Photo: Studio di Luce
By Eric Mitchell, courtesy bloodhorse.com
A bay filly born Jan. 13 at Waldorf Farm in New York is the first reported foal by graded-placed, stakes winner Japan, who stands at Waldorf.
“We’ve been told she is a nice, big, correct filly with good bone and out of the three foals they’ve had so far, she is the best,” said Peter Moore, farm manager for Barry Schwartz’ Stonewall Farm. Schwartz raced Japan and still owns 24% of 5-year-old son of Medgalia d’Oro—Maya, by Capote.
The filly is out of the Gold Token stakes winner Lovely Daniella, who Schwartz bred and sold. She raced for Carmen Seguin and later Shining Starlite Racing, but was always trained by Mike Ferraro, who now owns the mare in partnership with Blue Star Stable. Lovely Daniella is the only stakes winner produced by Chasing Lightning (by Belong to Me), but is a full sister to stakes-placed, black-type producer Christina’s Gold and a half sister to stakes-placed gelding Chasing the Heat (by Latent Heat).
Emory Hamilton bred Japan in Kentucky. A full brother to grade 2 winner Al Khali, Japan was sold for $300,000 to Schwartz through Gainesway’s consignment at the 2013 Keeneland September yearling sale.
Japan broke his maiden with a seven-length victory in his third start and won the WinStar Farm Easy Goer Stakes, defeating a field that included Stanford and Nonna’s Boy. He went on to finish third in the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) behind grade 1 winners Texas Red and Frosted. He got injured training up to the Travers Stakes (G1) and had to be retired. He now stands for $3,500 at Waldorf, near the town of North Chatham.
