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 Kyoto, Tokyo and Fukushima Racecourses
Saturday, April 22, 2017
2nd-KYO, ¥9,550,000 (US$87K), Maiden, 3yo, 1400m
PANTHER BAROWS (c, Hard Spun–Grandma Martha, by Gone West), a $135K KEESEP yearling turned $300K FTFMAR breezer, gave an outstanding account of himself in his lone racetrack appearance, a pacesetting runner-up effort from gate 16 in a one-mile turf maiden at this venue Nov. 26 (video). Panther Barows switches to the dirt for this and is well-bred to handle it. Second dam Magicalmysterycat (Storm Cat) and third dam Nannerl (Valid Appeal) each registered multiple graded wins on the main track. B-WinStar Farm LLC (KY)
4th-TOK, ¥9,550,000 (US$87K), Maiden, 3yo, 1400m
RAG PRINCESS (f, 3, Union Rags–Exogenetic, by Unbridled's Song) has one run under her belt this term, a solid third over this track and trip Feb. 11–her first try on the dirt (video, drawn 2). The April foal is a half-sister to GSW & GISP Super Ninety Nine (Puplit) and is out of a close relation to the ill-fated dual Grade I winner Exogenous (Unbridled). This is the further female family of champion Countess Diana. Rag Princess cost $430K at KEESEP in 2015, the second most-expensive of 59 first-crop yearlings by Union Rags. The filly's War Front half-brother fetched $450K from Cromwell Bloostock as a KEEJAN yearling in early 2016. B-Northwest Farms LLC (KY)
Sunday, April 23, 2017
3rd-FUK, ¥9,550,000 (US$87K), Maiden, 3yo, 1700m
FARTHINGALE (f, 3, Shackleford–Royal Affection, by Vindication), a debut third Feb. 18 (video, gate 3), went one better in her most recent visit to the races three weeks ago (video, gate 13) and looks primed for a breakthrough here. The dark bay is a maternal granddaughter of SW Royal Tigress (Storm Cat), dam of GSW & GISP Tiger Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) as well as MSW & GSP Ol Donyo (Curlin). A $125K FTNAUG yearling, Farthingale was the second-dearest of 38 juveniles sold from her sire's first crop when hammered down for $310K at OBSMAR last year. Her dam was purchased by New York breeder Peter Kazamias for $35K carrying the filly in utero at KEEJAN in 2014. B-Kaz Hill Farm (NY).
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