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 and Fukushima Racecourses. Group 1 racing in Japan returns next weekend with the stayers center stage in the Tenno Sho (Spring) over two miles, but this Sunday's action sees the return of a pair of very exciting American-bred gallopers at the lower grades:
Sunday, April 24, 2022
6th-HSN, ¥14,250,000 ($111k), Allowance, 3yo, 1400m
CUTE VILLAIN (f, 3, Arrogate–She Be Wild, by Offlee Wild) cost Katsumi Yoshida $550K at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale on the occasion of her second birthday after the daughter of 2009 Eclipse Award-winning juvenile filly She Be Wild zipped an eighth of a mile in :10 flat (see below). The dark bay began chipping away at that investment when lengthening clear to graduate by seven lengths going this distance on Chukyo debut Jan. 29 (video, SC 10) and figures tough to handle in this second go. B-Nancy Mazzoni (KY)
9th-FKS, ¥19,530,000 ($152k), Allowance, 3yo, 1200mT
GRAN APLAUSO (c, 3, Gun Runner–Fiducia, by Medaglia d'Oro) became the first winner on turf from his exciting sire (by Candy Ride {Arg})'s first crop when carrying Yutaka Take to a one-length debut in one of last year's early newcomers' races at Sapporo June 20 (see below, SC 16). Ticketed for group company off that effort, he suffered an injury which has kept him on the sidelines for the past 10 months. The colt's stakes-winning and Group 3-placed dam is a daughter of champion Believe (Jpn) (Sunday Silence), who is also responsible for MGSW & G1SP Gendarme (Kitten's Joy) and MSW & MGSP Faridat (Kingmambo). B-North Hills Co Limited (KY)
11th-HSN, Yomiuri Milers' Cup-G2, ¥114m ($890k), 4/up, 1mT
AIR FANDITHA (h, 5, Hat Trick {Jpn}–Nokaze, by Empire Maker) is one of four winners from four to race out of a winning half-sister to SW Yuzuru (Medaglia d'Oro), whose daughter Yuugiri (Shackleford) will carry the silks of these breeders in the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks after winning the GIII Fantasy S. last time out. Air Fanditha became the second black-type winner out of Nokaze when coming from a near-impossible position to score in listed company over this course and distance Feb. 12 (see below, SC 6). The four winners out of the mare, including GSW Air Almas (Majestic Warrior), have combined to win an impressive 16 times on the extremely competitive JRA circuit. B-Sekie & Tsunebumi Yoshihara (KY)
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