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 Hanshin Racecourses. A preview of Saturday's Fukuryu S. (allowance), the final leg on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby, will appear in Saturday's TDN. The featured race on the weekend is Sunday's G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen:
Saturday, March, 28, 2020
3rd-HSN, ¥9,680,000 ($88k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m
UNSAID VOW (c, 3, Giant's Causeway–Country Cafe, by Lion Heart) was unplaced, but not beaten far, in his first two career starts and the $110K Keeneland September yearling nearly got the job done when going down narrowly over track and trip Mar. 1 (video, gate 2). The April foal is out of a full-sister to MGSW Heart Ashley–dam of Japanese MGSW Fiano Romano (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus})–and out of a half to GISW and Coolmore sire Cupid (Tapit); GSW Ashley's Kitty (Tale of the Cat); and SW Indianapolis (Medaglia d'Oro). B-Mike G Rutherford (KY)
Sunday, March 29, 2020
1st-CYO, ¥9,680,000 ($88k), Maiden, 3yo, 1400m
TRAIN BEARER (f, 3, Carpe Diem–Cabaret Starlet, by Tale of the Cat) failed to factor in a pair of tries on the turf to begin her career, but switched to the dirt and missed by a neck at Hanshin Mar. 8. Sold in utero for $55K at KEEJAN in 2017, the bay was a $90K KEENOV weanling, a $150K Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling and a $250K OBS March breezer. She is out of an unraced half-sister to Canadian Horse of the Year, champion turf female and MGISW Arravale (Arch), dam of GSP Nancy O (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}). Her year-older half-brother San Jose Tesoro (The Factor) is a winner of three-from-eight in Japan. B-Daniel S Mallory, Amy Bayle & Allen Racing LLC (KY)
4th-NKY, ¥9,680,000 ($88k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800mT
MR SAND (c, 3, Tapit–Smart Surprise, by Smart Strike), a $400K KEESEP acquisition, transitions to the turf here, having placed third from three outings on the main track to date. A half-brother to Sovereign Award-winning female sprinter Moonlit Promise (Malibu Moon), Mr Sand is liable to take to the grass, as his dam is a Grade III-winning half-sister to GI Breeders' Cup Mile victor Court Vision (Gulch) and his Hong Kong stakes-winning full-brother Garcia Marquez (nee Rainbow Of Gold). Mr Sand's third dam is the incomparable Weekend Surprise (Secretariat). Tapit has accounted for 31 winners from his 35 Japanese starters. B-Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings Inc (KY)
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