Notable Runners By US Sires in Japan: Jan. 22, 2022

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. Also of note in Japan over the weekend is a debuting Deep Impact (Jpn) colt out of GI Kentucky Oaks winner Princess of Sylmar, while the weekend's action at group level features the progressive Potager (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G2 American Jockey Club S. His dam Ginger Punch (Awesome Again) was the Eclipse Award-winning older mare of 2007 and, like Princess of Sylmar, was purchased for seven figures at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale:

Saturday, January 22, 2022
1st-CKO, ¥9,900,000 ($87k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m
MODICA (AUS) (f, 2, American Pharoah–More Than Real, by More Than Ready) was spotting her Northern Hemisphere rivals a fair bit of maturity, but nevertheless turned in a bold debut effort, finishing two lengths' second as the betting favorite over this track and distance Jan. 10. The September-foaled bay, an A$260K purchase out of the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, is a half-sister to SW Miss Debutante (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) and her GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf-winning dam is a full-sister to Miss Always Ready, whose son Structor (Palace Malice)–himself a GI BC Juvenile Turf hero–has been sold to Japan to stand stud. Modica is bred on the exact same cross as GSW and new Japanese stallion Four Wheel Drive as well as G1 February S. hero Cafe Pharoah. B-Kia Ora Stud Pty Ltd (NSW)

4th-CKO, ¥14,250,000 ($125k), Allowance, 3yo, 1400m
SEA VIXEN (f, 3, Into Mischief–Sly Warrior, by First Samurai), a $130K Keeneland September yearling turned $500K OBS March breezer, was placed twice from three starts on the grass to begin her career, but looked a new proposition altogether when racing to a seven-length victory on dirt debut at Tokyo Nov. 28. The bay returns to the main track for this, having finished down the field in a 1400-meter turf allowance at Hanshin on Christmas Day. Sky Vixen is out of a half-sister to SP Pull Dancer (Pulpit), the dam of the versatile Good Samaritan (Harlan's Holiday). This is the extended family of Bernstein, Wiseman's Ferry, et al. Breeze Easy acquired Sly Warrior for $50K in foal to Kitten's Joy at FTKNOV in 2017. B-Breeze Easy (KY)