Natural Rise, by Kizuna, tries to become the first horse to complete the Dirt Triple Crown for 3-year-olds, which was introduced in 2024, in the Japan Dirt Classic at Oi Racecourse Oct. 8.
Natural Rise, bred by Yoshihiro Ito's Grand Stud, is the first foal out of Distorted Humor's Lady Madonna.
Natural Rise's second dam, Dreamwriter, is a half sister to two-time grade 1 winner Carpe Diem . She was bought at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale in 2015 for $285,000 by Narvick International on behalf of Grand Stud.
Trained by Keizo Ito, Natural Rise started three times at 2 and won twice, including the Cattleya Stakes. Natural Rise is unbeaten through three starts this year, including the April 29 Haneda Hai and June 11 Tokyo Derby at Oi, the first two legs in the Dirt Triple Crown.
After having time off at Grand Stud, Natural Rise returned to Keizo Ito's barn at Miho Training Center Sept. 3 to resume full training. He was breezed with Takeshi Yokoyama in the irons for six furlongs on the woodchip course at Miho Oct. 3 and clocked 1:26.4.
It is likely that Natural Rise will be supported as the odds-on favorite, and second favorite is Godolphin's Narukami, who won the Sept. 2 Kozuata Sho at Morioka by 2 1/2 lengths.
