American Pharoah Colt Tries The Turf in Japan

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 Saturday running at Niigata Racecourse, featuring the offspring of a couple of Coolmore sires, one looking to build on a promising debut and the other looking for a second straight victory. Sunday's TDN will include four US-breds making their respective first trips to the races:

1st-NII, ¥9,900,000 ($74k), Maiden, 2yo, 2000mT
PSY BREAKER (c, 2, Uncle Mo–Downside Scenario, by Scat Daddy), a $400,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase, gave an excellent account of himself going this distance at Fukushima July 10, running on gamely to be beaten a half-length into second. The Mar. 30 foal is a half-brother to 'TDN Rising Star' Mutasaabeq (Into Mischief), and his dam–who was acquired for $250,000 carrying the colt that would become Mutasaabeq at Keeneland January in 2018–was resold to Stonestreet for $1.15 million back in foal to Into Mischief at Keeneland November last fall. Downside Scenario is a half-sister to Cool Cowboy (Kodiak Kowboy), twice a Group 3-winning sprinter in Dubai. B-BlackRidge Stables LLC (KY)

9th-NII, ¥30,400,000 ($229k), Allowance, 2yo, 1400mT
ADVANCE PHAROAH (c, 2, American Pharoah–Fair Huntress, by Tiznow) debuted with a sound runner-up effort going 1400 meters over the dirt at Tokyo June 19, but shortened up to graduate nicely over 1150 meters at Fukushima last time July 17 (see below, SC 10). The $140,000 KEESEP yearling has the pedigree to take to this new surface, as his unraced dam is a half-sister to Grade III winner Devil By Design (Medaglia d'Oro), who produced GI American Oaks heroine Competitionofideas (Speightstown); and turf stakes winner Kolo (Dynaformer). B-John D Gunther & American Pharoah Syndicate (KY)