By Alan Carasso
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 Monday running at Kyoto and Tokyo Racecourses:
Monday, October 9, 2023
1st-KYO, ¥10,480,000 ($70k), Maiden, 2yo, 1400mT
PIKARI (f, 2, Twirling Candy–Laudation, by Congrats) turned in a sound third-place effort on her Aug. 20 debut going nine furlongs from a terrible draw on the grass at Kokura (video, SC 16) and turns back a bit in distance for this second go. The stakes-winning dam is a daughter of dual Grade II winner Rite Moment (Vicar), also the dam of MSW Moment Is Right (Medaglia d'Oro) and of this year's G3 UAE Oaks winner and GI Kentucky Oaks participant Mimi Kakushi (City of Light). Leading rider Yuga Kawada has the riding assignment. A $265,000 Keeneland September yearling, the Mar. 18 foal fetched $900,000 from trainer Hideyuki Mori at this year's OBS March Sale on behalf of owner Susumu Fujita. B-Woods Edge Farm LLC (KY)
5th-TOK, ¥13,720,000 ($92k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1600mT
METIERS D'ART (f, 2, American Pharoah–Fiducia, by Medaglia d'Oro) is the third foal to the races for her dam, a listed winner and Group 3-placed in turf sprints whose first foal Gran Aplauso became the first Japanese winner and first winner on turf for Gun Runner on debut back in 2021. Fiducia's MSW & GSP dam Believe (Jpn) (Sunday Silence) was Japan's champion older mare of 2003 and has gone on to distinguish herself in the breeding shed as the dam of 2022 G1 Sprinters S. winner Gendarme (Kitten's Joy) and MSW/G1SP Faridat (Kingmambo) in addition to Fiducia. B-North Hills Co Limited (KY)
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