Cover image courtesy of the Japan Racing Association
Chapters continue to be added to the fairytale story of Yankee Rose (All American).
Bred by Wexford Farm, Doyles Breeding and Racing and Wamslet Partnership, the daughter of All American was bought by Darby Racing for just $10,000 from the Widden Stud draft at the 2015 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale (Summer Book).
Yankee Rose when racing | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Yankee Rose won four of her 10 starts when trained by David Vandyke, including the G1 Sires’ Produce S. and G1 Spring Champion S. both in 2016. In the same year, she also finished second in the G1 Golden Slipper S. and third in the G1 Cox Plate.
Yankee Rose bowed out of racing during the spring of 2017, having amassed $2,043,700 in prizemoney.
She was later bought by Shadai Farm for an undisclosed sum and sent to Japan to take up a career as a broodmare.
Her first foal, Romneya (Jpn), is a filly by Deep Impact (Jpn). The now-4-year-old fetched ¥210 million (AU$2.4 million) at the 2019 JRHA Select Sale and is a multiple winner in Japan, while Yankee Rose’s second offspring, the 3-year-old filly Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), runs for the Sunday Racing banner.
The Mitsumasa Nakauchida-trained Liberty Island, who was crowned Champion Japanese 2-Year-Old Filly last season, scored a brilliant win in Sunday’s G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) at Hanshin.
Winning jockey Yuga Kawada said: “I feel relieved to have done my job of guiding her to the wire in time. We picked an inside draw and she wasn’t keen to hurry out of the gate so the position (behind) was where it was going to be. But she was relaxed today, was in good rhythm in the race and clicked into gear nicely so this is where she ended up (winning), so I am glad.
“Now that we have accomplished our aim in the first of the Triple Crown, I hope that we can meet expectations in the following title.”
“Now that we (connections of Liberty Island) have accomplished our aim in the first of the Triple Crown, I hope that we can meet expectations in the following title.” - Yuga Kawada
Regarding her short-term future, Liberty Island’s trainer said: “The Oaks is one of the options. I would like to consult with the owner and decide. (The) race wasn’t very good for my heart, next time I want to do something a little more heart-friendly.”
The current 2-year-old out of the mare, a colt by Lord Kanaloa (Jpn), fetched ¥370 million (AU$4.2 million) at the same sale in 2021. Yankee Rose produced a filly by Kizuna (Jpn) in 2022 and was among the first book of mares served by Triple Crown winner Contrail (Jpn).
Liberty Island settled at the back of the field under Yuga Kawada and looked to have little hope of winning as the field of 16 runners turned for home in the 1600-metre event. But she swept down the centre of the course to notch a stunning 0.75l victory in the first leg of the Japanese Fillies’ Triple Crown.
Liberty Island’s grandam, Condesaar (Xaar {GB}), who was winless in two starts, is a half-sister to the Group 1 victor Redoute’s Dancer. Condesaar has also produced the stakes winner Miravalle (Redoute’s Choice).
Australian sires sweep Sha Tin features
Hong Kong was host to two Group 2 races on Sunday and both were won by Australian stallions.
Sweynesse, who resides at Novara Park in New Zealand, was the winning sire of the G2 The Sprint Cup (1200 metres), while a son of Starspangledbanner came out on top in the G2 The Chairman’s Sprint Trophy (1600 metres).
Sweynesse | Standing at Novara Park
Not surprisingly, the G2 The Sprint Cup was taken out by the short-priced favourite Lucky Sweynesse (NZ), who had little trouble dropping back to 1200 metres after his victory in last month’s G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400 metres).
Trainer Manfred Man is eyeing a tilt at the June 4 G1 Yasuda Kinen (1600 metres) with the 4-year-old, who was consigned by Woburn Farm at the 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale, where J & I Bloodstock paid NZ$90,000 for him.
Lucky Sweynesse is the second foal from the stakes-winning mare Madonna Mia (NZ) (Red Clubs {Ire}), who registered nine successes during her career, and the gelding’s grandam, Hill Of Hope (Danehill {USA}), is a three-quarter sister to the Group 2 victress and Group 2-producer Rose Of Danehill (Danehill {USA}).
Sweynesse is fourth in the Hong Kong Sires’ Premiership, with earnings of HK$31,470,500 (AU$6 million).
Second on that list (and only behind Deep Field), is Starspangledbanner, whose progeny has accrued HK$49,195,760 (AU$9.4 million) in prizemoney.
Starspangledbanner’s star son California Spangle (Ire), bounced back from his defeat in the G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup to claim a comfortable victory in the G2 The Chairman’s Sprint Trophy.
California Spangle is from the High Chaparral (Ire) mare Pearlitas Passion (GB) and she herself is a half-sister to the Group 2 victress Shakespearean (Ire) (Shamardal {USA}).
Harvey-bred gelding lands Singapore Group 3
There was a real Australasian flavour to the winner of Kranji’s feature event on Saturday.
The Swiss Ace gelding January (NZ) was much the best in the G3 Singapore 3YO Sprint (1200 metres) for Kiwi trainer Donna Logan.
January (NZ), winner of the G3 Singapore 3YO Sprint at Kranji | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
January was bred by Gerry Harvey’s Westbury Stud and made NZ$75,000 at the 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale. He was bought by Logan for the Falcon Racing No. 7 Stable.
The 3-year-old is from the three-time winner Musically (Belong To me {USA}), who is a half-sister to the Group 2 heroine Magically (Danehill {USA}). The gelding’s grandam is the dual Group 2 scorer Magic Music (Loosen Up {USA}).
“I'm thrilled for the owners,” said Logan.
“I bought him at the (New Zealand Bloodstock) Ready to Run Sale for Falcon Racing No. 7 Stable for NZ$75,000 in 2021 and I’m just rapt that he has won a Group race for them so early.
“I bought him (January) at the (New Zealand Bloodstock) Ready to Run Sale for Falcon Racing No. 7 Stable for NZ$75,000 in 2021 and I’m just rapt that he has won a Group race for them so early.” - Donna Logan
“He’s (January) already paid his way. He’s been a terrific horse for them already so to win this race over 1200 metres and to have the (G2 Singapore 3YO) Classic and the (G2 Singapore) Guineas still to come is really exciting.”
