By Alan Carasso
An August foal, Fiano Romano (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) was spotting his Northern Hemisphere rivals half a calendar year, but he took plenty of money as the 13-5 second favorite and raced away late to a highly impressive debut success in a newcomers' event over 1600m Saturday at Kyoto Race Course. Given a positive ride from gate five by jockey Shane Foley, the A$250,000 Inglis Easter Yearling purchase tossed his head about down the back, then settled into a nice rhythm from second. Pulled out to stalk from the two path with 600m to travel, Fiano Romano was roused to the front on the swing for home and opened it up late to take it by 3 1/2 lengths (video). Fiano Romano is a son of Heart Ashley, a two-time Grade 3 winner in the US at age three who was purchased by bloodstock agent James Bester for US$500,000 at the 2010 Keeneland November Sale before her export to Australia. Fiano Romano's 4-year-old full-sister Ameristralia (Aus) carried the Spendthrift Australia silks to victory in a BM84 handicap at Moonee Valley Jan. 21. Her year-younger half-sister by More Than Ready was purchased by Vinery Stud for A$600,000 at the recently concluded Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. The dam of a weanling colt by Snitzel (Aus), Heart Ashley was most recently bred on a Sept. 19 cover to More Than Ready.
+Fiano Romano (Aus), c, 2, Fastnet Rock (Aus)–Heart Ashley (MGSW-US, $395,896), by Lion Heart. Kyoto, 1-28, Newcomers (A$131k), 1600mT, 1:35. O-Kazumi Yoshida; B-Kia Ora Stud (NSW); T-Tomokazu Takano.
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