Japan's Road to the Kentucky Derby series wrapped up on Sunday with the running of the Hyacinth S., and Sumahama (Jpn) (Neo Universe {Jpn}) earned a spot in the starting gate for the GI Kentucky Derby with a win in the mile dirt contest that earned him 30 points in the series. Sumahama had finished eighth on debut last November and was riding a two-race win streak into the Hyacinth, with wins in maiden and allowance company under his girth on Dec. 10 and Jan. 14. He won the Hyacinth by 2 1/2 lengths as the 3.7-1 favourite from Taiki Ferveur (Jpn) (Furioso {Jpn}) and Ruggero (Jpn) (Kinshasa no Kiseki {Aus}). The latter had won the opening leg of Japan's Road to the Kentucky Derby series, the Cattleya Sho, on Nov. 25, while Le Vent Se Leve (Jpn) (Symboli Kris S.) won the second leg, the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun on Dec. 13. Le Vent Se Leve did not participate on Sunday. The Cattleyo Sho and Nisai Yushun carried points of 10-4-2-1, while the Hyacinth was worth 30-12-6-3.
Should the connections of Sumahama, who is not Triple Crown nominated, opt to not make the trip to Kentucky, the invitation for the berth will be extended to the next horse in the points standings, in this case Ruggero, who is Triple Crown nominated.
HYACINTH S.-¥34,700,000, 3yo, 1600m, 1:38,50, ft.
1-SUMAHAMA (JPN), 123, c, 3, Neo Universe (Jpn)-Sound the
Beach (Jpn), by Afleet. O-Sanshisuimei Co. Ltd; B-Chiyoda
Farm Shizunai; T-Ryo Takahashi; J-Yusuke Fujioka;
¥18,350,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, $172,600.
2-Taiki Ferveur (Jpn), 123, c, 3, Furioso (Jpn)-Ashbery (Jpn), by
Any Given Saturday. O-U. Taiki Farm; ¥7,300,000.
3-Ruggero (Jpn), 123, c, 3, Kinshasa no Kiseki (Aus)-Silver Cup
(Ire), by Almutawakel (GB). (¥39,000,000 wnl '15 JRHJUL)
O-Takashi Muraki; ¥4,550,000.
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