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 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 4, 2021
5th-SAP, ¥13,400,000 ($122k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1500mT
SPEED GLAMOUR (f, 2, Into Mischief–Island Escape, by Petionville) was led out unsold on a bid of $250,000 at Keeneland September last year, but breezed a furlong in the joint-bullet time of :9 4/5 at this year's OBS March Sale and was knocked down to owner Yuji Hasegawa for $500,000. A half-sister to treble GSW–a pair on turf and another in the slop– Tricky Escape (Hat Trick {Jpn}), the February-foaled bay hails from the extended female family of GISW Awesome Humor (Distorted Humor). B-Machmer Hall (KY)
5th-KOK, ¥13,400,000 ($122k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1200mT
JODELN (c, 2, More Than Ready–Her Majesty's Flag, by Midshipman), a $100,000 KEESEP acquisition by trainer Hideyuki Mori, is the first foal to the races for his dam, a stakes winner over the Woodbine all-weather track and stakes placed on conventional dirt. The colt's stakes-winning third dam Regal Pennant (Banner Bob) dropped GSW Regally Appealing (Valid Appeal); SW Regal Miss Copelan (Copelan), the dam of MGSW Rockport Harbor (Unbridled's Song); and SP Patti's Regal Song (Unbridled's Song), dam of recent GI CCA Oaks victress Maracuja (Honor Code). B-Mercedes Stables LLC (KY)
5th-NII, ¥13,400,000 ($122k), Newcomers, 2yo, 2000mT
KIMIKOSO SHACHO (c, 2, Arrogate–Delicate Lady, by Thunder Gulch), whose dam was third in the 2015 GII Adirondack S., was offered in utero at Fasig-Tipton November in 2018, but was bought back when bidding stalled out at $225,000. Purchased by Mori for $200,000 at KEESEP last fall, the gray colt descends from the female family of SW Pistols Drawn (First Defence) from the same Unbridled's Song sire line, and GISW A Wild Ride (Wild Again). Mirco Demuro has the call. B-Profoal Partners 8 LLC (KY)
Sunday, September 5, 2021
6th-NII, ¥13,400,000 ($122k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1400mT
PINK DIA (c, 2, Speightstown–Tap Diva, by Tapit) is the first foal out of a half-sister to GISW Crisp (El Corredor), who was exported to Japan carrying the colt that would become millionaire MSW Danon Pharaoh (Jpn) (American Pharoah); and to SW Deer Valley (Speightstown), who has produced foals by Frankel (GB) and Kingman (GB) in her first two years at stud. A $150,000 Fasig-Tipton Select Yearling Showcase graduate, Pink Dia is bred like GISW Lexitonian and looks to become his sire's 34th Japanese winner from 39 starters. B-Robert Schaedle (KY)
11th-KOK, Kokura Nisai S.-G3, ¥58.6m ($533k), 2yo, 1200mT
Connections thought enough of $190,000 OBSMAR graduate DUGAT (c, 2, Practical Joke–Untraveled, by Canadian Frontier) to pitch him in over his conditions on debut and he gave a promising account of himself in finishing a well-backed third, beaten just three lengths, in dreadful conditions (see below, gate 10). The Mar. 31 foal, from the family of champion GSW/MG1SP Green Perfume (Naevus), is a candidate to appreciate a sounder surface this weekend and Yutaka Take has the return riding assignment. B-Erv Woolsey & Ralph Kinder (KY)
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