Modica as a desire | Magic Millions photo
Via Alan Carasso
In this continuing series, we’ll be taking a look at US-bred and/or conceived athletes taking part this upcoming weekend at the Japan Racing Association tracks, focusing on pedigree and/or performance within sales. Here are the horses of interest for this Sunday and Monday run at Chukyo and Nakayama Racecourse, with a pair of 3-year-olds just entering the Group 3 race with breakthrough maiden victories:
Sunday, January 9, 2022
3rd CKO, 9,900,000 ($86k), Maiden, 3yo, 1900m
KING (JPN) (c, 3, Curlin–Alluring Star, according to the Exchange Rate) was the first pony from his dam, the second after the Caledonian Road (Quality Sugar) in GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies 2017 and was purchased by Katsumi Yoshida with this pony in utero for $925K at Keeneland’s November 2018 Sale. A pony on January 28, The King was offered for sale at the 2019 JRHA Select Sale and returned a well-deserved investment, for 82 million yen ($754,400), while the half-sister of Heart’s Cry (Jpn) who is now 2 years old earns 40 million yen ($372,820) at the same event in 2020. The King had a productive fifth of his career debut at the venue in September. Racing B-Northern
11-CKO, Shinzan Kinen-G3, 76.8m ($664k), 3yo, 1600mT
MOZU GOLD BARREL (f, 3, Optimizer – Sweeter Still {Ire}, by Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}), a $1,500 uterus shopping spree at KEENOV in 2018, ran to the money on her debut to score half the measured length at 1400 meter odds on the course on December 19 (see below, SC 1). The $190K KEESEP acquisition is half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Kameko (The joy of kittens) and choose this against Monday’s gender-limited G3 Fairy S. (see below). B-Timothy Lesley Thompson (KY)
Monday, January 10, 2022
4th CKO, 11,400,000 ($99k), Newcomer, 3yo, 1800m
Not bred or desired by the United States, MODICA (AUS) (f, 2, American pharoah–More Than Real, by More than ready) has a lot of appeal to American audiences. The Early September pony, which has discovered her Northern Hemisphere rivals have matured a bit, is the latest in the 2010 GII Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf by Bobby Flay, who was acquired by James Bester, Australian bloodline agent for $675,000 at Fasig 2011 -November sale. All five mares’ previous starters were winners, including SW Miss Debutante (Aus). ) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). Modica, AU$260,000 ($201,089) purchased from last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, is the granddaughter of MSW Miss Seffens (Dehere), has a daughter Miss Always Ready (More than ready) produced GI BC Juvenile Turf hero Structor (Palace Malice) and GSP ‘Rising star TDN’ Always Carina (Malibu Moon). B-Kia Ora Stud Pty Ltd (NSW)
11-NKY, Fairy S.-G3, 70.6m ($611k), 3yo, f, 1600mT
SPEED GLAMOR (f, 3, Into Mischief – Island Escape, by Petionville) can’t run a poor race in four appearances in two and win a crack at this level with a tight graduation on this trip in Chukyo December 5 (see below, SC 14). Half-sister to the MGSW Tricky Escape (Hat Trick {Jpn}), the Two Baby Elephants bay was acquired for $250k in Keeneland in September 2020 but has blossomed into a 500k purchase thousand dollars at the OBS March Sale last year. B-Machmer Hall (KY)
Not a subscriber? Click here to subscribe to PDF or daily alerts.
This story was posted in News is shared and tagged Chukyo, Curlin, Tien S., Fasig-Tipton November, Race, Into Mischief, Japan, Keeneland November, Keeneland September, Machmer’s Hall, Mozu Gold Barrel, Nakayama, Athletes who were loved and raised in America are notable in Japan, OBS March, Optimizer, Shinzan S., Speed charm, King.
