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, Niigata and Sapporo Racecourses, with several entries in the weekend's group races, plus the debut of the first foal from the 2011 GI La Brea S. winner:
Saturday, September 2, 2017
11th-SAP, Sapporo Nisai S.-G3, ¥59,310,000 ($538k), 2yo, 1800mT
MATSUKAZE (c, 2, War Front&log=">War Front–Night Lagoon {Ger}, by Lagunas {Ger}) was purchased in utero for $1.7 million at FTKNOV in 2014 and with good reason, as his half-brother Novellist (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) was a G1 winner in Germany, Italy, France and the King George at Ascot. Matsukaze, a $550K KEESEP grad, tries this rich event as a maiden, having finished a promising runner-up on his course-and-distance debut Aug. 13 (video, gate 8). B-Barronstown Stud (KY)
Sunday, September 3, 2017
6th-NII, ¥13,400,000 ($122k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1200m
DELIGHT PROMISE (f, 2, Lemon Drop Kid–Teddy's Promise, by Salt Lake) is the first foal from her dam, who rose through the California-bred ranks to win the GI La Brea S. in 2011 (video) before becoming a reliable sprinter on the West Coast over the next few seasons. The mare has since been exported to Japan, where she produced a colt by Heart's Cry (Jpn) this past February. This filly's third dam produced GSW & GISP General Meeting (Seattle Slew). Leading rider Mirco Demuro takes the call. B-Ted & Judith Nichols Trust Dated Feb. 18 1999 (KY)
10th-SAP, ¥30,400,000 ($276k), Open Class, 2yo, 1200mT
MOLTO ALLEGRO (f, 2, Speightstown–Mo Chuisle, by Free House), a half-sister to ill-fated champion and MGISW Points Offthebench (Benchmark) and GSW Bench Points (Benchmark), cost $525K as a KEESEP yearling and got her career off on the right foot with a debut victory over the dirt at Hakodate June 24 (video, gate 1). Her second dam Visible Gold (Deputy Minister) was a Grade III winner on the grass. B-Town & Country Horse Farms & Frank & Kim Taylor (KY)
11th-KOK, Kokura Nisai S.-G3, ¥59,510,000 ($540k), 2yo, 1200mT
ASAKUSA GENKI (c, 2, Stormy Atlantic–Amelia, by Dixieland Band) (profile) was off the mark at third asking over this course and distance (video, gate 1) Aug. 13, while MOZU SUPERFLARE (f, 2, Speightstown–Christies Treasure, by Belong to Me) (profile) is back on two weeks' rest after leading home a US-bred 1-2 over track and trip Aug. 19 (video, gate 11). Each has a double-digit draw to overcome Sunday.
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