Grade I Winner Dancing Rags Represented By First Japanese Starter

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 Hanshin and Nakayama Racecourses. Sunday's horses of note will appear in Saturday's TDN:

Saturday, September 23, 2023
3rd-NKY, ¥13,720,000 ($93k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m
ACE AND KING (JPN) (c, 2, Yoshida {Jpn}–Curlins B F F, by Curlin) was acquired in utero by Emmanuel de Seroux's Narvick International for $25,000 at the 2020 Keeneland November Sale and is out of a daughter of the three-times graded stakes-placed Najecam (Trempolino), the dam of 2003 Eclipse Award and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Action This Day (Kris S.); and of Eltimaas (Ghostzapper), whose champion son Drefong (Gio Ponti) has made a strong impression with his first few crops to race in Japan. B-Kinya Murakami

4th-HSN, ¥13,720,000 ($93k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1400m
ROUGE CHOUETTE (JPN) (f, 2, Curlin–Dancing Rags, by Union Rags) is the first Japanese-foaled produce for her dam, upset winner of the 2016 GI Darley Alcibiades S. and later sold to Nobutaka Tada for $1.1 million carrying this filly at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. Dancing Rags is a half-sister to MGSW & GISP Coup de Grace (Tapit) and to Kara's Match Point (Curlin), the dam of three winners from four to race since her export to Japan in 2016. Rouge Chouette's third dam is champion and GI Breeders' Cup Distaff heroine Jewel Princess (Key to the Mint). B-Mint Co.

5th-HSN, ¥13,720,000 ($93k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1600mT
AMERICAN CHIEF (c, 2, Into Mischief–Good Vibes, by Unbridled's Song) cost owner Katsumi Yoshizawa–who raced 2019 Triple Crown participant Master Fencer (Jpn) (Just a Way {Jpn}) and countless other 'American' horses–$475,000 at last year's Keeneland September Sale. The bay is the final foal out from his dam, who was also responsible for Sweet Orange (ex Warning Flag) (War Front), a stakes winner and Group 3-placed in Ireland before continuing his career in Hong Kong, where he won the 2012 Hong Kong Classic Mile and was third in that year's Hong Kong Derby before finishing third in the G1 QE II Cup. The mare also produced Irish Group 3 winner Intelligence Cross (War Front). B-Orpendale/Wynatt/Chelston (KY)

11th-HSN, ¥35,040,000 ($238k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 1400m
GREAT SAND SEA (c, 3, Into Mischief–Game for More, by More Than Ready) is perfect in two starts outside of stakes competition and at 1400 meters, including an impressive victory at Chukyo back in March (video, SC 8). His two losses to date have come at the hooves of the classy Perriere (Jpn) (Henny Hughes), who defeated him 4 1/2 lengths into fifth when last seen in the G3 Unicorn S. going a mile at Tokyo June 18. A half-brother to GSW/GISP Giant Game (Giant's Causeway), MGSW/GISP Isotherm (More Than Ready) and GISP Gio Game (Gio Ponti), Great Sand Sea was a $385,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $825,000 OBS March breezer. Leading rider Yuga Kawada takes the call. B-H Allen Poindexter (KY)

12th-HSN, ¥21,740,000 ($147k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 1800m
AWESOME RESULT (f, 3, Justify–Blossomed, by Deputy Mininster) graduated in a single appearance at two over this track and trip last November and remained unbeaten with a three-length allowance success back here June 10 (video, SC 10). Awesome Result, the mount of Yutaka Take, is a half-sister to GI Spinaway S. upsetter Sippican Harbor (Orb) and to Grade III-placed Bodacious Babe (Mineshaft), herself the dam of three-time Japanese winner Ju Taro (Arrogate). The yearling full-sister to Awesome Result was RNAd on a bid of $520,000 at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga last month after selling for $350,000 at Keeneland November last fall. B-Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt (KY)