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 Kokura, Kyoto and Tokyo Racecourses, featuring the return to action of Dashing Blaze, a Group 3 winner last term:
Saturday, February 17, 2018
9th-TOK, ¥19,000,000 ($178k), Allowance, 3yo, 2000mT
HOLIDAY MODE (c, 3, Point of Entry–Ski Holiday, by Harlan's Holiday) shaped with much promise when second in his first two career starts, first behind subsequent GSP Jetzt (Jpn) (Company {Jpn}) on debut Dec. 16 and again 12 days later. He stretched out to this trip last time and recorded a galloping victory more or less from the front Jan. 20 (video, gate 1). Purchased in utero for $130K at KEENOV in 2014, the April foal is a maternal grandson of US GISW Creaking Board (GB) (Night Shift), herself the dam of GSW Crowd Pleaser (A.P. Indy). B-Shimokobe Farm (KY)
Sunday, February 18, 2018
5th-TOK, ¥11,400,000 ($107k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1800mT
Winchester Farm purchased Loure (A.P. Indy) for $55K in foal to Discreet Cat at KEENOV in 2012 and the mare's most recent produce to make the races, RANDONNEE (f, 3, Blame&log=">Blame), debuts here. The bay filly is a half-sister to the aforementioned in-utero purchase SW Do the Dance and is also kin to Kattenstoet (Kitten's Joy), a five-time winner from eight starts on the dirt on the NAR circuit. Randonnee will be ridden by top jockey Keita Tosaki. B-Winchester Farm
6th-KYO, ¥13,720,000 ($129k), Allowance, 3yo, 1400m
SHIVAJI (c, 3, First Samurai&log=">First Samurai–Indian Bay, by Indian Charlie), a $90K KEESEP yearling turned $540K OBS April breezer, got his career off on the right foot, bolting up by three lengths as the 1-5 chalk in a 1200m test over this surface Jan. 27 (video, gate 16). The March foal's second dam Buy the Barrel (E Dubai) was a Grade II winner and is the dam of European MGSP Mise En Rose (War Front). B-Hinkle Farms (KY)
8th-KYO, ¥14,250,000 ($134k), Allowance, 4yo/up, 1400m
NINE O'CLOCK (c, 3, Bodemeister–Cleverconversation, by Speightstown) gets this call up to the major leagues, having won each of his three starts on the NAR circuit by wide margins, including a pillar-to-post, five-length success around the bullring at Nagoya Jan. 2. A $125K FTKJUL yearling and $225K FTFMAR juvenile, the dark bay is out of an unplaced half-sister to the sturdy and versatile GISW Request For Parole (Judge T C). B-Southern Equine Stable (KY)
11th-KOK, Kokura Daishoten-G3, ¥77m ($727k), 4/up, 1800mT
DASHING BLAZE (h, 6, Kitten's Joy–Blazing Bliss, by Honour and Glory), a listed winner at three in 2015, made the most of a four-race campaign last season and capped his activity with a 10-1 upset in the G3 Epsom Cup at Tokyo June 11 (video, gate 12). A $65K KEESEP yearling purchase, he fetched $400K as an OBS April 2-year-old in training and makes his 6-year-old debut here. B-Kenneth L & Sarah K Ramsey (KY)
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