By Alan Carasso
Twelve months ago, Efforia (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) posted an authoritative success in the G3 Kyodo News Service Hai en route to a victory in the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) and ultimately Japanese Horse of the Year honours. While it remains to be seen whether Danox Inc.'s Danon Beluga (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) can ascend to similar heights, the bay colt stamped himself as one to watch with a 1 1/2-length defeat of narrowly favoured Geoglyph (Jpn) (Drefong) in Sunday's 1800-metre test at Tokyo.
The third betting choice at 29-10, the son of 2016 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf runner-up Coasted (Tizway) raced in about mid-division and was kept out of harm's way by Kohei Matsuyama as Be Astonished (Jpn) (American Patriot) galloped them along over turf that was listed as good, but appeared to have a fair bit of juice in it on a rainy afternoon. Creeping into contention wide on the course with 600 metres to travel, Danon Beluga came after the pacesetter in earnest at the furlong grounds and finished with good energy to score comfortably. Geoglyph, victorious at Group 3 level last year, ran on for second.
Pedigree Notes:
Katsumi Yoshida acquired former Jeff Treadway colorbearer Coasted for $1.3 million at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton November Sale and foaled this colt Feb. 7, 2019. A little more than five months later, Danon Beluga was hammered down to this prominent owner for the equivalent of $1,472,000 at the JRHA Select Sale in Hokkaido. Coasted is herself a daughter of MGSW/GISP Malibu Pier, who is also responsible for Coasted's MGSP year-older full-sister Malibu Stacy. Treadway also sold three-time Grade I winner Sweet Reason (Street Sense) to Yoshida for $2.7 million at FTKNOV in 2015.
Coasted is represented by a 2-year-old filly by the late Duramente (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}), a yearling filly by Daiwa Major (Jpn) (Sunday Silence) and is due to Kizuna (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) this season.
Sunday, Tokyo, Japan
KYODO NEWS SERVICE HAI-G3, ¥ 76,590,000, Tokyo, 2-13, 3yo, 1800mT, 1:47.90, gd.
1–DANON BELUGA (JPN), 123, c, 3, by Heart's Cry (Jpn)
1st Dam: Coasted (SW & GISP-US, $366,066), by Tizway
2nd Dam: Malibu Pier, by Malibu Moon
3rd Dam: Blue Moon (Fr), by Lomitas (GB)
1ST STAKES WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. (¥160,000,000 Wlg '19
JRHAJUL). O-Danox Inc; B-Northern Farm; T-Noriyuki Hori;
J-Kohei Matsuyama; ¥38,427,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0,
¥45,427,000. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Werk Nick Rating: F.
2–Geoglyph (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Drefong–Aromatico (Jpn), by King
Kamehameha (Jpn). O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm;
¥16,118,000.
3–Be Astonished (Jpn), 123, c, 3, American Patriot–Mao Rio
(Jpn), by Neo Universe (Jpn). O-Toru Muranaka; B-Versailles
Farm; ¥10,059,000.
Margins: 1HF, 1HF, 3/4. Odds: 2.90, 2.40, 28.90.
Click for the JRA chart or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
REPLAY: Danon Beluga (#10) powers home at headquarters
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