Nakayama

Efforia (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) will look to take his career mark to a perfect four-from-four and will attempt to give the Carrot Farm syndicate a second victory in three years in the G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) over the metric 10 furlongs Sunday afternoon at Nakayama Racecourse. Descending from the family of G1 Japan Cup hero Admire Mooon (Jpn) (End Sweep) and champion Hishi Amazon (Theatrical {Ire}), Efforia made a successful debut over a right-handed 2000-metre trip at Sapporo last August and made it two straight with a Tokyo...

Deep Impact (Jpn)'s Terzetto (Jpn) closed from off the pace to win the G3 Lord Derby Challenge Trophy at Nakayama on Saturday. The 4-year-old filly brought her record to five-for-six with the score. Third choice at 5-1, Terzetto raced well off the pace set by My Style (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}). The field was well strung out due to a demanding pace, with the first half-mile covered in :45.60. She began to edge closer nearing the far turn and swung out four deep to challenge with a quarter mile remaining....

In this continuing series, Alan Carasso takes 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 Nakayama Racecourse. The weekend's other meetings take place at Hanshin, which on Sunday stages the G1 Osaka Hai, featuring a mouth-watering clash between Triple Crown hero Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Imact {Jpn}) and Gran Alegria (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), who...

Prominent every step of the 1800-meter journey despite a somewhat awkward draw, God Selection (Jpn) (Novellist {Ire}) took command in the straight and drew clear to win Saturday's Fukuryu S. (allowance) at Nakayama, earning 40 points on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby in the process. Ridden for speed from the 13 hole in a field of 14, God Selection was down into the two path and prompted the pace from second as Lord Strom (Jpn) (Makfi {GB}) galloped them along. Ridden cold on the turn and into the...

Nakayama Racecourse plays host to the $315,808 Fukuryu S. Saturday afternoon, an allowance race that serves as the last of the four legs on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby and carries a total of 68 points for the first four finishers. The winner of the 1800-meter test earns 40 points, and with none of the horses who saluted in the first three legs taking part, a spot in the starting gate on the first Saturday in May is all but assured. Your History (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}), a debut...

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 Sunday running at Hanshin, Nakayama and Chukyo Racecourses, the last of which hosts the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen and its defending champion US-bred 6-year-old mare Mozu Superflare (Speightstown): Sunday, March 28, 2021 3rd-CKO, ¥9,680,000 ($89k), Maiden, 3yo, 1900m MOZU TREASURE (f, 3, California Chrome--Somethinaboutbetty,...

The progressive Victipharus (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) narrowly secured a first group victory in the G2 Fuji TV Sho Spring S. at Nakayama on Sunday. Bearing the G1 Racing silks, the 6-1 third choice was floated very wide into the right-handed turn and ended up second last through the early stages. He steadily improved from there with a sustained run up into ninth midway on the second bend and was steered widest of all into the home straight by pilot Ryuji Okubo. Displaying a stellar set of gears with 200...

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 Nakayama Racecourses: Saturday, March 6, 2021 4th-NKY, ¥13,830,000 ($129k), Allowance, 3yo, 1200m LINCOLN TESORO (c, 3, Carpe Diem--Santa Vindi, by Vindication), a half-brother to GSW Flexibility (Bluegrass Cat), graduated first off a five-month absence over track and distance...

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 Nakayama and Hanshin Racecourses: Saturday, February 27, 2021 3rd-NKY, ¥9,680,000 ($91k), Maiden, 3yo, 1200m SLAP SHOT (JPN) (c, 3, Air Force Blue--Laxfield Road, by Quality Road) was sent off at debut odds of 53-10 in a 1400-meter newcomers' event at...

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 Chukyo and Nakayama Racecourses: Saturday, January 23, 2021 4th-NKY, ¥11,400,000 ($110k), Newcomers, 3yo, 1200m MIRATIO (f, 3, Verrazano--My Fast One, by Elusive Quality) is the latest to make the races from her dam, a half-sister to SW No Mo Dough...

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 Chukyo and Nakayama Racecourses: Saturday, January 16, 2021 7th-CKO, ¥14,360,000 ($138k), Allowance, 4yo/up, 1200m LA LA CHRYSAOR (h, 5, Speightstown--Lindy, by War Front) made a huge impression when graduating by 10 1/2 lengths on debut as the 6-5 favorite just...

Fine Rouge (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) made it two on the bounce with a come-from-behind victory in the G3 Fairy S. at Nakayama on Monday. Third choice on the board at 9-2, the bay outkicked fellow closers Ho O Ixelles (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) by 2 ½ lengths, while Bella Nova (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}) took third another length behind. Tiny Romance (Jpn) (Novellist {Ire}) seized command from the bell and Fine Rouge was relegated to the back third of the chasing pack. She made steady progress after the first quarter mile and...