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 Fukushima, Chukyo and Hakodate Racecourses. The latter is the site of the season's first group race for the juveniles in which a US-bred duo will look to hold serve following American-bred success in 2016:
Saturday, July 22, 2017
6th-FUK, ¥13,400,000 ($119k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1200mT
SHONAN DAZZLE (JPN) (f, 2, Shanghai Bobby–Path of Dreams, by Giant's Causeway), one of two horses currently active in Japan for her freshman sire (by Harlan's Holiday), is out of a full-sister to 2011 GIII Virginia Oaks victress Excited, who has since produced SW & MGSP Thrilled (Uncle Mo); and to the stakes-winning Wait Til Dawn. Shonan Dazzle's second dam is SW Path of Thunder (Thunder Gulch), a full-sister to GI Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Spain. Path of Dreams was purchased by Shimokobe Farm carrying this filly in utero for $290K at KEENOV in 2014. B-Shimokobe Farm
12th-CYO, ¥14,250,000 ($127k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 1600mT
RABBIT RUN (f, 3, Tapit&log=">Tapit–Amelia, by Dixieland Band) torched her rivals by seven lengths on debut last November (video, gate 7) and was just overturned in her seasonal bow May 7. The immaculately bred chestnut, a $750K KEESEP grad, switches to the turf and that could serve her well, as her siblings include the successful grass runners Kindergarden Kid (Dynaformer), Rainha da Bateria (Broken Vow) and Assateague (Stormy Atlantic).
Panther Barows (c, 3, Hard Spun&log=">Hard Spun–Grandma Martha, by Gone West) broke his maiden on dirt at second asking (video, gate 10), but was runner-up over this surface in his first go last November. Panther Barows, a $135K KEESEP yearling turned $300K FTFMAR breezer, is a maternal grandson of 1999 GII Schuylerville S. winner Magicalmysterycat (Storm Cat).
Rabbit Run: B-Alexander-Groves-Matz (KY); Panther Barows: B-WinStar Farm LLC (KY)
Sunday, July 23, 2017
11th-HAK, G3 Hakodate Nisai S., ¥58,600,000 ($524k), 2yo, 1200mT
US-bred and KEESEP grad Levante Lion (Pioneerof the Nile) followed up on a debut win at Hakodate with a victory in this event last year and a pair of American-bred fillies will try to follow suit Sunday. DERMA KISEKI (f, 2, Scat Daddy–Tashawak {Ire}, by Night Shift) got her career off on a high note with a battling nose success over the course and distance June 25 (video, gate 7), continuing a hot streak for her late sire. The $225K KEESEP acquisition is a daughter of Sheikh Hamdan's 2002 G2 Falmouth S. winner Tashawak.
By contrast, Molto Allegro (f, 2, Speightstown–Mo Chuisle, by Free House), a $525K KEESEP purchase, recorded her maiden win on the dirt, winning by 1 1/2 lengths June 24 (video, gate 8). She is kin to the late GISW Points Offthebench (Benchmark) and his Grade III-winning full-brother Bench Points.
Derma Kiseki: B-Freddie Bloodstock (KY); Molto Allegro: B-Town & Country Horse Farms & Frank & Kim Taylor (KY)
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