By Alan Carasso
Just days after his son Equinox (Jpn) was named both champion of his generation and Horse of the Year in Japan, Kitasan Black (Jpn) could well have another player on this year's Classics trail in the form of Sol Oriens (Jpn), who took his record to two-from-two with a convincing victory in Sunday's G3 Keisei Hai at Nakayama.
The slight second choice in the wagering behind Seven Magician (Jpn) (Just a Way {Jpn}), the Shadai homebred was void of early speed and raced with about three rivals behind into the backstretch behind a modest tempo. Held together into the final half-mile by Takehsi Yokoyama, Sol Oriens was asked for an effort approaching the exit to the second turn, but drifted out several paths off the home corner. Rebalanced in upper stretch, he focused on the task at hand and ran out an easy winner while racing greenly and on his incorrect lead through the final furlong. Omega Rich Man (Jpn) (Isla Bonita {Jpn}), easily the roughest chance in the field of nine, ran home for second ahead of Seven Magician in third.
Pedigree Notes:
A bit of a later-bloomer in his own right, Kitasan Black won the G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger) at three, but is throwing runners more precocious than he. Sol Oriens is the fourth black-type winner–each at group level–for Kitasan Black, two each from his first two crops.
Patrick Barbe acquired the French stakes-winning Skia for €320,000 in foal to Leroidesanimaux (Brz) at the 2014 Arqana December Sale and her second Japanese-bred foal is the gifted Vin de Garde, a Group 2 winner at home and placed in the last two renewals of the G1 Dubai Turf. A half-sister to Tropaios (GB) (Excellent Art {GB}), also a stakes winner in France before becoming a star in Singapore for the China Horse Club, is also the dam of a 2-year–old colt by Kizuna (Jpn) and is due to Epiphaneia (Jpn) this season. Dam-sire Motivator is now responsible for 14 black-type winners (six group winners), a number that also includes treble Japanese Group 1 scorer Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}).
Sunday, Nakayama, Japan
KEISEI HAI-G3, ¥76,450,000, Nakayama, 1-15, 3yo, 2000mT, 2:02.20, fm.
1–SOL ORIENS (JPN), 123, c, 3, by Kitasan Black (Jpn)
1st Dam: Skia (Fr) (GSW-Fr, $163,904), by Motivator (GB)
2nd Dam: Light Quest, by Quest For Fame (GB)
3rd Dam: Gleam of Light (Ire), by Danehill
1ST GROUP WIN. 1ST STAKES WIN. O-Shadai Race Horse; B-Shadai Farm; T-Takahisa Tezuka; J-Takeshi Yokoyama; ¥40,315,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, ¥47,315,000. *1/2 to Vin de Garde (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), GSW-Jpn, MG1SP-UAE, $2,792,422. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Omega Rich Man (Jpn), 123, c, 3, Isla Bonita (Jpn)–El Calafate (Jpn), by Deep Impact (Jpn). (¥16,000,000 Wlg '20 JRHAJUL). O-Reiko Hara; B-Shadai Farm; ¥16,090,000.
3–Seven Magician (Jpn), 123, c, 3, Just a Way (Jpn)–Happiness Dancer (Jpn), by Meisho Samson (Jpn). O-Yoshiyuki Maesako; B-Northern Farm; ¥ 10,045,000.
Margins: 2HF, 1 1/4, HF. Odds: 1.70, 117.00, 1.70. Click for the JRA Chart.
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