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 Hanshin Racecourse. Japanese Horse of the Year Efforia (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) kicks off his 4-year-old season in Sunday's G1 Osaka Hai, while mercurial American-bred Reframe (American Pharoah) returns to group competition in Saturday's G3 Lord Derby Challenge Trophy at Nakayama, where she is the lone female in a field of 16:
Saturday, April 2, 2022
5th-HSN, ¥14,250,000 ($117k), Allowance, 3yo, 1800m
BEAT EMOTION (c, 3, Quality Road–J. Quirk, by Unbridled's Song) missed by a neck as the 3-5 favorite in his 1400-meter debut in the Toyko mud Feb. 12, but set things right with a nose success over a next-out winner at 2-5 when trying this distance at Nakayama Feb. 27. A $190K Keeneland September yearling turned $600K Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream breezer, the late April foal is a half-brother to last year's GIII Remington Park Oaks heroine Lady Mystify (Bernardini). Breeze Easy acquired this colt's dam for $725K in foal to Game Winner at KEENOV last fall and one hip later, gave $375K for the mare's then-weanling filly by Gun Runner. Scott and Evan Dilworth paid $260K for J. Quirk in foal to Tiznow–who appears under the third dam–at KEENOV in 2016. This is also the family of Oxbow and Paynter. B-Scott & Evan Dilworth (KY)
Sunday, April 3, 2022
2nd-HSN, ¥9,900,000 ($81k), Maiden 3yo, 1400m
WAX LYRICAL (f, 3, Maclean's Music–Cholena, by Indian Charlie) was purchased by Harry Sweeney's Paca Paca Farm on behalf of Godolphin for $150K out of the 2019 KEENOV sale and is out of a full-sister to GSW Rumor–the dam of the SP Hazit (War Front)–and a half to GISW Dixie Chatter (Dixie Union). The February foal's third dam is champion and MGISW Phone Chatter (Phone Trick), whose Grade II-winning daughter Cat Chat (Storm Cat) is responsible for GISW In Lingerie (Empire Maker). The latter resides in Japan, having been purchased by Shadai Farm for $2.4 million at FTKNOV in 2013. B-Robert S West (KY)
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