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 this Sunday and Monday running at Chukyo and Nakayama Racecourses, with a pair of newly turned 3-year-old fillies taking a step up into Group 3 competition off maiden-breaking victories:
Sunday, January 9, 2022
3rd-CKO, ¥9,900,000 ($86k), Maiden, 3yo, 1900m
THE KING (JPN) (c, 3, Curlin–Alluring Star, by Exchange Rate) is the first foal from his dam, second to Caledonia Road (Quality Road) in the 2017 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and purchased by Katsumi Yoshida with this colt in utero for $925K at the 2018 Keeneland November Sale. A Jan. 28 foal, The King was offered at the 2019 JRHA Select Sale and repaid a fair bit of the investment, hammering for ¥82 million ($754,400), while the now 2-year-old half-sister by Heart's Cry (Jpn) made ¥40 million ($372,820) at the same event in 2020. The King was a useful fifth on his career debut at this venue back in September. B-Northern Racing
11th-CKO, Shinzan Kinen-G3, ¥76.8m ($664k), 3yo, 1600mT
MOZU GOLD BARREL (f, 3, Optimizer–Sweeter Still {Ire}, by Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}), a $1,500 in utero purchase at KEENOV in 2018, ran to the money in her debut to score by a measured half-length at long odds-on going 1400 meters over this course Dec. 19 (see below, SC 1). The $190K KEESEP acquisition is a half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Kameko (Kitten's Joy) and opts for this over Monday's sex-restricted G3 Fairy S. (see below). B-Timothy Lesley Thompson (KY)
Monday, January 10, 2022
4th-CKO, ¥11,400,000 ($99k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1800m
Neither US-bred or -sired, MODICA (AUS) (f, 2, American Pharoah–More Than Real, by More Than Ready) has plenty of appeal to an American audience. The early September foal, who spots her Northern Hemisphere rivals a fair bit of maturity, is the latest produce out of Bobby Flay's 2010 GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine, who was acquired by Australian bloodstock agent James Bester for $675,000 at the 2011 Fasig-Tipton November sale. All five of the mare's previous starters are winners, including SW Miss Debutante (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). Modica, an A$260,000 ($201,089) purchase out of last year's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, is a maternal granddaughter of MSW Miss Seffens (Dehere), whose daughter Miss Always Ready (More Than Ready) produced GI BC Juvenile Turf hero Structor (Palace Malice) and GSP 'TDN Rising Star' Always Carina (Malibu Moon). B-Kia Ora Stud Pty Ltd (NSW)
11th-NKY, Fairy S.-G3, ¥70.6m ($611k), 3yo, f, 1600mT
SPEED GLAMOUR (f, 3, Into Mischief–Island Escape, by Petionville) failed to run a poor race in four appearances at two and earned a crack at this level with a narrow graduation going this trip at Chukyo Dec. 5 (see below, SC 14). A half-sister to MGSW Tricky Escape (Hat Trick {Jpn}), the February-foaled bay was bought back on a bid of $250K at Keeneland September in 2020 but blossomed into a $500K purchase at last year's OBS March Sale. B-Machmer Hall (KY)
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