In this ongoing 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 Hanshin and Nakayama Racecourses:
Saturday, March 31, 2018
2nd-HSN, ¥9,550,000 ($90k), Maiden, 3yo, 1200m
AMERICAN ACE (c, 3, Tale of the Cat–Practice, by Smart Strike), a decent sixth over 1800m when trying the dirt for the first time Feb. 25, cut back to be third, beaten a head, over course and distance Mar. 17. A $45K KEESEP yearling whose Scat Daddy half-brother fetched $800K from Godolphin at that venue last fall, American Ace is a maternal grandson of Dress Rehearsal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), winner of the GIII Orchid S. and a SW in Ireland. B-Ben Sangster (KY)
3rd-NKY, ¥9,550,000 ($90k), Maiden, 3yo, 1200m
OMEGA QUALITY (c, 3, Elusive Quality–Juhnaya {Arg}, by Johannesburg) finished well down the field in a 1600m grass test on debut, but perked up to finish third over track and trip Mar. 18 (gate 9). The colt's dam was a treble Group 1 winner and two-time champion in Argentina, while his second dam Jus Agendi (Brz) (Nugget Point {Ire}) was victorious in the 1996 G1 Brazilian Oaks. Omega Quality's Heart's Cry (Jpn) half-brother was sold for ¥160 million (US$1.4 million) as a foal at last year's JRHA Select Sale. B-Teruya Yoshida (KY)
11th-HSN, ¥41,800,000 ($393k), Open Class, 4yo/up, 1400m
MOANIN (h, 6, Henny Hughes–Giggly, by Distorted Humor) won six of his first seven career appearances, including a Tokyo track record-setting performance in landing the G1 February S. (1600m) in 2016 (gate 14). The New York-bred, a $90K FTSAUG yearling turned $335K OBSMAR breezer, has placed just twice in 11 runs since, but he was runner-up in listed company in his most recent try at a dirt sprint. B-Empire Equines (NY)
Sunday, April 1, 2018
8th-HSN, ¥19,950,000 ($188k), Allowance, 4yo/up, 1200m
OLD BAILEY (c, 4, To Honor and Serve–Passion Du Coeur, by Distorted Humor), a $220K FTSAUG acquisition by Sheikh Mohammed in 2015, has amassed a record of 6-2-2 on the dirt. An easy allowance winner at Chukyo last December (gate 10), he most recently returned from a freshening to be a close third over course and trip Mar. 11. The dark bay is out of a full-sister to MSW & MGSP Distorted Passion (o/o SW Arianna's Passion, by Unbridled's Song), dam of MGSW & GISP Mrs McDougal (Medaglia d'Oro). His now 2yo half-brother by Union Rags was a $650K purchase by Baker/Mack at Saratoga last summer. B-Elm Tree Farm (KY)
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