By Alan Carasso
3rd-NKY, ¥11,400,000 (US$96k), 3yo, Newcomers, 1800m
KIELE (Distorted Humor) is a 3-year-old daughter of G1 Tenno Sho winner Heavenly Romance (Jpn) (Sunday Silence), making her a half-sister to G2 UAE Derby winner and GI Belmont S. third Lani (Tapit) and to the top Japanese dirt horses Awardee (Jungle Pocket {Jpn}) and Amour Briller (Smart Strike). Masa Ebina rides for Mikio Matsunaga, while leading jockey Keita Tosaki takes the call on Winchester Farm-bred Elmiro (Eskendereya), who hails from the female family of G1 St Leger winner Shantou (Alleged).
3rd-KYO, ¥13,720,000 (US$117k), 3yo, Allowance, 1800m
MATERA SKY (Speightstown) has yet to finish worse than second in three tries on the dirt, including a latest second in the Kantsubaki Sho (1400m) at Chukyo Dec. 3. The half-brother to UAE MSW Nawwaar (Distorted Humor) tries a distance of ground for the first time. Bred by Lynch Bages Ltd., Matera Sky was a $140K KEESEP weanling turned $350K KEESEP yearling.
4th-KYO, ¥14,250,000 (US$121k), 4yo/up, Allowance, 1800m
HURRICANE BAROWS (Uncle Mo) makes his 4-year-old debut with a win and a pair of seconds in three starts on the main track, including a close second off a 6 1/2-month absence at Chukyo Dec 18. Out of a half-sister to Sovereign Award winner Negligee (Northern Afleet), the $120K KEESEP yearling matured into a $300K FTFMAR purchase in 2015. The bay colt was bred in Kentucky by Dr. Naoya Yoshida.
6th-KYO, ¥11,400,000 (US$96k), 3yo, Newcomers, 2000mT
Winchester Farm is also the breeder of AIR SHAMAL (Giant's Causeway), who gets the services of Yutaka Take for his introduction to racing. A son of Chez La Femme (Afternoon Deelites), the March foal hails from the same Storm Cat sire line as the Winchester-bred GSW Air Khalifa (Discreet Cat), a debut second before graduating in his next appearance. –Alan Carasso
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