By Alan Carasso
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 Sapporo and Niigata Racecourses:
Saturday, August 23, 2025
5th-SAP, ¥14,250,000 ($97k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1500mT
MISS JADE (JPN) (f, 2, Blame–Asscher, by Harlan's Holiday) is set to become the second foal to the races for her dam, a half-sister to the late three-time Grade I-winning sprinter Lord Nelson (Pulpit), who was purchased for $50,000 with this filly in utero at the 2022 Keeneland November Sale. Lord Nelson was out of a daughter of Argentinian champion 3-year-old filly Miss Linda (Arg) (Southern Halo), winner at home of the G1 Argentina Oaks and later victorious in the 2001 GI Juddmonte Spinster Stakes for the Ackerley Brothers and John Kimmel. The mare's yearling filly by Pulpit's expatriated GI Forego Stakes-winning son Pyro fetched a bit more than $150,000 at the recent JRHA Select Sale. O-Turf Sport Co Ltd; B-Yuki Dendo; T-Yoshiaki Sugiyama
Sunday, August 24, 2025
11th-NII, Niigata Nisai S.-G3, ¥59.1m ($403k), 2yo, 1600mT
MESE (JPN) (f, 2, Disco Partner–Marquet Legacy, by Gio Ponti) opened her account at first asking with a narrow victory going 1200 meters at Fukushima June 28 (see below, SC 6) and has the rail for this step up in class. Marquet Legacy is one of seven winners produced by MSW & GSP To Marquet (Marquetry), whose most successful offspring was Discreet Marq (Discreet Cat), winner of the 2013 GI Del Mar Oaks and her MSW full-brother Too Discreet (Discreet Cat). O-Yoshihiko Koga; B-Yuki Dendo; T-Takanori Kikuzawa
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