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 Wednesday's first JRA meetings of 2022 at Chukyo and Nakayama Racecourses:
Wednesday, January 5, 2022
4th-NKY, ¥11,400,000 ($99k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1800m
WONDERFUL HEAVEN (f, 3, Hard Spun–Couture Cat, by Storm Cat), a half-sister to SP High Fashion Diva (Girolamo), is out of a winning daughter of GSW & MGISP Runway Model (Petionville), the dam of four-time Grade I winner, 'TDN Rising Star' and current Gainesway stallion McKinzie (Street Sense). A $52K purchase at Keeneland November in 2019, the late January foal matured into a $180K KEESEP yearling the following fall. Wonderful Heaven is bred on the same Hard Spun cross over Storm Cat responsible for MGISW Hard Not to Like. B-Kenneth & Sarah Ramsey (KY)
12th-CKO, ¥21,110,000 ($183k), Allowance, 4yo/up, 1400m
LEMON POP (c, 4, Lemon Drop Kid–Unreachable, by Giant's Causeway) won the first two starts of his career, including the Cattleya S. (allowance) in November 2020, and most recently returned from a 13-month layoff to finish a strong second going this distance at Hanshin Dec. 12. A $70K KEENOV acquisition by Paca Paca Farm on behalf of Godolphin in 2018, the chestnut is a maternal grandson of MGSW Harpia (Danzig), a full-sister to the legendary Danehill as well as MGSW Eagle Eyed and GSW Shibboleth. B-Mr & Mrs Oliver S Tait (KY)
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