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 Saturday running at Chukyo and Nakayama Racecourses:
Saturday, January 7, 2023
3rd-NKY, ¥11,850,000, Newcomers, 3yo, 1200m
HARDWIRED (c, 3, Hard Spun–Season Maker, by Pioneerof the Nile) is the first foal out of an unplaced daughter of the late French SW & MGSP Season's Greetings (Ire) (Ezzoud {Ire}), whose daughter Grace Hall (Empire Maker) won the 2011 GI Spinaway S. at two and the GII Delaware, Gulfstream and Indiana Oaks as a sophomore. Also the dam of a newly christened juvenile colt by Mendelssohn, Season Maker was sold in foal to Frosted for $55,000 at Keeneland November this past fall. B-Godolphin (KY)
4th-CKO, ¥11,850,000, Newcomers, 3yo, 1800m
HAKAISHIN (c, 3, Runhappy–Elarose, by Storm Cat) looks to become the fifth foal from as many to the races for his dam, a daughter of three-time Grade I winner and foundation mare Take Charge Lady (Dehere). The latter's produce include GISW sires Take Charge Indy (A.P. Indy) and champion MGISW Will Take Charge (Unbridled's Song); GISW As Time Goes By (American Pharoah); and the dams of champion Take Charge Brandi (Giant's Causeway) and MGISW Omaha Beach (War Front); and of GSW/GISP 'TDN Rising Star' Charge It (Tapit). Masatake Iida acquired Elarose for $450,000 in foal to Quality Road at KEENOV in 2018. B-Chiyoda Farm (KY)
MONTE LUNA (f, 3, Union Rags–Light the Sky, by Tapit) cost $75,000 as a KEESEP yearling and is out of a half-sister to champion and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Stevie Wonderboy (Stephen Got Even) and Theyskens' Theory (Bernardini), a Group 3 winner and placed in Group 1 company as a juvenile in England and second to Winter Memories (El Prado {Ire}) in the GI Garden City S. in 2011. B-Peter J Callahan, Runnymede Farm Inc, Enid Cafritz & Haras d'Etreham (KY)
5th-CKO, ¥10,480,000, Maiden, 3yo, 1600mT
AIR METEORA (c, 3, Goldencents–Nokaze, by Empire Maker) turned in a very promising effort on his lone racetrack appearance, making the majority of the running in an 1800-meter newcomers' event Nov. 20 only to be run down close home (see below, SC 8). This slight cutback in trip can only help the half-brother to GSW Air Almas (Majestic Warrior), SW Air Fanditha (Hat Trick {Jpn}) and the talented Air Sage (Point of Entry). Nokaze is herself a half-sister to Yuzuru (Medaglia d'Oro), the stakes-winning dam of GSW Yuugiri (Shackleford), an impressive Oaklawn allowance winner first off a near eight-month absence at Oaklawn Dec. 30. B-Sekie & Tsunebumi Yoshihara (KY)
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