Snow-white filly Casta Diva showed she is more than a pretty face when finishing a promising third in a three-year-old maiden over 1800 metres at Tokyo on Japanese Derby day.
The highly publicised daughter of High Chaparral (IRE) and The Opera House improved considerably on her debut tenth in a newcomers race over the same track and distance on February 19.
Ridden by Keita Tosaki for trainer Yasuhito Tamura, Casta Diva (pictured above as a yearling and below on the Breednet Foal Gallery) was strung up on the fence behind a tiring leader.
Though she found a run in plenty of time, Casta Diva was a sitting shot for the swoopers
Purchased for $450,000 by Dearest Club, Japan, from the Windsor Park draft at the 2016 NZ Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, Casta Diva is the third foal of the pure white Zabeel mare The Opera House.
A three-quarter sister to the champion Might And Power, The Opera House had had two white foals since Casta Diva.
A colt by Shamexpress was knocked down to China Horse Club / Ciaron Maher Bloodstock for $510,000 at this year's NZ Bloodstock Premier Yearling sale.
Making it a white trifecta is a weanling filly by Charm Spirit (IRE).
The Opera House was covered by Mongolian Khan last spring.
