By Alan Carasso
G1 Racing Co. Ltd's Trad Lore (Yaupon) showed little in her first two runs at longshot odds and wasn't fancied at 35-1 for an 1800-meter test in the Saturday finale at Chukyo Racecourse.
Not the fastest away from the 12 hole, the beautifully bred bay was ridden up and settled outside of the pacesetter heading into the first left-handed turn. Clocking the leader through the middle stages, the $400,000 Keeneland November weanling purchase was poised to strike on the second bend and was asked for her effort exiting the fourth corner. Gradually able to work her way to the front, Trad Lore kept on in the final furlong to defeat the boys by a length.
Trad Lore is the fourth winner from five foals out of champion Folklore to race in Japan, but it is the one filly that did not get her picture taken that has put the family on the map.
Rhodochrosite (Unbridled's Song) was purchased by North Hills Farm for $385,000 at the 2011 Keeneland September sale, but was a seven-time maiden before being retired. She has since gone on to become the dam of Japanese Triple Crown winner and promising young sire Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).
Folklore, whose GSP half-sister Delightful Quality (Elusive Quality) produced two-time Eclipse Award-winning 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Essential Quality (Tapit), is also the dam of Princess Julia (Distorted Humor), herself responsible for recent GI Del Mar Oaks heroine Tam Tam (Medaglia d'Oro).
Now 24 years of age, Folklore is the granddam of the Japanese Group 3-placed Mistress (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) and the great-granddam of New Purpose (American Pharoah), a debut winner at Kentucky Downs on Aug. 30.
The current 2-year-old out of Folklore is Folk Laurel (Mo Donegal), who was purchased by Japanese interests for $125,000 at KEESEP last fall and is the mare's last listed live produce.
Saturday's Results:
12th-Chukyo, ¥11,050,000 ($69,129), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m, 1:54.5, gd.
TRAD LORE (f, 3, Yaupon–Folklore {Ch. 2yo Filly, MGISW, $945,500}, by Tiznow) Sales history: $400,000 Wlg '23 KEENOV. Lifetime Record: 3-1-0-0, $36,229. VIDEO (#12)
O-G1 Racing Co Ltd; B-Lewis Thoroughbred Breeding LLC (KY); T-Tomokazu Takano.
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