Repole Ventures Into Japanese Bloodstock Market With First Runner at Saratoga
American owner Mike Repole has reversed the traditional flow of Thoroughbred trading between Japan and the United States with his first Japanese-bred runner set to debut at Saratoga this weekend.
Bento Express (Jpn), a son of expatriated Eclipse Award-winning sprinter Drefong, will become the first of Repole’s Japanese purchases to race when he competes in Saturday’s opener at Saratoga. The colt is listed as the 5-2 second favorite with Irad Ortiz, Jr. aboard from the outside post in a field of six.
The acquisition represents a strategic shift in the typically one-way bloodstock relationship between the two racing powers. For decades, Japanese buyers have purchased premium American racing and breeding stock to strengthen their domestic Thoroughbred industry — a strategy that has yielded impressive results, particularly over the past six to eight years.
“I was just trying to buy a nice physical, and he kind of fit the bill,” said bloodstock agent Alex Solis II, who traveled to Hokkaido with Pat Cummings last summer to represent Repole at the Japanese Racing Horse Association (JRHA) Select Sale.
Bento Express was purchased for ¥50 million ($310,962) from Dr. Masatake Iida’s Chiyoda Farm Shizunai. He is the sixth starter out of Tammy the Torpedo (More Than Ready), a dual Grade III winner on turf for trainer Chad Brown. Dr. Iida acquired the mare for $1.65 million in foal to War Front at the 2017 Keeneland November Sale.
The colt’s training suggests readiness for his debut. His work tab includes a bullet half-mile from the gate in :47 flat (1/114) over the Belmont training track on June 22 and another strong move in :47 3/5 (3/144) on June 28.
“He’s trained well,” Solis noted. “My question always has been is he a grass or a dirt horse? Just for the fact that Tammy the Torpedo and a lot of that family is grass. And Drefong still is Gio Ponti, he’s out of a Trempolino mare at the bottom.”
Drefong’s progeny in Japan have shown versatility, including G1 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas) winner Geoglyph (Jpn) — who finished fourth in the 2023 G1 Saudi Cup — and this year’s G2 UAE Derby victor Admire Daytona (Jpn), who also competed in the GI Kentucky Derby.
Repole’s team made significant investments at last year’s JRHA Select Sale, acquiring five yearlings and two foals. The purchases included:
- A second Drefong colt out of a half-sister to MG1SW Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (¥41m/$255k)
- A colt by Triple Crown winner Contrail (Jpn) and half-brother to MGSW & G1SP Sound Chiara (Jpn) (¥50m/$311k)
- A Kizuna (Jpn) filly out of champion Ginger Punch (¥68m/$423k)
- A filly by leading freshman sire Nadal (¥78m/$485k) whose dam is a half-sister to champion Lucky Lilac (Jpn)
Solis described the selection process as methodical, focusing on horses with physical characteristics that would translate well to American racing.
“When you start looking at the horses over there, you have some crossovers that look like American horses, dirt horses, turf horses, firm ground stuff,” he explained. “I really had to be careful, thinking, ‘Okay, does this look like a horse that would fit the U.S.?’ We bought things that looked more American-like.”
Most of the yearlings arrived in the United States in early September, just two months after the sale. They were flown to Chicago via Alaska, spent time in Kentucky, and then were sent for breaking. The Ginger Punch filly was broken in Japan and arrived in mid-February.
Saratoga has previously showcased successful graduates from the JRHA Select Sales. Yoshida (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}), a TDN Rising Star who sold for approximately $765,000 at the 2015 yearling sale, won the 2018 GI Woodward Stakes in his dirt debut after capturing the GI Turf Classic earlier that year.
Solis indicated that Repole’s team is considering a return to Hokkaido for future sales, pending the success of their initial purchases. This year’s JRHA Select Sale begins Monday, July 14 with yearlings, followed by the foal section on Tuesday, July 15 — which will feature 25 foals from the first crop by two-time Horse of the Year Equinox (Jpn).
