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 Nakayama Racecourses:
Saturday, January 16, 2021
7th-CKO, ¥14,360,000 ($138k), Allowance, 4yo/up, 1200m
LA LA CHRYSAOR (h, 5, Speightstown–Lindy, by War Front) made a huge impression when graduating by 10 1/2 lengths on debut as the 6-5 favorite just over two years ago (video, gate 5), but has been missing since a third in his first attempt versus winners the following April. A $325K Keeneland September purchase in 2017, the bay is out of a stakes-placed dam who was led out unsold on a bid of $320K with this foal in utero at KEENOV in 2015. La La Chrysaor's now juvenile half-brother Mean Jakey (Violence) fetched $340K at KEESEP last fall. B-Ranjan Racing Inc (KY)
Sunday, January 17, 2021
4th-CKO, ¥11,400,000 ($110k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1800m
SEOJOON (c, 3, Liam's Map–Tiz Champ, by Tiznow) is the second foal to make the races from his dam, a daughter of Salt Champ (Arg) (Salt Lake), a three-time Group 1 winner at home and victorious in the GI Santa Monica H. in this country. Tiz Champ is a half-sister to Champ Pegasus (Fusaichi Pegasus), winner of the GI Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship and second to Dangerous Midge (Lion Heart) in the 2010 GI Breeders' Cup Turf at Churchill Downs. Seojoon was hammered down for $110K at KEESEP. B-Arturo Vargas (KY)
4th-NKY, ¥11,400,000 ($110k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1800m
COSMIC MIND (c, 3, Into Mischief–Mystical Star, by Ghostzapper), a $280K KEESEP acquisition, is out of Cheyenne Stables' wire-to-wire winner of the grassy GII New York S. in 2012 who also gained Grade I black-type when runner-up in that year's Juddmonte Spinster S. over the Keeneland Polytrack. The colt's third dam Degenerate Gal (Degenerate) was a three-time GSW around two turns and was placed in the GI Shuvee H. B-Candy Meadows LLC (KY)
ERIE TESORO (f, 3, California Chrome-Celtic Chant, by Songandaprayer) cost $130K as a KEENOV weanling in 2018 before improving into a $235K KEESEP yearling the following year. Her stakes-winning dam has already been responsible for the Grade III-placed Irish Mischief (Into Mischief), while the deeper female family includes MGISW Vicar (Wild Again) and his stakes-winning half-sister Sheepscot (Easy Goer), the dam of 2007 G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero Astronomer Royal (Danzig) and U.S. GSW Navesink River (Unbridled). B-Clarkland Farm LLC (KY)
11th-NKY, Keisei Hai-G3, ¥72,000,000 ($694k), 3yo, 2000mT
BLACK LOTUS (c, 3, American Pharoah–Arravale, by Arch) made the most of his career debut–on the dirt, somewhat surprisingly–scoring narrowly over the metric nine furlongs at this venue Dec. 20 (see below, SC 12). The $200K KEESEP graduate is beautifully bred for the surface switch, as his dam was Canada's Horse of the Year and champion grass mare and has produced GII Natalma S. third-place finisher Nancy O (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}). American Pharoah's GI QE II Challenge Cup winner and GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Third Harvey's Lil Goil has a second dam by Arch. Merriebelle Stable acquired Arravale for $490K in foal to Animal Kingdom at KEENOV in 2016. B-Merriebelle Stable LLC (KY)
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