In this continuing 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 running Saturday at Tokyo and Kyoto Racecourses. Sunday's US-bred runners in Japan will appear in Saturday's TDN.
5th-TOK, ¥13,400,000 ($119k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1300m
EVACUANT (c, 2, Street Boss–Ever So, by Medaglia d'Oro) fetched $130K as a Fasig-Tipton October yearling, then was purchased for $200K post-RNA after breezing an eighth of a mile in :10 flat at this year's OBS April Sale. A May 5 foal, the bay is out of a half-sister to Grade 1-winning sprinter Yes It's True (Is It True) and to MSW Honest Deceiver (Is It True). B-Godolphin (KY)
5th-KYO, ¥13,400,000 ($119k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1400mT
DERMA KATRINA (f, 2, Ghostzapper–Ruthian, by Rahy), a $100K Keeneland September acquisition, is a daughter of the stakes-winning Ruthian, who has far exceeded her racetrack accomplishments in the breeding shed. Now 22, Ruthian is the dam of Rutherienne (Pulpit), winner of the 2007 GI Del Mar Oaks, as well as her Grade III-winning full-sister Ruthenia. Both were convincing debut winners over a distance of ground. B-Payson Stud Inc (KY)
11th-TOK, Keio Hai Nisai S.-G2, ¥72m ($639k), 2yo, 1400mT
ASTER PEGASUS (c, 2, Giant's Causeway–R Heat Lightning, by Trippi), the first foal to make the races out of his Grade I-winning dam-who was also runner-up in the 2011 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies-puts his perfect career record on the line here. A $150K KEESEP grad, the chestnut debuted with a smooth victory going 1200m at Hakodate June 24 and doubled up with a narrow success in that track's G2 Hakodate Nisai S. July 22 (gate 6). R Heat Lightning was purchased by Stonestreet for $1.6 million in foal to Bernardini at KEENOV in 2013. B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY)
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
