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 Niigata and Sapporo Racecourses:
Saturday, August 27, 2022
4th-NII, ¥9,900,000 ($73k), Maidens, 3yo, 1800m
NATURE THERAPY (JPN) (c, 3, Union Rags–My Happy Face, by Tiz Wonderful) turned in a useful career debut going Tokyo's one-turn mile May 15, finishing a competitive fourth to Danon Early (Jpn) (Frankel {GB} x Finest City), and gets an extra eighth of a mile to work with for this second go (video, SC 12). The colt's dam won the 2012 GIII Tempted S. after finishing runner-up in that year's GI Frizette S. and was placed in the GI CCA Oaks and GI Test S. as a 3-year-old. My Happy Face was acquired by Katsumi Yoshida with this colt in utero for $425,000 at the 2018 Keeneland November Sale. B-Northern Racing
5th-SAP, ¥13,400,000 ($98k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1700m
YUTTITHAM (JPN) (c, 2, Justify–Zipessa, by City Zip) is the first foal from his dam, who upset the 2017 GI First Lady S. at Keeneland and was knocked down to Shadai Farm for $1.25 million at Keeneland November in 2018. Having failed to produce a foal in 2019, Zipessa was covered by this Triple Crown winner and dropped this colt in early April 2020. The chestnut, who bears a striking resemblance to his sire, was hammered down to Kaneko Makoto Holdings Co. for $1,815,520 at the 2020 JRHA Select Sales. Christophe Lemaire takes the call. B-Shadai Farm
461. 2c YUTTIHAM (Justify x Zipessa 🇺🇸 (City Zip)) wokring the Hakodate circle chip ahead of his debut over 1700m on Dirt this weekend
￥220,000,000 Select sale 2021 purchase
Conceived 🇺🇸 x born 🇯🇵
Dam a 🇺🇸 G1 winner, now Japan based.
Stamped by Sire!pic.twitter.com/lQnhXZVl2A
— Graham Pavey (@LongBallToNoOne) August 25, 2022
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