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 Hanshin and Chukyo Racecourses. The latter is the site of this weekend's Group 1 action, the Champions Cup, featuring US-bred Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid). Look for the preview in Saturday's TDN Europe:
Saturday, December 2, 2023
6th-HSN, ¥13,720,000 ($93k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m
MATENRO TIME (JPN) (c, 2, Nyquist–Cha Cha Time, by Gio Ponti) is out of a half-sister to GI QE II Challenge Cup winner Hot Cha Cha (Catcus Ridge), who was purchased for $37,000 in foal to Super Saver at the 2020 Keeneland January Sale and was bred to this sire prior to her export to Japan. This colt was subsequently sold for ¥33 million ($240,989) Hokkaido Selection Sale last summer. Hot Cha Cha, a $1-million purchase by Katsumi Yoshida at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton November Sale, is the dam of the G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger)-placed Etario (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}). B-Kinya Murakami
Sunday, December 3, 2023
5th-CKO, ¥13,720,000 ($93k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1400mT
SOUND ROCKS (c, 2, Catalina Cruiser–Lily's Spark, by Mineshaft), a $100,000 purchase by Narvick International at this year's OBS April Sale, is out of an unraced half-sister to four-time graded winner Prayer For Relief (Songandaprayer) and SW Twin Sparks (Twining) and hails from the deeper female family of GSW Miss Sunset (Into Mischief). The first runner in Japan for his freshman sire (by Union Rags), Sound Rocks was also a $100,000 KEENOV weanling and $26,000 KEESEP yearling. B-War Horse Place LLC (KY)
6th-HSN, ¥13,720,000 ($93k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1400m
GARDEN CAMELLIA (f, 2, American Pharoah–Avila Road, by Quality Road), a half-sister to Horseshoe Indianapolis debut romper Aged Truth (Tapit), is the latest foal to the races out of a full-sister to four-time Grade I winner and leading sire Quality Road and a half to Mt. Kobla (Mt. Livermore), whose produce include the Japanese MSW & MGSP Mount Gold (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}) and the three-times European group-placed King Ledley (Stormin Fever). Second dam Kobla is a full-sister to 1997 champion 3-year-old filly Ajina (Strawberry Road {Aus}). Avila Road has since been exported to Japan. B-Healthy Wood Co Ltd (KY)
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