By Alan Carasso
In this continuing series, we take 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 Racecourses:
Saturday, May 30, 2026
1st-KYO, ¥11,280,000 ($71k), Maiden, 3yo, 1400m
COLORER (f, 3, Quality Road–Rachel's Valentina, by Bernardini), whose 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard dam won the 2015 GI Spinaway Stakes and was runner-up in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, was beaten 7 1/2 lengths into sixth going Tokyo's one-turn mile Feb. 21 and cuts back a bit off a brief freshening. The $1.05-million Keeneland September yearling is one of the two foals produced by Horse of the Year and five-time Grade I winner Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d'Oro). Ryusei Sakai has the riding assignment for former top jockey Yuichi Fukunaga. O-Yoko Maeda; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Yuichi Fukunaga
Sunday, May 31, 2026
5th-KYO, ¥11,280,000 ($71k), Maiden, 3yo, 1mT
TRAD LORE (f, 3, Yaupon–Folklore, by Tiznow) was purchased by Oiwake Farm's Haruya Yoshida for $400,000 at the 2023 Keeneland November Sale and has a pedigree that is tailor made for Japan. A Mar. 15 foal, the bay filly is the third straight foal of racing age out of Folklore to be sent to the country, following Mystic Lore (Arrogate), a four-time winner of over $552,000 and Aallottaret (Practical Joke), three times victorious in Japan. Folklore's daughter Cherokee Maiden (Distorted Humor) is the dam of the Japanese Group 3-placed Mistress (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), while another of the mare's daughters, Rhodochrosite (Unbridled's Song), produced Triple Crown winner and top young stallion Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). Folkore's GSP half-sister Delightful Quality (Elusive Quality) is the dam of two-time Eclipse Award-winning 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Essential Quality (Tapit). O-G1 Racing Co Ltd; B-Lewis Thoroughbred Breeding LLC (KY); T-Tomokazu Takano
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