Notable US-Bred Runners in Japan: July 21 & 22, 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 Hakodate Racecourse, where the first pattern event of the season has attracted a son of the late Giant’s Causeway, who was a smart first-out winner at the venue:

Saturday, July 21, 2018
11th-HAK, ¥34,620,000 ($304k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 1200mT
A $125K acquisition out of the 2016 Keeneland September Sale, MOZU SUPERFLARE (f, 3, Speightstown–Christies Treasure, by Belong to Me) has more than earned her keep, with three wins from eight runs and earnings of over $363,000. The half-sister to GSW Sacristy (Pulpit) most recently took a course-and-distance test by a half-lengths June 16 (see below, gate 16). The extended female family includes GISW Purge (Pulpit). B-Alpha Delta Stables LLC (KY)

Sunday, July 22, 2018
1st-HAK, ¥9,550,000 ($85k), Maiden, 2yo, 1200mT
MANORAM (f, 2, Temple City–Mykukubird, by With Distinction), a $19K KEESEP purchase last fall, is also punching above her weight, with two placings from three starts, including a near-miss third as the favorite behind Shonan Ariana (GB) (Frankel {GB}) going this track and trip July 7 (video, gate 4). The April foal is out of a winning half-sister to Central City (City Place), a SW and runner-up in the GII Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. B-Tooth and Kent Inc, Elise Handler & Matthew Schering (KY)

11th-HAK, Hakodate Nisai S.-G3 ($521k), 2yo, 1200mT
ASTER PEGASUS (c, 2, Giant’s Causeway–R Heat Lightning, by Trippi) will look to make it a perfect two-for-two to begin his career, having belied debut odds of 9-1 to score by 2 1/2 lengths in a 1200-meter newcomers’ race June 24 (see below, gate 6). A $150K KEESEP graduate, the chestnut is out of Robsham Stables’ 2010 GI Spinaway S. winner and GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up, who was purchased by Stonestreet for $1.6 million in foal to Bernardini at KEENOV in 2013. R Heat Lightning’s half-sister Chocolate Coated (Candy Ride {Arg}) was second in last year’s GIII Autumn Miss S. B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings (KY)

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