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 Chukyo and Hanshin Racecourses, the latter of which plays host to the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity and US-bred Aster Pegasus (Giant's Causeway):
Saturday, December 15, 2018
1st-HSN, ¥9,550,000 ($84k), Maiden, 2yo, 1400m
DURABLE (JPN) (f, 2, Curlin">Curlin–Hurricane Flag, by Storm Cat) caught a soft turf course on her July debut at Chukyo and finished seventh of 11 in her lone start to date. The filly's dam, a half-sister to GSW Animal Spirits (Arch) and to the dam of 'TDN Rising Star' Ocho Ocho Ocho (Street Sense), was sold for $530K carrying this foal in utero at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton November sale. Durable's third dam was the undefeated champion Personal Ensign (Private Account), dam of MGISW My Flag (Easy Goer) and granddam of champion Storm Flag Flying (Storm Cat). B-K I Farm
5th-CKO, ¥13,400,000 ($118k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m
APOLLO LAS VEGAS (c, 2, Tiznow–Valiant Passion, by Lion Heart), a $60K Keeneland September yearling, is out of a half-sister to SW & GSP It's Your Nickel (Dialed In) who was third to R Heat Lightning (see below) as the favorite in the 2010 GI Spinaway S. at Saratoga. The February foal's third dam Nidd (Known Fact) was a Group 3-winning half-sister to GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Skywalker. B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY)
Sunday, December 16, 2018
7th-HSN, ¥13,720,000 ($121k), Allowance, 2yo, 1800m
FORT WADSWORTH (c, 2, Verrazano–Opulence, by Giant's Causeway) debuted with a close fourth on turf at this track, then switched to the main track to graduate second time out Sept. 8 (see below, gate 5). The bay is a maternal grandson of GI Belmont S. winner Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy), while GSW & MGISP third dam Better Than Honour (Deputy Minister) is also responsible for fellow Belmont victor Jazil (Seeking the Gold), GSW & G1SP Casino Drive (Mineshaft) and Breeders' Cup Marathon hero Man of Iron (Giant's Causeway). This is also the family of GISW Streaming (Smart Strike), SW Treasuring (Smart Strike) and SW Cascading (A.P. Indy). B-Chelston (KY)
11th-HSN, Asahi Hai Futurity-G1, ¥135.5m ($1.2m), 2yo, 1600mT
ASTER PEGASUS (c, 2, Giant's Causeway–R Heat Lightning, by Trippi) is the first foal to race from the aforementioned 2010 Spinaway winner and hit the ground running, with victories in a June 24 newcomers' test ahead of the G3 Hakodate Nisai S. a month later (see below, gate 6). The $150K KEESEP graduate was most recently a close fifth to the undefeated and re-opposing Fantasist (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) in the G2 Keio Hai Nisai S. Nov. 3. B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY)
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