JC / Railbird

Siblings

Winning Legende

Legende has a ways to go before he reaches the rarefied level of his full sister, two-time Japanese Horse of the Year Gentildonna, but the 3-year-old colt made an auspicious career debut at Kyoto Racecourse on February 15. Michele MacDonald recaps the race for Thoroughbred Daily News:

Legende (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) … entered the starting gate as the even-money favorite in a field of 14 maidens going 1800 meters (about 1 1/8 miles) on turf. After breaking without incident, he rated kindly in second under jockey Keita Tosaki while the filly Kurseong (Jpn) (Empire Maker) set the pace for much of the trip.

When Tosaki rounded the far turn on Legende, he asked the colt for more and his mount bounded quickly to the lead. Tosaki tapped his flank twice in the stretch and Legende proved clearly best, defeating Kurseong easily by three-quarters of a length in 1:52.4 on a course rated firm, and he galloped out with his ears pricked. Fillies Gold Glory (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}) and Juwelen (Jpn) (Deep Impact) finished third and fourth.

Watch the replay:

【PHOTO】レゲンデ Legende http://t.co/ceOD6xUjYM 姉にジェンティルドンナ、ドナウブルーの超良血馬。まずは順調なスタートを決めました。 #競馬 pic.twitter.com/bZSR0IU16j

— 競馬ラボ (@keibalab) February 15, 2015

Posted in Racing on February 16, 2015 / Tagged Champions, Gentildonna, Horses to Watch, International, Japan, Kyoto, Legende, Siblings

Suffolk, Monday

Half-siblings Beijing House and Eight City Tour are a coupled entry for trainer Tom McCooey in race eight, an AOC going six furlongs on the main track. The elder is a veteran New England champion, the younger 2-for-3 at Suffolk Downs this year; together they’re 7-2 on the morning line. Beijing House is in for a $20,000 tag coming off a starter allowance win on July 10 — that race was the first time he’d found himself in the winner’s circle since June 4, 2012, ending an 10-race losing streak. Eight City Tour’s one loss at the track came going about a mile on the turf on July 15. He cuts back in this spot to the same distance at which he won an allowance on dirt the race before that.

Results: The Brothers Slacks finished out of the money as the 5-2 third favorites. Beijing House was fourth, Eight City Tour sixth.

Posted in Racing on July 28, 2013 / Tagged Beijing House, Eight City Tour, Siblings, Slacks, Suffolk Downs, Tom McCooey