Notable US-Bred Runners in Japan: June 16 & 17, 2018

[Wandering Eyes]

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 Tokyo and Hanshin Racecourses, including a pair of horses that represented the most expensive juvenile sales for their respective sires in 2017:

Saturday, June 16, 2018
3rd-Hanshin, ¥9,550,000 ($86k), Maiden, 3yo, 1200m
MOZU DADDY (c, 3, Scat Daddy–Batalha, by Smart Strike) was sold for $180K in utero at the 2015 KEEJAN sale, then fetched $300K when offered at KEESEP in the latter half of 2016. The chestnut is the second produce for his stakes-placed dam, a half-sister to MGSW & MGISP Strong Contender (Maria’s Mon). His 2-year-old Super Saver half-sister realized $200K at OBSAPR this spring. B-Mr & Mrs Oliver S Tait (KY)

Sunday, June 17, 2018
5th-Hanshin, ¥13,400,000 ($121k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1600mT
FORT WADSWORTH (c, 2, Verrazano–Opulence, by Giant’s Causeway), a $110K KEESEP acquisition last fall, becomes the first Japanese runner for his first-crop sire (by More Than Ready). His unraced dam is a daughter of none other than 2007 GI Belmont S. winner Rags To Riches (A.P. Indy), a half-sister to US GSW & Japanese G1SP Casino Drive (Mineshaft), fellow Belmont hero Jazil (Seeking the Gold) and Breeders’ Cup Marathon winner Man of Iron (Giant’s Causeway). Fort Wadsworth is bred 3×2 to the recently departed ‘Iron Horse.’ B-Chelston (KY)

10th-Tokyo, ¥28,600,000 ($259k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 1600m
SHIVAJI (c, 3, First Samurai–Indian Bay, by Indian Charlie) was easily the most expensive of his sire’s 12 juveniles to sell in 2017, hammering for $540K at OBSAPR. He has made a good impression, with a record of 4-2-1-1 to date, including a last-out success through the Hanshin slop Apr. 7 (gate 11, see below). Shivaji’s Grade II-winning second dam Buy the Barrel (E Dubai) is responsible for English MGSP Mise En Rose (War Front). B-Hinkle Farms (KY)

11th-Tokyo, Unicorn S.-G3, ¥67,450,000 ($610k), 3yo, 1600m
RYONO TESORO (c, 3, Justin Phillip–Town Belle, by Speighstown), a listed winner on turf (gate 4, see below), returns to the dirt, a surface over which he has posted two wins and a second to G3 winner Mr Melody (Scat Daddy) from three runs. As a $300K BARMAR grad, he was the priciest of 17 2-year-olds to sell for his sire in 2017 and counts MGSW turfer Clearly A Queen (Lucky North) as his second dam. Town Belle is a full-sister to SP Nefertiti, dam of GSW & recent GII Woody Stephens S. runner-up Engage (Into Mischief). B-Highland Yard LLC (KY)

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