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. The first weekend of racing for the new year takes place at Chukyo and Nakayama, featuring a pair of Group 3 tests over a mile for newly turned 3-year-olds and each featuring one American-bred. Those horses will appear in Saturday's TDN, in the meantime, here are the runners of interest for Saturday's programs:
Saturday, January 8, 2022
4th-CKO, ¥11,400,000 ($98k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1200m
MASCHIETTA (f, 3, Into Mischief–Star Billing, by Dynaformer) is the second foal to make the races for her dam, upset winner of the 2011 GI Matriarch S. for owner/breeder George Krikorian and subsequently purchased by Greg Goodman's Mt. Brilliant Farm for $2.3 million in foal to Giant's Causeway at Keeneland November in 2013. Also from the same female family as MGISW Stellar Jayne (Wild Rush) and Krikorian's MGISW Starrer (Dynaformer), Maschietta cost $180K at KEESEP in 2020. B-Mt Brilliant Broodmares II LLC (KY)
7th-CKO, ¥14,250,000 ($123k), Allowance, 3yo, 1800m
JU TARO (c, 3, Arrogate–Bodacious Babe, by Mineshaft) made an enormous impression in his Nov. 13 debut at Hanshin, bounding clear through the Hanshin stretch to break his maiden on the bridle by a dozen lengths (see below, gate 9). The colt's dam, runner-up in the 2017 GIII Sugar Swirl S., was among the first mares covered by Arrogate in 2018 and was hammered down to Breffni Farm for $350K at KEENOV later that year. Bodacious Babe is a half-sister to GISW Sippican Harbor (Orb). B-Breffni Farm (KY)
9th-NKY, ¥19,530,000 ($169k), Allowance, 3yo, 1800m
Like Ju Taro, JASPER GREAT (c, 3, Arrogate–Shop Again, by Wild Again) provided his late sire with a wide-margin maiden winner, graduating by 10 lengths at Hanshin Oct. 9 (see below, gate 2). The $200K Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearling Showcase graduate was part of the Breeders' Cup team sent over by trainer Hideyuki Mori, but he never factored after a slow start and finished better than 14 lengths behind Corniche (Quality Road) with a fair bit of pari-mutuel support. A half-brother to GISW Power Broker (Pulpit) and SW Fierce Boots (Tiznow), Jasper Great is out of a stakes-winning half-sister to GISW Miss Shop (Deputy Minister). B-Jamm Ltd (KY)
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