Koichi Nishikawa’s Cafe Pharoah is two for two, a stakes winner, and has vaulted to the top of the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby after his victory in Sunday’s $328,357 Hyacinth Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse. The 3-year-old colt by American Pharoah broke poorly and trailed badly in the early going, but got in gear around the turn, closed with a rush to take command in the final furlong and won going away by a length and a quarter. Trained by Noriyuki Hori, he has earned $237,059 to date after his purchase for $475,000 by Narvick International, Agent, out of the Eddie Woods consignment at the 2019 OBS March Sale after breezing an Under Tack quarter in :21 1/5. watch his under tack video watch a video of the race
Alex and JoAnn Lieblong’s Bye Bye J pressed fellow OBS graduate Matapan (March ‘18) for the early lead in Saturday’s $125,000 Downthedustyroad Breeders’ Stakes at Oaklawn Park, took over turning for home and beat her to the wire by a length and a quarter. It’s the third stakes win for the 4-year-old graded stakes placed daughter of Uncaptured, trained by Steve Asmussen, now 9-5-1-1 with earnings of $298,105. She was sold for $21,000 by Perrone Sales, Ltd., Agent for McDowell Farm, at the 2017 OBS Winter Mixed Sale.
Stable H. M. A.’s Shanghai Keely picked up her first stakes victory in the $75,000 Island Fashion Stakes at Sunland Park on Sunday, circling horses on the turn to reach contention, taking over in the stretch and holding off a late run to score by three quarters of a length. Consigned to the 2019 OBS March Sale by Blazing Meadows Farm LLC, Agent, she went through the ring after turning in an Under Tack quarter in :21 3/5. The 3-year-old Shanghai Bobby filly, now 7-2-0-1 for trainer Justin Evans, has earned $85,380 to date. watch her under tack video