Canal Beagle, Out of Argentine Champion Sobradora Inc, Takes Japan’s Unicorn Stakes

The colt by Real Steel—sire of Japanese sensation Forever Young—delivered a standout performance over the Kyoto dirt, notching his third win in five career starts

Canal Beagle left a strong impression with his performance at Kyoto / JRA

KYOTO, Japón (Special for Turf Diario).- The success of Argentine-bred mares in Japan has become routine over the years, ever since leading breeders began investing heavily in South America’s top racemares. The latest chapter in that story was written Saturday at Kyoto, where Canal Beagle captured the G3 Unicorn Stakes, contested over 1900 meters on a muddy dirt surface, improving his record to three wins from just five starts.

A son of Real Steel, the same sire as Japanese sensation Forever Young, Canal Beagle is the third foal to race out of the brilliant Sobradora Inc (Include), a champion in Argentina and winner of the G1 Enrique Acebal and G1 Copa de Plata in 2015 before taking the Osunitas H. (L) in the U.S. She was later sold through South American Bloodstock.

Ridden by Seinosuke Yoshimura, Canal Beagle was never far off the pace, settled in a forward position early before asserting his class in the stretch to draw clear and stop the clock in 1:56.8. It marked his first graded stakes triumph.

Trained by Yuta Sato, who only began his career in March, Canal Beagle held off the favored Clay King (Nadal), who had to settle for second, while Meisho Zuiun (Hokko Tarumae), the second choice on the board, was a close third, 3/4 of a length and a neck behind, respectively.

“My plan was to get a good position from the break, and he responded well throughout,” Yoshimura told Netkeiba. “He broke cleanly and settled where we wanted. I considered swinging him wide, but it would’ve been too abrupt. A gap opened on the inside, so I changed plans and he responded powerfully. He’s still a bit immature, especially behind, but there’s a lot of upside.”