By Alan Carasso
Victorious in last year's G2 Keio Hai Nisai S. (1400m), Obamburumai (Jpn) (Discreet Cat) was having his first start since finishing seventh to Dolce More (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) in the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S. in December.
Settled just ahead of midfield as lukewarm favourite Yurisha (Jpn) (Greater London {Jpn}) tore away to lead by nearly double digits over the rain-affected turf, Obamburumai was a bit short of room and with plenty to do with less than 400 metres to race, but he found his best stride late and got up on the line to defeat Session (Jpn) (Silver State) in this prep for next month's G1 NHK Mile Cup at Tokyo.
The Maeda family's North Hills Management acquired the winner's third dam, a full-sister to Unbridled's Song, for $275,000 at the 2001 Keeneland September Sale and she produced Obamburumai's Group 3-placed second dam two years prior to dropping D'Accord (Jpn), a future Group 3 winner from the first crop of the late Deep Impact (Jpn).
Le Sucre has since gone on to be an important part of the North Hills broodmare band, as she has accounted for the dual group-winning and Group 1-placed Blanc Bonheur (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}); Entscheiden (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), a listed winner at home and twice third in the G1 Prix de la Foret; and the fleet two-time Group 3 winner Bien Fait (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}).
Pink Gerbera is also represented by a 2-year-old Maurice (Jpn) filly, a yearling filly by Rulership and was most recently covered by Saturnalia (Jpn).
Saturday, Hanshin, Japan:
ARLINGTON CUP-G3, ¥76,930,000, Hanshin, 4-15, 3yo, 1600mT, 1:33.90, sf.
1–OBAMBURUMAI (JPN), 123, c, 3, by Discreet Cat
1st Dam: Pink Gerbera (Jpn), by Deep Impact (Jpn)
2nd Dam: Le Sucre (Jpn), by Sakura Bakushin-Oh (Jpn)
3rd Dam: Asian Meteor, by Unbridled
O-Koji Oka; B-Sunday Hills; T-Keiji Yoshimura; J-Yutaka Take; ¥40,651,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, ¥86,288,000. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com pedigree.
2–Session (Jpn), 123, c, 3, Silver State (Jpn)–Miss Dubawi (GB), by Dubawi (Ire). O-Masamichi Hayashi; B-Northern Farm; ¥16,186,000.
3–Shomon (Jpn), 123, c, 3, Mind Your Biscuits–Epoxi (Jpn), by Deep Impact (Jpn). (¥17,000,000 wnlg '20 JRHAJUL). O-Eiko Hayashi; B-Northern Farm; ¥10,093,000.
Margins: HD, NK, 3/4. Odds : 6.00, 6.00, 4.10.
Click for the JRA chart.
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