Notable US-Bred Runners in Japan: Oct. 25, 2020

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 Tokyo and Kyoto Racecourse, the latter of which plays host to the G1 Kikuka Sho (Japanese St Leger), where the uber-talented Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) looks to follow in his sire's footsteps in completing the Triple Crown:

Sunday, October 25, 2020
3rd-TOK, ¥13,400,000 ($128k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1300m
MOZU HAPPY ROAD (c, 2, Medaglia d'Oro–Overheard, by Macho Uno) is the latest produce from his dam, who won the GIII Valley View S. sponsored by this breeder in 2013 and the GII Dance Smartly S. the following season. A $425K Keeneland September graduate, the April foal hails from family of Pin Oak's Grade I-winning juvenile filly Confessional, who–like this colt's dam sire–was by Holy Bull. B-Pin Oak Stud LLC (KY)

5th-TOK, ¥13,830,000 ($132k), Allowance, 2yo, 1400mT
REFRAME (f, 2, American Pharoah–Careless Jewel, by Tapit) turned in one of the more memorable debuts in recent memory, holding on by a desperate half-length after drifting out dramatically to the outside fence at Niigata July 25 (see below, gate 15). The $410K KEESEP yearling, a daughter of the single-minded GI Alabama S. romper Careless Jewel, has undergone rigorous retraining since and Takuya Kowata, who miraculously stayed in the saddle on debut, keeps the ride this weekend. B-Summer Wind Equine LLC (KY)

5th-KYO, ¥13,400,000 ($128k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800mT
MOZU TREASURE (f, 2, California Chrome–Somethinaboutbetty, by Forestry), whose Maryland-bred dam was a four-time stakes winner and second in the GIII Lake George S., cost $200K as a KEESEP yearling and is a half-sister to GSP Dewey Square (Bernardini) from the same A.P. Indy sire line, as well as SP Something Super (Super Saver). This is also the female family of MGSW Eskenformoney (Eskendereya) and GISW My Trusty Cat (Tale of the Cat). B-Siena Farms LLC (KY)