By Alan Carasso
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 Chukyo, Hanshin and Nakayama Racecourses, including a talented American-bred trio at Group 3 level Saturday at Chukyo. Sunday's US-bred runners will appear on Twitter Friday and in the Saturday edition of the TDN:
Saturday, March 17, 2018
4th-NKY, ¥13,720,000 ($129k), Allowance, 3yo, 1800m
SWING BEAT (c, 3, Tapit&log=">Tapit–Backseat Rhythm, by El Corredor) defeated next-out maiden winner Battle Meister (Bodemeister) to break his maiden at first asking at Tokyo Nov. 11 (video, gate 6) and was a decent fourth to SP and G2 UAE Derby-bound Taiki Ferveur (Jpn) (Furioso {Jpn}) in his first start against winners in December. His dam was victorious in the grassy GI Garden City S. in 2008. B-Shadai Farm (KY)
5th-HSN, ¥9,550,000 ($90k), Maiden, 3yo, 2000mT
RANDONNEE (f, 3, Blame&log=">Blame–Loure, by A.P. Indy) was sent off at odds of 10-1 for her 1800-meter debut at Tokyo and was caught late to drop a neck decision (video, gate 1). A half-sister to SW Do the Dance (Discreet Cat) and to five-time Japanese winner Kettenstoet (Kitten's Joy), the April foal is a maternal granddaughter of French Group 3 winner Loving Pride (Quiet American). B-Winchester Farm (KY)
11th-CKO, Falcon S.-G3, ¥72m ($678k), 3yo, 1400mT
The well-related ASAKUSA GENKI c, 3, Stormy Atlantic–Amelia, by Dixieland Band), a $210K KEESEP yearling, graduated at third asking last August, then carried Yutaka Take to a 6-1 upset of the G3 Kokura Nisai S. the following month (video, gate 17) to become a fifth graded stakes winner for his dam. Take has a return call on the colt, who is also a half-brother to GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile runner-up and Woodford Thoroughbreds He's Had Enough (Tapit). B-Alexander-Groves-Matz LLC (KY)
MR MELODY (c, 3, Scat Daddy–Trusty Lady, by Deputy Minister) has a pair of wins and two seconds from four starts, including a record-setting performance on debut last November (video, gate 1) and a latest success over a muddy Tokyo strip Feb. 3 (video, gate 13). The bay, a $75K KEENOV buyback, fetched $100K as a KEESEP yearling and $400K as an OBSAPR breezer last spring. He tries the turf for the first time here. B-Bell Tower Thoroughbreds (KY)
MOZU SUPERFLARE (f, 3, Speightstown–Christies Treasure, by Belong to Me), a maiden winner at first asking last August (video, gate 11), was out of the frame in her next four runs before returning to winning ways over 1200m at Kokura Mar 4 (video, gate 8). A half-sister to GSW Sacristy (Pulpit) from the family of GISW Purge (Pulpit), the chestnut was a $125K KEESEP acquisition. B-Alpha Delta Stables LLC (KY)
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