The G1 Japanese 1000 Guineas is on Apr. 11, and Shigeru Pink Ruby (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) punched her ticket for that Classic affair with a neck victory in the Hochi Hai Fillies' Revue over 1400 metres on Sunday.
Sent off at 13-1, the chestnut perched in a tracking sixth as Paul Neyron (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) carried the field into the single bend. She faced a wall of horses to get through turning into the home straight, but she burst in between horses late and nailed new leader Yoka Yoka (Jpn) (Squirtly Squirt) narrowly on the line. Minnie Isle (Jpn) (Mikki Isle {Jpn}) rounded out the trifecta another length behind. Favoured Opal Moon (Jpn) (Victoire Pisa {Jpn}) was dead last for much of the race, but made up some ground late on to take ninth.
A Hanshin debut winner over 1400 metres, Shigeru Pink Ruby was unplaced in the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies in December and Sunday was her 3-year-old bow.
Pedigree Notes
From the first crop of Maurice, Shigeru Pink Ruby is the second group winner for her young sire after G3 Nikkan Sports Sho Shinzan Kinen victor Pixie Knight (Jpn).
The winner's dam is unraced, but she has already left Shigeru Pink Dia (Jpn) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}), who ran second in the G1 Japanese 1000 Guineas and third in the G1 Shuka Sho. Moonlight Bay also foaled 2-year-old colt Shigeru Rosemary (Jpn) (Silver State {Jpn}) and a yearling filly by Daiwa Major (Jpn). The daughter of Group 3 winner Moonlight Dance (Ire) (Sinndar {Ire}) was covered by Kizuna (Jpn) last spring. Moonlight Dance is a half-sister to G1 Irish Derby hero Grey Swallow (Ire) (Daylami {Ire}).
Sunday, Hanshin, Japan
HOCHI HAI FILLIES' REVUE-G2, ¥100,840,000, Hanshin, 3-14, 3yo, f, 1400mT, 1:20.70, gd.
1–SHIGERU PINK RUBY (JPN), 119, f, 3, Maurice (Jpn)
1st Dam: Moonlight Bay (Jpn), by High Chaparral (Ire)
2nd Dam: Moonlight Dance (Ire), by Sinndar (Ire)
3rd Dam: Style of Life, by The Minstrel
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. (€30,240,000 Ylg '19
JBBAJUL). O-Shigeru Morinaka; B-Amaba Farm (Jpn);
T-Kunihiko Watanabe; J-Ryuji Wada. ¥53,288,000. Lifetime
Record: 3-2-0-0. *1/2 to Shigeru Pink Dia (Jpn) (Daiwa Major
{Jpn}), MG1SP-Jpn, $1,273,038. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Yoka Yoka (Jpn), 119, f, 3, Squirtle Squirt–Honey Dancer
(Jpn), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). (¥3,672,000 Ylg '19 JBBAJUN).
O-Koji Oka; B-Tsuchitoshi Honda (Jpn); ¥21,368,000.
3–Minnie Isle (Jpn), 119, f, 3, Mikki Isle (Jpn)–Island Fashion, by
Petionville. (¥31,000,000 Wlg '18 JRHAJUL). O-Tsuyoshi Ono;
B-Northern Farm (Jpn); ¥13,184,000.
Margins: NK, 1, HF. Odds: 12.90, 3.90, 22.40.
Also Ran: Umbrella Date (Jpn), El Castillo (Jpn), Coup de Coeur (Jpn), Styx (Jpn), Terrine (Jpn), Opal Moon (Jpn), Love Kelly (Jpn), A Shin Hiten (Jpn), Gold Chalice (Jpn), Virtuality (Jpn), La La Christine (Jpn), Blue Bird (Jpn), Rastrillo (Jpn), Freed (Ire), Paul Neyron (Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart & video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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