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–all filllies–including three in a single race at Kyoto as well as Nakayama:
Saturday, January 20, 2024
3rd-NKY, ¥11,850,000 ($80k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1200m
ROLY GLORY (f, 3, Justify–Roly Poly, by War Front) is the first foal from her dam, winner in England of the G1 Falmouth S. and G1 Sun Chariot S. and the G1 Prix Rothschild in France. Second dam Misty For Me (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) won the 2011 G1 Irish 1000 Guineas and has since gone on to excel in her second career, producing champion and treble Group 1 winner U S Navy Flag (War Front) and Cover Song (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), a $2.1-million buyback at Keeneland November last fall. This is also the family of G1 Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Ballydoyle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), whose progeny include the listed-winning Monday (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) and Group 3 winner Red Riding Hood (Ire) (Justify), one of the sire's 17 worldwide winners at the group/graded level from just the two crops to race. B-Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt (KY)
Sunday, January 21, 2024
2nd-KYO, ¥11,850,000 ($80k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1800m
G T SPEED (f, 3, Into Mischief–Iotapa, by Afleet Alex), a $510,000 Keeneland September acquisition by J S Company, is out of a winner of the GI Vanity S. and GI Clement L. Hirsch S. who was also third to Untapable (Tapit) in the 2014 GI Breeders' Cup Distaff before selling to China Horse Club for $2.8 million at the Keeneland November Sale a few days later. Iotapa is closely related to SW/GSP Saintly Joan (Northern Afleet), the dam of recent Louisiana Champions Day Turf winner Behemah Star (Star Guitar). B-CHC Inc (KY)
KEA LAULE'A (f, 3, Quality Road–Hard Not to Like, by Hard Spun), a half-sister to GSP 'TDN Rising Star' Faustin (Curlin), is out of a dam who starred on the grass, with a victory in the 2014 GI Jenny Wiley S. for Hillsbrook Farms and Michael Matz before being purchased by Speedway Stables for $1.5 million at that year's KEENOV sale. Kept in training at age six, Hard Not to Like added the GI Gamely S. and GI Diana S. and was knocked down to DATTT Stable for $2.2 million at KEENOV in 2015. The deeper female family includes the MGSW marathon dirt horse Lone Rock (Majestic Warrior) and GSW Gerrymander (Into Mischief). Kea Laule'a was hammered down to North Hills for $500,000 as a KEESEP yearling. B-DATTT Farm LLC (KY)
JAMILA NOOR (f, 3, Uncle Mo–Layla Noor, by Midnight Lute) is out of a Grade II-placed daughter of SW & MGSP Senada (Pulpit) who was purchased by Shadai Farm for $660,000 with this filly in utero at the 2020 Keeneland November Sale. Senada's half-brother Arthur's Tale (Bernardini) was runner-up in the 2011 GI Wood Memorial S., and this is also the family of SW/MGSP Gingham (Quality Road) and SW Blackadder (Quality Road). Layla Noor was bred to American Pharoah in 2021 and exported to Japan, where she produced a filly by American Pharoah the following season. B-Shadai Farm (KY)
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