Notable US-Bred & -Sired Runners in Japan: July 10 & 11, 2021

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 weekend running at Fukushima and Kokura Racecourses:

Saturday, July 10, 2021
3rd-KOK, ¥9,680,000 ($88k), Maiden, 3yo, 1000m
LA LA GABRIEL (c, 3, Into Mischief–Celebrate Now, by Street Cry {Ire}) cost $550K at Keeneland September in 2019 and is out of a daughter of Canadian Horse of the Year Dance Smartly (Danzig)'s full-sister Dance Swiftly, also the dam of 'TDN Rising Star' and GSW sire Speightster (Speightstown) and fellow 'Rising Star' SW/GSP West Coast Swing (Gone West). Dance Swiftly is also responsible for SW Paiota Falls (Kris S.), herself the dam of French SW & MGSP African Ride (GB) (Candy Ride {Arg}) and SW & GSP Rafting (Tapit). The female family also includes Queen's Plate winners Dancethruthedawn (Mr. Prospector, Ch. 3yo Filly-Can) and Scatter the Gold (Mr. Prospector), champion Hello Seattle (Deputy Minister) and the outstanding sire and broodmare sire Smart Strike (Mr. Prospector). B-Burleson Farm, Sequel Thoroughbreds & McKenzie Bloodstock (KY)

4th-FKS, ¥9,680,000 ($88k), Maiden, 3yo, 1700m
KARNAK (JPN) (c, 3, American Pharoah–Kitten's Dumplings, by Kitten's Joy) is the first Japanese-foaled produce from his dam, winner of the 2013 GI QE II Challenge Cup at Keeneland and acquired privately by Shadai Farm in 2016. The mare's overall first foal is Karnak's full-brother Abul Haul, one of 14 winners from 18 to race in Japan for their history-making sire. Well-beaten on debut in February, Karnak stripped significantly trimmer for his second career appearance going a mile at Tokyo June 27 and finished a much-improved fifth. Kitten's Dumplings is a full-sister to GSW Granny's Kitten and SW & GSP Granny Mc's Kitten. B-Shadai Farm

Sunday, July 11, 2021
1st-KOK, ¥9,680,000 ($88k), Maiden, 2yo, 1000m
KOLN CONCERT (c, 2, Mohaymen–Gold Glimmer, by Smart Strike) makes his third trip to the races in the space of a month, having finished seventh and sixth, respectively, in seven-furlong turf tests last month. The $100K Fasig-Tipton Select Yearling Showcase grad switches to the main track for this and has a license to improve for it, as he is out of a half-sister to a pair of black-type winners, including one on the dirt. The April foal's MGSW third dam Recognizable (Seattle Slew) was a half-sister to Ogden Phipps's Awe Inspiring (Slew O'Gold), winner of the 1989 GI Flamingo S. and GI American Derby and third to Sunday Silence and stablemate Easy Goer in that year's GI Kentucky Derby. B-Buck Pond Farm Inc (KY)