Pop Tsukki Becomes First Winner for Lani in Japan
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Photo: Skip Dickstein
Lani trains ahead of the 2016 Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park
Tapit 's international son Lani sired his first winner June 17 with the 2-year-old colt Pop Tsukki going 1,200 meters (about six furlongs) in 1:16 in an allowance race at Mombetsu in Japan.
Pop Tsukki is out of the Jungle Pocket mare Theme Song, whose offspring have had success in Japan with six starters, five of which are winners. The colt was purchased for US$72,809 by Satsuki from consignor Masahiro Kawashima at the 2020 Japan Bloodhorse Breeders' Association Hokkaido Select Summer Yearling Sale.
Lani, an 8-year-old Kentucky-bred, earned over $1.6 million in purse money for breeder/owner North Hills. Winner of the 2016 UAE Derby Sponsored by the Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group (G2), Lani also finished third in that year's Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) at Belmont Park and contested the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) at Churchill Downs and the Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course.
The gray stallion is a son of the Maeda family's Heavenly Romance , winner of the Tenno Sho (Autumn, G1), Sapporo Kinen (G2), and Sankei Sports Hai Hanshin Himba Stakes (G2). The mare's progeny have made an impact on Japanese soil with eight winners, including multiple grade 3 winner Awardee, multiple stakes winner Amour Briller, and Lani.
Lani was retired to Arrow Stud on the island of Hokkaido for the 2018 breeding season.