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:
Saturday, April 15, 2023
2nd-HSN, ¥10,480,000 ($79k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m
AUDIBLE CALL (GB) (f, 3, Medaglia d'Oro–Callback, by Street Sense), whose dam won the 2015 GI Las Virgenes S. and sold to Katsumi Yoshida for an even $2 million with this filly in utero at Keeneland November in 2019, got her career off to a promising start with a sound runner-up effort behind Kazumi Yoshida's Giuoco Piano (Justify) going Tokyo's one-turn mile Feb. 19 (see below, SC 15). Also sold for $2.8 million at Fasig-Tipton November following her 3-year-old season, the mare is also the dam of the Grade III-placed Tommy Bee (Medaglia d'Oro) and is a half-sister to SW Defy Gravity (Bandini). B-Northern Farm
Sunday, April 16, 2023
5th-HSN, ¥14,880,000 ($112k), Allowance, 3yo, 1800m
KEEP SMILING (JPN) (f, 3, Quality Road–Weep No More, by Mineshaft), a bang-up second on debut Dec. 17, was very impressive in graduating by four lengths at odds-on going this distance at Nakayama Feb. 25 (see below, SC 7). Upset winner of the 2016 GI Central Bank Ashland S., Weep No More is a half-sister to Grade III winner Current (Curlin) and to the Morea (Indian Charlie), the dam of the SW & GSP Half Is Enough (Frosted). The filly's third dam is 2001 GI Kentucky Oaks victress Flute (Seattle Slew). B-Northern Farm
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