,610. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Beguine, 119, f, 3, Gun Runner–Shananies Song, by Eltish. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($235,000 RNA Ylg '20 KEESEP; $340,000 RNA 2yo '21 FTFMAR). O/B-Charles T. Matses; T-Daniel C. Peitz. $120,000.
3–Bubble Rock, 122, f, 3, More Than Ready–Reef Point, by Giant's Causeway. O/B-Shortleaf Stable, Inc.; T-Brad H. Cox. $60,000.
Margins: NK, 3, 2. Odds: 4.10, 11.30, 3.20.
Also Ran: I Feel the Need, Dream Lith, Heartyconstitution, Mariah's Fortune, Magic Circle. Scratched: Eda.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Another New Wrinkle For Bubble Rock in Fantasy

Having already displayed considerable versatility in her young career, Shortleaf Stable homebred Bubble Rock (More Than Ready) faces yet another test as one of the expected market leaders in Saturday's GIII Fantasy S. at Oaklawn, a race with an open feel owing to the absence of Secret Oath (Arrogate) and the early scratching of morning-line favorite Eda (Munnings).

After posting a pair of visually impressive victories over turf sprint trips–including the GIII Matron S. at Belmont–Bubble Rock was asked to stretch out to two turns for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf instead of the GII Juvenile Turf Sprint, and though she beat only two rivals home in 12th, closed off decently to finish just 4 1/2 lengths adrift of Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). Second to a race-fit and in-form Marissa's Lady (Violence) in the Feb. 12 Valdale S. sprinting over the Turfway synthetic, she most recently turned the tables on that one with a 2 1/2-length success in the one-mile Cincinnati Trophy S. Mar. 5. Marissa's Lady returned to annex the Serena's Song S. last Saturday.

The new frontier in the Fantasy is the dirt, but she is bred nicely for it, as she is out of a daughter of GII Demoiselle S. victress Dixie City (Dixie Union), the dam of Korean star and GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile third Blue Chipper (Tiznow). Former 'TDN Rising Star' and current Lane's End stallion Unified (Candy Ride {Arg}) is further down the page.

Yuugiri (Shackleford) has yet to finish outside the top three in four trips to the post. A 7 1/4-length maiden winner on Churchill debut Sept. 17, the homebred filly was runner-up in the Rags To Riches S. Oct. 31 and to Dream Lith (Medaglia d'Oro) in the GII Golden Rod S. Nov. 27. She has one run under her belt this term, a useful third to Secret Oath in the Feb. 26 GIII Honeybee S.

Dream Lith also makes her second start of the season here and will look to improve off a mostly even sixth in the GII Rachel Alexandra S. at the Fair Grounds Feb. 19. She has turned in three very strong works over the local main track since for trainer Robertino Diodoro.

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