The great Japanese race mare Almond Eye's first foal, Aaron's Rod, was transferred July 11 from the Tenei branch of Northern Farm, where he was pre-trained, to the barn of trainer Sakae Kunieda at Miho Training Center. He has been training well since.
The colt is by Epiphaneia, who has sent four grade 1 winners so far this year including Japanese Derby (G1) winner Danon Decile.
Almond Eye by Lord Kanaloa out of Fusaichi Pandora, winner of the 2006 Queen Elizabeth Commemorative Cup (G1), started 15 times and won 11 of them for Silk Racing, who also own Aaron's Rod. Her nine grade 1 victories are the most ever by a single horse in Japan. She was crowned Japanese Horse of the Year in 2018 and 2020, and inducted into the Japanese Racing Hall of Fame in 2023.
Almond Eye foaled Aaron's Rod on Jan. 13, 2022 at Northern Farm. She has a yearling colt by Maurice and a foal filly by Kitasan Black. She is now in foal to Equinox, who started his stud duty at Shadai Stallion Station this spring.
Kunieda, who also trained Almond Eye, supposes a 1,600-meter (about one mile) turf maiden at Niigata Racecourse Aug. 11 will be the first start for Aaron's Rod. Christophe Lemaire, the regular rider of Almond Eye, is booked to ride her first foal.
