Japanese Connections Strike for Brother to Unique Bella

Horses leave the ring at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale bound for destinations across the nation and the world. 

But one colt's new connections are hoping his journey will take him full circle back to the bluegrass of Kentucky, and they paid $1.5 million Sept. 9 in Lexington to invest in that dream.

The full brother to champion Unique Bella consigned by Timber Town as Hip 172 will be shipped to Japan as the second member of a two-horse stable owned by Yuji Hasegawa, a new player on the Thoroughbred scene in Japan. Hasegawa bought his first horse in July at the Japan Racing Horse Association's Select Sale yearling session.

"This horse had the best pedigree of all the horses we looked at today," agent Hiroyasu Takeuchi said through translator Kate Hunter Monday afternoon. "So the plan is to take him back to Japan and hopefully run in the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby and bring him back over here as a Derby horse."

Bred in Kentucky by Whisper Hill Farm, the gray/roan son of Tapit  is out of the Unbridled's Song mare Unrivaled Belle, winner of the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (G1). His sister Unique Bella won eight graded stakes—three of them grade 1s—and was named champion female sprinter in 2017 and champion older dirt female in 2018.

Unrivaled Belle, who was barren on a Tapit cover for 2019 and was bred back to the Gainesway stallion for 2020, is also out of a successful race mare in Queenie Belle (by Bertrando), who won multiple grade 2 events.

"The female family line is very, very strong in this horse," Takeuchi said. "That really impressed me and could lead to big things from this horse in the future. I also think Tapit and Unique Bella make a wonderful pair. I figured the horse would go for $2 million, and we were prepared to spend what was needed to get him, so we're happy with the price."

According to Takeuchi, the colt will be trained by Kazuo Fujisawa.

"He's one of the best trainers in Japan, and he will get him," he said. "In Japan, trainers have to retire at 70 years old; they have no choice. This will be the last crop of horses becoming 3-year-olds that he'll be able to train. We think it would be great to be able to go to the Kentucky Derby together with this horse."