Drefong was represented by his first winner June 12 at Tokyo Racecourse in Japan when his first-crop daughter Hyams Beach defeated 17 other 2-year-old colts and fillies in a 1,400-meter (about seven-furlong) newcomers race.
Hyams Beach, bred by Northern Racing and owned by Silk Racing Co., was produced in Japan from the Kurofune mare Yukichan. Trained by Kiyoshi Hagiwara, she was ridden to the win by Hiroshi Kitamura, completing the distance in 1:22.2 on good to firm turf after running down the pacesetter, Hagino Maurice, to finish a half-length in front.
Yukichan is a multiple black-type winner of $1,319,832, taking the Kanto Oaks, TCK Jo-o Hai, and Queen Sho. She is represented by five foals, all to race, with four being winners, and is a half sister to Buchiko, dam of Japan's champion 2-year-old filly, Sodashi.
Drefong, trained by Bob Baffert for Baoma Corporation, was the winner of the 2016 Ketel One King's Bishop Stakes (G1) and TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), and 2017 Forego Stakes (G1). He was named 2016 champion sprinter in the United States. Sent to Japan at the end of 2017, he has three 2-year-old runners there with five starts to date. The now 8-year-old son of Gio Ponti stands at Shadai Stallion Station in Japan for a private fee.
