BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Kazuo Kato’s Jasper Robusto broke promptly from post one to lead throughout to win the US$533,963 BSN Sho Stakes (Listed) at Niigata Racecourse in Japan Saturday night. Ridden by Genki Maruyama for trainer Hideyuki Mori, Florida-bred Jasper Robusto was the best of 12 3-year-olds and older going 1,800 meters (approximately a mile-and-one-eighth).

Jasper Robusto took a length-and-a-half lead around the first turn with Revontulet (Jpn) and Sonic Star giving chase in second and third. The 4-year-old son of Ocala Stud’s leading sire Khozan kept a clear two-length advantage down the backstretch and around the far turn then increased his lead to four lengths midway from home. Revontulet (Jpn) and Ho O Roulette (Jpn) made big runs in the final strides to get within a half-length but could not get by Jasper Robusto under the wire. Ho O Roullette was second with Revontulet third. The final time was 1:51.30.

Bred in Florida by Ashley Godwin’s Rivermont Farm, Jasper Robusto is out of Prize Informant, by Marciano. He earned $281,760 to push his career earnings to $756,765 from five wins and four seconds in 10 starts.

That was his third win in four races this year, adding to victories in the Geshi Stakes at Tokyo on June 14 and the Tsurugajo Stakes at Fukushima on June 29. Last out he was second in the Aso Stakes at Kokura on July 13 in his only loss this year.

Prize Informant has four winners from four starters and five foals. She has an unraced 2-year-old filly by Ocala Stud’s 2024 leading freshman sire Win Win Win. She was bred to Win Win Win in 2025. Rivermont purchased Prize Informant for $9,500 out of the Bobby Jones Equine consignment at the 2019 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Winter Mixed Sale.

Jasper Robusto is a two-time graduate of OBS. Richard Kent’s Kaizen Sales consigned him to the 2022 OBS October Yearling Sale where Blas Perez Stables bought him for $27,000. Blas Perez Stables then sold him to Hideyuki Mori for $265,000 at the 2023 OBS March Sale.

Return to the August 23 issue of Wire to Wire