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. Here are the horses of interest for Sunday running at Chukyo Racecourse, including the return of last-out Group 3 winner Shivaji (First Samurai). Over at Tokyo, a field of 17 is set for the world's richest Derby, the G1 Tokyo Yushun, headed by the undefeated Efforia (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}):
Sunday, May 30, 2021
3rd-CKO, ¥9,680,000 ($88k), Maiden , 3yo, 1200m
PRECIOUS GOLD (f, 3, Speightstown–Pressurizing, by Henrythenavigator) debuts in the Sunday Racing colors and was acquired in utero after her dam was led out unsold on a bid of $875K at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. Pressurizing is a daughter of Vertigineux (Kris S.), the dam of Horse of the Year and three-time Eclipse Award winner Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}); MGISW Balance (Thunder Gulch); and Where's Bailey (Aljabr), the stakes-winning dam of MGSW She's Not Here (Street Cry {Ire}). Precious Gold's year-older full-sister Precious Girl was sold for $375K at the same FTKNOV sale and is a winner in Japan. B-Northern Farm (KY)
10th-CKO, Azuchijo S.-Listed, ¥47.6m ($437k), 4yo/up, 1400mT
SHIVAJI (h, 6, First Samurai–Indian Bay, by Indian Charlie), a $90K Keeneland September yearling that blossomed into a $540K OBS April juvenile, has amassed an excellent record of 6-5-3 and has banked better than $1.7 million from 22 Japanese starts, the nine most recent of which have come on the turf and capped by a 1 1/4-length success in the G3 Silk Road S. at this venue Jan. 31 (see below, gate 13). The 6-year-old is out of a daughter of GSW Buy the Barrel (E Dubai), the dam of English GSP Mise En Rose (War Front) and MSP Stave (Ghostzapper). B-Hinkle Farms (KY)
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
