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 Tokyo and Kyoto Racecourses, including the career debut of the most expensive juvenile sold at auction by the current leading US freshman sire:
Saturday, November 11, 2017
6th-TOK, ¥13,400,000 ($118k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1600m
BATTLE MEISTER (c, 2, Bodemeister–Elusive Horizon, by Elusive Quality), a $150K graduate of the 2015 KEENOV sale, was bought back for $170K at KEESEP last year, but was sold for $250K after breezing an eighth of a mile in :10 1/5 at this year's OBS April Sale. Battle Meister is out of a stakes-winning half-sister to GSW & GISP Super Ninety Nine (Pulpit) and to the exciting Rag Princess (Union Rags), who races Sunday at Tokyo (see below). Battle Meister hails from the same Unbridled sire line as MGISW Exogenous, who also appears on the page. B-Northwest Farms LLC (KY)
A $37K KEESEP yearling acquisition, HIROMI (c, 2, Overanalyze–Centerpiece, by Bertrando) was knocked down to Kenji Ryotokujii for $315K at OBSAPR–top price of 25 for his sire in 2017–after drilling a quarter-mile in :21 flat. This is the extended female family of GISW Key Phrase (Flying Paster). B-Windwoods Farm, Phoenix Farm & Racing LLC (KY)
11th-KYO, Daily Hai Nisai S.-G2, ¥72m ($636k), 2yo, 1600mT
Koji Maeda homebred GENDARME (c, 2, Kitten's Joy–Believe {Jpn}, by Sunday Silence) looks to run his record to a perfect two-from-two, having opened his account over this distance at Hanshin Sept. 9 (video, gate 6). The colt's champion MSW dam is already responsible for the stakes-winning and G1-placed miler Faridat (Kingmambo) and SW & GSP sprinter Fiducia (Medaglia d'Oro), the latter from the same El Prado (Ire) sire line. B-North Hills Co Ltd (KY)
Sunday, November 12, 2017
7th-KYO, ¥19,950,000 ($176k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 1800m
SOLEIL DE PARIS c, 3, Lemon Drop Kid–Chatham, by Maria's Mon) was placed in two tries on the turf, but has blossomed on the dirt with a maiden win at Toyko in May (video, gate 1) and an allowance score at that venue when last seen June 17 (video, gate 3). A $535K KEESEP yearling, the chestnut is kin to champion and MG1SW Air Force Blue (War Front) and will be ridden by the visiting Ryan Moore. B-Stone Farm (KY)
8th-TOK, ¥14,250,000 ($126k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 1400m
RAG PRINCESS (f, 3, Union Rags&log=">Union Rags–Exogenetic, by Unbridled's Song), a $430K KEESEP yearling, came from downtown to break her maiden over 1400m in spectacular fashion at Tokyo last April (video, gate 9), but was found out by a sloppy track in her most recent trip to the races in August. Rag Princess is out of a close relative to the late MGISW Exogenous (Unbridled) from the deeper female family of champion Countess Diana (Deerhound). B-Northwest Farms LLC (KY).
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