By Alan Carasso
In this continuing series, we take 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 Niigata Racecourses:
Saturday, August 2, 2025
8th-CKO, ¥29,890,000 ($203k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 1200m
T O ELVIS (c, 3, Volatile–Stopshoppingdebbie, by Curlin), a good third to the very talented Natural Rise (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) in the Cattleya Stakes (allowance) at Tokyo back in November, was the easy five-length winner in one-win allowance company at the end of March going this distance (SC 9, see below) and is favored to go back-to-back off the four-month freshening. The colt's eight-time stakes-winning dam, also responsible for SW & GISP Generous Tipper (Street Sense), is a half-sister to five winners, including fellow Pacific Northwest standout Smarty Deb (Smart Strike). Ryusei Sakai has the mount for 'T O' trainer Daisuke Takayanagi. O-Tomoya Ozasa; B-Jeff & Melissa Prunzik (KY); T-Daisuke Takayanagi
Sunday, August 3, 2025
2nd-NII, ¥14,250,000 ($96k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m
SUMMER MADNESS (c, 2, Good Magic–Nefferkitty, by Kitten's Joy), bought back for $115,000 at Keeneland November in 2023, fetched $150,000 at the same auction house's September Sale last fall and was hammered down to Hideyuki Mori for owner Susumu Fujita after breezing in :9 4/5 (see below) at this year's OBS March Sale. The colt's dam, a $30,000 purchase carrying this colt at KEENOV in 2022, is a daughter of Australian Group 3 scorer Thyme For Roses (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}), herself the dam of GII Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes heroine Zeitlos (Curlin) and of Natural Rights (Constitution), a maiden winner at Horseshoe Indianapolis June 14. O-Susumu Fujita; B-Three Times A Charm & Chesapeake Farm (KY); T-Hideyuki Mori
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