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 Tokyo and Hakodate Racecourses, including a pair of live stakes runners
Saturday, June 17, 2017
8th-TOK, ¥14,250,000 (US$129k), Alw, 3yo/up, 1300m
BLANC MEGERE (f, 3, Hansen–Debit or Credit, by Cat Thief) was narrowly defeated in her first couple of tries on the dirt earlier this season, but broke through last time with a convincing victory over 1200m at Nakayama Mar. 19 (video, gate 4). The most expensive of her expatriated sire's 31 juveniles to sell in 2016, the $260K OBSAPR graduate is out of a half-sister to GSW & G1SP Alke (Grand Slam), MSW Debit My Account (Classic Account) and SW & GSP Red N'Gold (Tabasco Cat). B-White Fox Farm (KY)
12th-TOK, ¥14,250,000 (US$129k), Alw, 3yo/up, 1600m
LARIO (c, 4, Ice Box–Lake Como, by Salt Lake) made seven trips to the races last year at three, winning his maiden at third asking and closing the season with a narrow victory over this course and distance Nov. 6 (video, gate 3). The Kazumi Yoshida runner, a half-brother to Listed Al Bastakiya S. winner Cosmo Charlie (Stay Thirsty) and MSP Aliana (Majestic Warrior), fetched $140K as a KEESEP yearling in 2014 and $270K as an OBSMAR breezer in the spring of 2015. Christophe Lemaire has the call. B-Roger S Braugh Jr (KY)
Sunday, June 18, 2017
11th-TOK, Unicorn S.-G3, ¥66,600,000 (US$602k), 3yo, 1600m
RIENO TESORO (f, 3, Speightstown–Akilina, by Langfuhr), winner of four of her six career trips to the post, perfect in two tries on the main track and already past $1 million in earnings, returns to the dirt here off a close runner-up effort (video, gate 14) at odds of 36-1 in the G1 NHK Mile Cup (1600mT) at this venue May 7. The half-sister to SW & MGSP Governor Malibu (Malibu Moon) was a two-time listed winner in 2016, including the Oct. 13 Edelweiss Sho (1200m) (video, gate 14) and the Dec. 14 Zennippon Nisai Yushun (1600m) (video, gate 1). Rieno Tesoro was a $250K purchase out of the 2015 FTSAUG sale. B-Oak Bluff Stables LLC (NY)
11th-HAK, Hakodate Sprint S.-G3, ¥74,600,000 (US$674k), 3yo/up, 1200mT
When last seen over this track and trip, LEVANTE LION (c, 3, Pioneerof the Nile–Ghostly Darkness, by Ghostzapper) was running his career record to two-for-two with a track record-setting victory in the G3 Hakodate Nisai S. last July (video, gate 12), covering the 1200m in 1:09.20. The $150K KEESEP acquisition makes his third start of this preparation, having finished a creditable eighth, beaten about four lengths, in a dirt allowance at Chukyo Mar. 12. B-Hargus & Sandra Sexton, Tom Bozarth & Silver Fern Farm LLC (KY)
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
