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 weekend running at Niigata and Kyoto Racecourses, the latter of which plays host to Sunday's G1 Shuka Sho, the final leg of the Japanese Triple Tiara. Daring Tact (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) will go favored to become the sixth to complete the sweep, joining the likes of Gentildonna (Jpn) and Almond Eye (Jpn), but would be the first to do so undefeated. Daughters of US Grade I winners Ria Antonia and Hilda's Passion will try to play the role of spoiler:
Saturday, October 17, 2020
4th-KYO, ¥13,400,000 ($127k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1400m
LUCKY MO (JPN) (c, 2, Uncle Mo–Lucky to Be Me, by Bernstein) is a half-brother to 2016 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Champagne Room (Broken Vow) and was purchased in utero for $1.25m at the Keeneland November sale in 2017. Bred on the same cross over Storm Cat as champion and GI Kentucky Derby hero Nyquist, Lucky Mo is also a half-brother to a colt by Yoshida (Jpn)'s sire Heart's Cry (Jpn) that fetched ¥190m ($1,775,701), the joint sixth-highest price at this year's JRHA Select Yearling Sale. B-Northern Farm
5th-NII, ¥13,400,000 ($127k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1400mT
MOON BEAD (JPN) (f, 2, American Pharoah–Evening Jewel, by Northern Afleet) is the first Japanese-foaled produce for her dam, winner of the GI Ashland S. on the Polytrack and the GI Del Mar Oaks on turf and the unluckiest of losers in the GI Kentucky Oaks in 2010. The dam of the SP Bernardiva (Bernardini), Evening Jewel was sold for $950K in foal to Pioneerof the Nile at KEENOV in 2016 and was covered by this sire in Kentucky prior to her export. Evening Jewel is the dam of a yearling colt by Deep Impact (Jpn). B-Shadai Farm
Sunday, October 18, 2020
12th-NII, ¥28,600,000 ($271k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 1200m
PRIMO D'ARC (f, 3, Bernardini–Wilshewed, by Carson City) enters this test with a tidy record of 2-2-0 from five starts, including a front-running, 2 1/2-length victory going this distance in the mud at Hanshin June 14 (see below, gate 1). A half-sister to GISW Stormello (Stormy Atlantic) and GSW My Best Brother (Stormy Atlantic); a full-sister to SW & GISP 'TDN Rising Star' Cherry Lodge and GSW Gala Award; and a half to the dam of 2019 Sovereign Award winner Curlin's Voyage (Curlin), Primo d'Arc was a $400K KEESEP yearling and $500K OBS April breezer. Her 2-year-old half-sister Jacquelyn d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro), who RNAd for $450K at KEESEP and for $245K at OBS in June, breezed a half-mile in :49 (9/25) at Keeneland Oct. 14. B-Estate of William L Currin (KY)
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