Best On Breeding goes international as we head to Japan for the Group 1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies at Hanshin Racecourse on Sunday, which is set to determine the 2019 Champion 2yo Filly.
The Mitsumasa Nakauchida-trained Ria Amelia will be vying to keep her record at a perfect three for three after opening her career with an eight lengths triumph at Hanshin before a last to first performance in the Group III Artemis Stakes at Tokyo on Oct. 26.
The rise of the Japanese thoroughbred has been built on the quality of mares sourced from around the world and Ria Amelia is another example.
Her dam Ria Antonia was the winner of the 2013 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita and runner-up in the Spinster Stakes and Santa Anita Oaks.
Ria Antonia was knocked down to Northern Farm’s Katsumi Yoshida for $1.8 million at Fasig Tipton in 2014 having first sold at Fasig Tipton’s 2012 October Fall Yearling Sale for just $9,000.
The daughter of Rockport Harbor (Unbridled's Song) has only been courted by the best in Japan. She visited the legendary Deep Impact in her first three seasons.
Ria Antonio’s first foal, Ria Olivia has just one placing from her six starts, while Ria Amelia is her second foal.
Her third foal and first colt, also bt Deep Impact, was purchased by Hajimie Satomi for a session topping ¥290 million (US$2,615,800) at the 2018 Japan Racing Horse Association Select Sale.
This year Ria Antonia had a colt by another sadly deceased breed-shaper in King Kamehameha.
