By Alan Carasso
Tanino Frankel (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), a 2-year-old son of two-time Japanese Horse of the Year and five-time Group 1 winner Vodka (Jpn) (Tanino Gimlet {Jpn}), is set to make his career debut in an 1800-metre debutants event Saturday afternoon at Niigata Racecourse.
The February foal was bred by Yuzo Tanimizu, who raced Vodka to defeats of males in the 2007 Tokyo Yushun (2400m), the G1 Yasuda Kinen (1600m) in 2008 and 2009 and the 2009 G1 Japan Cup. Named champion 2-year-old filly of 2006, Vodka was also Japan's champion older mare of 2008 and 2009 and retired in 2010 with 10 wins from her 26 career starts and earnings of ¥1.3 billion (US$13.1 million).
Trained like Vodka by Katsuhiko Sumii, Tanino Frankel is the fourth live produce for Vodka, each of which has been foaled in Ireland. Her best runner thus far has been the consistent Tanino Urban Sea (Ire), a daughter of Sea the Stars (Ire), the half-brother to Tanino Frankel's paternal grandsire Galileo (Ire). Tanino Urban Sea has three wins from 12 starts and has been out of the top three just twice. Vodka is also the dam of an yearling Irish-bred filly by Invincible Spirit (Ire) and produced a full-brother to Tanino Frankel just over two months ago in Ireland.
Tanino Frankel, trading ante-post as the 2.1 (11-10) favourite and will be ridden by Mirco Demuro for his debut run. He has drawn gate 13 in a field of 15 in the day's fifth race.
Frankel is the sire of four winners from nine starters in Japan, including champion Soul Stirring (Jpn) and 'TDN Rising Star' and GSW Mi Suerte (Jpn).
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