Following the victory of Yulong’s Via Sistina in the Group I ATC Winx Stakes, quality Brave Smash (Jpn) mare Kimochi sported their bottle green, white checked sleeves for the first time in Saturday’s Group III ATC Toy Show Quality (1100m) at Rosehill, where she made her first repayment on the $2.2million purchase price at the 2024 Inglis Chairman’s Sale.
Super consistent, the Gary Portelli trained Kimochi rallied under Jason Collett to defeat Godolphin’s I Am Invincible mare Commemorative by a neck at her first run back from a spell.
The winner of the Group II ATC Light Fingers Stakes in the autumn, Kimoch boasts top-level placings in the Group I Thousand Guineas, Flight Stakes and Coolmore Classic with her overall record standing at three wins, five seconds, and four thirds from 14 starts with earnings of $1.1million.
🏆 Brave Smash G3 Winner 🏆
⁰Resuming from a spell and sporting the @YulongInvest silks for the first time, the @GaryPortelli trained Brave Smash mare Kimochi leads home a YPS stallion 1-2 in the G3 Toy Show Quality, narrowly defeating Vinnie mare Commemorative. Bred by… pic.twitter.com/rxvIebbaOJ— Yarraman Park Stud (@yarramanpark) August 24, 2024
“Fantastic start to her preparation and a great win for Yulong,” Gary Portelli said.
“Commiserations to her previous owner, Leo To, who bought her in the first place, but she did a great job for him. I’m sure he’s got mixed emotions at home watching the race, but he’s got some nice horses coming through himself.
“It’s great to be associated with Yulong with such a good mare. I’ve said that she would improve off whatever she did today and off whatever she’s done before because she’s never had a decent spell.”
At her first trip to the sales, Kimochi made $21,000 to the bid of Hall of Fame Bloodstock from the Valiant Stud draft at the 2021 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale and has made money for everyone that has come in contact with her.
“She’s been racing nearly forever, and this is the first time she’s come in with a good two or three months under her belt,” said Portelli.
“She’s been amongst these horses every time she’s raced. So today was her day, and she did a great job. She had no luck at all, three deep no cover the trip and still did the job, so she’s a pretty good mare.
“I’m pushing for an Everest slot, she’ll get better with racing. Every trainer wants to have a runner in the Everest. We are a long way from there, but you can dream.”
Bred by Aquis, Kimochi is a half-sister to stakes-placed Hole in One and is from unraced I Am Invincible mare Summer Fun, a sister to Group III placed Real Charisma from Group I VRC Oaks third Summerbliss.
Brave Smash stands at Yarraman Park Stud for $33,000.
