In this ongoing series, Alan Carasso (@EquinealTDN) 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 Kokura and Niigata Racecourses, including a son of the late Regal Ransom looking to improve on a track record-setting performance last time out:
Saturday, August 5, 2017
10th-KOK, ¥19,950,000 ($181k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 1700m
FACE IMPACT (c, 4, Unbridled's Song–Amazing Buy, by High Yield), third in his debut at this track in February 2016, broke his maiden at fourth asking at Kyoto last May (video, gate 1). The $150K KEESEP yearling, whose treble SW dam is a half-sister to Sovereign Award winner Alpha Bettor (Alphabet Soup), has the right to improve after catching a muddy surface over an insufficient 1400m when resuming from an 11-month layoff at NAR facility Kochi Apr. 26. B-Momkids Inc (KY)
Sunday, August 6, 2017
3rd-KOK, ¥9,550,000 ($87k), Maiden, 3yo, 1700m
TAPIZO (c, 3, Tapizar–Refugio, by Bernardini) was a debut fourth from two appearances last year at two and made a favorable impression in his sophomore reappearance at Chukyo July 12, finishing a narrow runner-up from a double-digit draw (video, gate 12). The first foal out of a half-sister to MGSW Blofeld (Quality Road), the $100K KEESEP yearling acquisition has the services of visiting Hong Kong jockey Douglas Whyte. Tapizo carries 4×3 inbreeding to A.P. Indy. B-Mike G Rutherford (KY)
9th-NII, ¥19,950,000 ($181k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 1800mT
Despite posting just a maiden win (video, gate 2) from his five career starts, GOLD HAT (c, 3, Hat Trick {Jpn}–Patti O'Rahy, by Rahy) has never run a poor race and faces elders for the first time here. Sixth, but not beaten far in Group 3 company over 2200m May 6, he exits a razor-thin defeat when third in a May 27 allowance over this trip (video, gate 1). Gold Hat's second dam, 2014 broodmare of the year and GSW Fun House (Prized), is the dam of champion MGISW Untapable (Tapit) and her Grade I-winning half-brother Paddy O'Prado (El Prado {Ire}). B-Lester Kwok & Dr Naoya Yoshida (KY)
11th-KOK, Kokura Kinen H.-G3, ¥77,300,000 ($701k), 3/up, 2000mT
STRONG TITAN (c, 4, Regal Ransom–Titan Queen, by Tiznow) closed his sophomore season on a three-race winning streak, but was unplaced in a pair of starts at group level to kick off his 4-year-old campaign. The bay most recently returned from a five-month hiatus July 15 to set a new Chukyo track record for 2000m with a late surge (video, gate 7). Strong Titan is kin to GSWs Fashion Alert (Old Fashioned) and to Moira Aithon (Jpn) (Lonhro {Aus}), a ¥69.1 million ($630k) JRHA foal in 2014 and winner of a 1200m allowance at this venue just last Saturday. B-Northern Racing (KY)
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