By Alan Carasso
Sunday's G3 Kisaragi Sho at Kyoto featured the two top-priced offerings from the 2013 JRHA Select Foal Sale, the ¥252 million (US$2.35 million) Leukerbad (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), a son of US Horse of the Year Azeri (Jade Hunter), and Satono Diamond (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who fetched ¥230 million (US$2.25 million). At the end of the 1800-meter trip, it was Satono Diamond who turned it into a one-horse show.
Perfect when odds-on in two tries over 10 furlongs late last season, Satono Diamond was the 1-5 chalk Sunday facing Leukerbad, whom he also defeated by 2 1/2 lengths on debut at this venue in November. Ridden by Christophe Lemaire, the star-faced bay raced worse than midfield a few paths away from the inside as Yutaka Take stalked his every move aboard Leukerbad from just behind the favorite. Satono Diamond cruised up under a hold to bid four abreast inside the final 400 meters with Leukerbad poised, but he hit another gear with a furlong to race and whooshed home an impressive winner. Les Planches (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) rallied late to just touch Leukerbad out of second.
The winner is the first foal from his dam, a three-time Group 1 winner in Argentina and twice placed in the G1 Estrellas Distaff. She produced a filly by Stay Gold (Jpn) and a filly by the latter's son Orfevre (Jpn) in 2015. She is due to foal a full-sibling to Satono Diamond this winter.
Sunday, Kyoto, Japan
KISARAGI SHO-G3, ¥72,470,000 (US$620,316), Kyoto, 2-7, 3yo, 1800mT, 1:46.90, fm.
1–#@SATONO DIAMOND (JPN), 123, c, 3, by Deep Impact (Jpn)
1st Dam: Malpensa (Arg) (MG1SW-Arg, $295,108), by Orpen
2nd Dam: Marsella (Arg), by Southern Halo
3rd Dam: Riviere (Arg), by Logical
(¥230,000,000 Wlg '13 JRHAJUL). O-Hajime Satomi; B-Northern Farm; T-Yasutoshi Ikee; J-Christophe Lemaire; ¥38,329,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, ¥52,529,000. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
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2–Les Planches (Jpn), 123, c, 3, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Lady Deauville (Fr), by Fasliyev. O-Carrot Farm; B-Northern Farm; ¥15,094,000.
3–Leukerbad (Jpn), 123, c, 3, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Azeri, by Jade Hunter. (¥240,000,000 Wlg '13 JRHAJUL). O-Toshio Terada; B-Northern Farm; ¥9,547,000.
Margins: 3HF, HD, 1 3/4. Odds: 0.20, 12.90, 4.50.
Also Ran: Nogaro (Jpn), On The Rocks (Jpn), Mo Katteru (Jpn), Roi Absolu (Jpn), Oken Dia (Jpn), Ultra Broque (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart and VIDEO. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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