Sapporo

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 Niigata and Sapporo Racecourses: Saturday, August 26, 2023 5th-SAP, ¥13,720,000 ($94k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1700m CLARIFY (c, 2, Justify--Quote {GB}, by Galileo {Ire}) is the first foal from his dam, an €400,000 Arqana October yearling purchase by M.V. Magnier in 2017...

Many of the 15 horses signed on for Sunday's G2 Sapporo Kinen were on trial for future events on foreign soil, and while the lion's share of those toiled in the tricky underfoot conditions, Shadai Race Horse's Prognosis (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) was the one standing tallest at the finish as he galloped home a decisive winner. Winner of the G2 Kinko Sho over the 2000 metres in March, Prognosis accepted an invitation to Hong Kong for the G1 FWD QE II Cup the following month, and, with record-setting Zac...

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 Kokura, Niigata and Sapporo Racecourses: Saturday, August 12, 2023 2nd-NII, ¥10,480,000 ($72k), Maiden, 2yo, 1800mT ROCK CITY BOY (c, 2, City of Light--Mississippi Coast, by Super Saver) was acquired in utero for $125,000 at the 2021 Keeneland January Sale and...

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 Sunday running at Sapporo and Niigata Racecourses: Sunday, August 6, 2023 5th-SAP, ¥13,720,000 ($96k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800mT MISS MATENRO (f, 2, Into Mischief--Miss Panthere {Jpn}, by Daiwa Major {Jpn}) is the first foal for her dam, who carried the silks of owner and...

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 Kokura, Niigata and Sapporo Racecourses: Saturday, September 3, 2022 5th-SAP, ¥13,400,000 ($96k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1500mT EMETH AMOUR (f, 2, Union Rags--Trensa, by Giant's Causeway), a $220,000 Keeneland September graduate, is a full-sister to GISW juvenile and current Spendthrift stallion Free...

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 Niigata and Sapporo Racecourses: Saturday, August 27, 2022 4th-NII, ¥9,900,000 ($73k), Maidens, 3yo, 1800m NATURE THERAPY (JPN) (c, 3, Union Rags--My Happy Face, by Tiz Wonderful) turned in a useful career debut going Tokyo's one-turn mile May 15, finishing a...

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 Sunday running at Niigata and Sapporo Racecourses: Sunday, August 14, 2022 5th-NII, ¥13,400,000 ($100k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800mT TRIPLE LOOP (f, 2, Justify--Morena {Per}, by Privately Held) is the latest to make the races from her dam, three times a champion in her native...

Dobune (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who cost new owner Susumu Fujita a whopping ¥517.1 million (about US$4.7 million) at the Chiba 2-Year-Old Sale this past May, overcame a wide gate and belied his inexperience with a two-length debut victory in a newcomers' event going 1500 meters (about 7 1/2 furlongs) on turf at Sapporo Racecourse Saturday afternoon. Off as the 17-10 favorite after trading at odds-on for the majority of the wagering, Dobune more or less walked out of ate 11 and was allowed to find his footing by Yutaka...

The G3 Sapporo Nisai S. featured nine juveniles, but it was the June 26 debut winner Geoglyph (Jpn) (Drefong) who was the star of the show on Saturday, drawing off to win by four lengths. The first black-type winner for his GI Breeders' Cup Sprint-winning sire, the even-money favourite hopped slightly at the start and was last entering the first turn. Tucked in behind as Top Cast (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) cut out the early running, pilot Christophe Lemaire kept the chestnut in touch with his foes and began to...

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 Kokura, Niigata and Sapporo Racecourses. It could be a good weekend for Into Mischief and for his son Practical Joke, who is to be represented by one of his first-crop runners in Group 3 company Sunday at Kokura: Saturday, September...

Japan's Champion 2-Year-Old Filly and G1 Japanese 1000 Guineas heroine Sodashi (Jpn) (Kurofune) returned to the winner's circle with a game victory in the G2 Sapporo Kinen on Sunday. Second choice behind favoured 4-5 pick and 2019 Apr. 25 G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup victress Loves Only You (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) at 5-2, Sodashi broke widest of all in the 13-horse field and stalked the pacesetter Taurus Gemini (Jpn) (King's Best) from second through splits of :23.40 for the quarter and :47.40 for the half. Despite the drizzle, the...

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 Sunday running at Kokura, Niigata and Sapporo Racecourses. Sunday's G3 Kitakyushu Kinen at Kokura, one of a couple of steppingstones to October's G1 Sprinters' S., has attracted US-bred GISW Mozu Superflare (Speightstown) and GSW/G1SP Gendarme (Kitten's Joy) going the metric six furlongs: Sunday, August...