Yuugiri Half-Brother Down To Debut at Niigata

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 Kyoto, Niigata and Tokyo Racecourses. The 3-year-old Classics resume this Sunday with the running of the G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) at headquarters, led by the very talented Liberty Island (Jpn). Click here for our race preview:

Saturday, May 20, 2023
2nd-KYO, ¥10,480,000 ($76k), Maiden, 3yo, 1400m
LA LA BELLEVIlLE (f, 3, Union Rags–Divine Praises, by Medaglia d'Oro), a $130,000 Keeneland September acquisition, is out of a daughter of the stakes-winning Grand Prayer (Grand Slam), whose six scorers from eight to race include GISW Malibu Prayer (Malibu Moon) and four-time GSW and GISP Valid (Medaglia d'Oro). The February foal is also a half-sister to the same owner's La La Chandon (Street Sense), a three-time winner of better than $262,000 in Japan. B-Three Chimneys Farm LLC (KY)

6th-TOK, ¥14,880,000 ($108k), Allowance, 3yo, 1400m
WORLDS COLLIDE (c, 3, War Front–Elizabeth Browning {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) was bet into 8-5 favoritism for his six-furlong debut at Nakayama Apr. 8 and got the job done by three-parts of a length (see below, SC 13). A $400,000 purchase out of the 2020 Keeneland November Sale, the bay is out of an Irish Group 2-winning full-sister to G1SW Johannes Vermeer (Ire), SW Sapa Inca (Ire), MG1SP Wembley (Ire) and SP Covent Garden (Ire). The champion third dam Miletrian (Ire) (Marju {Ire}) won the G2 Ribblesdale S. at Royal Ascot in 2000. B-Lynch Bages Ltd & MacQuarie Bloodstock (KY)

Sunday, May 21, 2023
3rd-NII, ¥10,480,000 ($76k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m
MALEFICENT LOVE (f, 3, Arrogate–Highway Mary, by U S Ranger), a half-sister to GI F. E. Kilroe Mile S. winner Hit The Road (More Than Ready), is the latest to the races from a daughter of GII E. P. Taylor S. winner Wandering Star (Red Ransom), the dam of G1SW War Command (War Front) and GSW Naval Officer (Tale of the Cat). This is also the female family of Silver Hawk. B-Fred W Hertrich III (KY)

5th-NII, ¥10,480,000 ($76k), Maiden, 3yo, 2000mT
AIR GRIFFON (c, 3, Air Force Blue–Yuzuru, by Medaglia d'Oro) is the third foal to race out of his dam, a stakes winner for these breeders and trainer Michael Matz, who is also responsible for Yuugiri (Shackleford), last year's GIII Fantasy S. victress and successful in this year's Carousel S. at Oaklawn Park. Yuzuru is a half-sister to Nokaze (Empire Maker), herself the dam of Japanese Group 2 winner Air Almas (Majestic Warrior) and of Air Fanditha (Hat Trick {Jpn}), who doubled his Japanese stakes tally in listed company just last weekend. The female family includes Saint Ballado and the Japanese MGSW and Classic-placed Danon Ballade (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). B-Sekie & Tsunebumi Yoshihara (KY)