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 for this weekend running at Nakayama and Chukyo Racecourses, the latter of which features of pair of talented group-winning American-breds entered for Sunday's Group 1 sprint:
Saturday, March 23, 2019
5th-CKO, ¥9,550,000 ($86k), Maiden, 3yo, 1200mT
DERMA KATRINA (f, 3, Ghostzapper&hid=10633">Ghostzapper–Ruthian, by Rahy) was well-beaten in her first two trips to the post, but grew up a bit during a freshening and improved to be a very good third in her sophomore debut Mar. 10. A half-sister to GISW Rutherienne (Pulpit) and GSW Ruthenia (Pulpit)–the dam of MSW & GSP Pubilius Syrus (Candy Ride {Arg})–Derma Katrina was a $100K purchase out of the 2017 Keeneland September sale. B-Payson Stud Inc (KY)
Sunday, March 24, 2019
2nd-NAK, ¥9,550,000 ($86k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m
MAQUIS (c, 3, Pioneerof the Nile–Life Well Lived, by Tiznow), a $350K KEESEP acquisition, has twice finished runner-up from four career appearances, including a strong effort behind fellow US-bred Cosmo Robinson (Take Charge Indy) on his dirt debut at Tokyo last November. The half-brother to GISW and new Japanese sire American Patriot (War Front) is also related to SW Well Humored (Distorted Humor) and MGSP Muqtaser (Distorted Humor). His dam, purchased by Japanese interests for $1.25 million in foal to American Pharoah at KEENOV in 2017, is a full-sister to G1 Dubai World Cup hero Well Armed and a half to GSW Witty (Distorted Humor) and GISP Helsinki (Distorted Humor). B-WinStar Farm LLC (KY)
11th-CKO, Takamatsunomiya Kinen-G1, ¥210k ($1.9m), 1200mT
A pair of promising American-bred short-trackers take their chance in this first of two top-level sprints on the annual racing calendar in Japan. MOZU SUPERFLARE (f, 4, Speightstown–Christies Treasure, by Belong To Me), a $125K KEESEP graduate, tries the Group 1 level for the first time, but is in flying form, having led throughout to win the G3 Ocean S. (1200m) in 1:07.1 Mar. 2 (see below, gate 14). The half to GSW Sacristy (Pulpit), bred in Kentucky by Alpha Delta Stables LLC, gets Yutaka Take back in the irons. MR MELODY (c, 4, Scat Daddy–Trusty Lady, by Deputy Minister) became his sire's lone Japanese SW to date when lifting this track's G3 Falcon S. last March (video, gate 10) and was subsequently a close fourth in the G1 NHK Mile Cup. He has but one start at this distance, but did set a 1300m track record on Tokyo debut in late 2017. Bred in Kentucky by Bell Tower Thoroughbreds, Mr Melody ($75K RNA Wlg '15 KEENOV; $100K Ylg '16 KEESEP; $400K 2yo '17 OBSAPR) was most recently a troubled seventh in the G3 Hankyu Hai Feb. 24.
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