Kizuna Half-Sister To Forever Young Undefeated In Artemis Stakes

Nakayama newcomers' winner Brown Ratchet (Jpn) became the 35th stakes winner (22nd group) for Shadai Stallion Station resident Kizuna (Jpn) in the G3 Artemis Stakes on Saturday.

The 3-1 third choice and half-sister to GI Breeders' Cup Classic hopeful Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) broke alertly in a battling second as Mistress (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) led. More than a touch keen, she eventually settled as Kyoei Bonita (Jpn) (Isla Bonita {Jpn}) kept a close eye on the leader. More relaxed turning for home, Brown Ratchet saved every inch of ground against the rail until the field straightened.

Asked for her best at the 450-metre mark, she surged through a gap a furlong from home and edged past the pacesetter to win by 1 1/4 lengths. It was extremely tight for second, with five horses vying for that honour. Mistress held on for place, a head to the good of second favourite Shonan Xanadu (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), who closed from midfield to be third, a neck in front of Shihorin (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) in fourth. Only a nose behind was My Element (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}), the same margin in front of race favourite Kamunyak (Jpn) (Black Tide {Jpn}) in sixth.

Pedigree Notes

Northern Racing acquired Congrats mare Forever Darling privately after her racing career. The 11-year-old, who won the GII Santa Ynez Stakes, has four winners from five to race counting Brown Ratchet and G3 Saudi Derby/G2 UAE Derby winner and GI Kentucky Derby third Forever Young. Her yearling filly is by Epiphaneia (Jpn) and her colt foal is by Rey De Oro (Jpn).

Second dam Darling My Darling (Deputy Minister) won a pair of American listed races, and was second in the GI Frizette Stakes and GI Matron Stakes. She is the dam of Heavenly Love, successful in the GI Alcibiades Stakes and herself the dam of GI Blue Grass Stakes hero and Kentucky Derby second Sierra Leone (Gun Runner), who is also pointing toward the Breeders' Cup Classic. Japanese Horse of the Year and sire Zenno Rob Roy (Jpn) (Sunday Silence) is a Sunday Silence half-brother to Darling My Darling.

Saturday, Tokyo, Japan
ARTEMIS STAKES-G3, ¥56,160,000, Tokyo, 10-26, 2yo, f, 1600mT, 1:33.80, fm.
1–BROWN RATCHET (JPN), 121, f, 2, by Kizuna (Jpn)
                 1st Dam: Forever Darling (GSW-US, $217,545),
                                by Congrats
                 2nd Dam: Darling My Darling, by Deputy Minister
                 3rd Dam: Roamin Rachel, by Mining
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Sunday Racing;
B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-Takahisa Tezuka; J-Christophe
Lemaire; ¥29,392,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, ¥36,592,000.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Mistress (Jpn), 121, f, 2, Kizuna (Jpn)–Cherokee Maiden, by
Distorted Humor. 1ST BLACK TYPE. 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE.
(¥88,000,000 Wlg '22 JRHAJUL). O-Shinji Maeda; B-Grand Farm
(Jpn); ¥12,112,000.
3–Shonan Xanadu (Jpn), 121, f, 2, Kizuna (Jpn)–Mi Sueno, by
Pulpit. 1ST BLACK TYPE. 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE.
(¥185,000,000 Wlg '22 JRHAJUL). O-Tetsuhide Kunimoto;
B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥7,356,000
Margins: 1 1/4, HD, NK. Odds: 3.70, 14.60, 3.10.
Also Ran: Shihorin (Jpn), My Element (Jpn), Kamunyak (Jpn), Ma Puce (Jpn), Cleo's Needle (Jpn), Million Rose (Jpn), Zaratan (Jpn), Kyoei Bonita (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart & video.