By Alan Carasso
Japanese-based horses compete for a total of 17 points on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby in Saturday's $175,000 Cattleya Sho (allowance) over the metric mile at Tokyo Racecourse.
American Pharoah has already sired three winners from five runners in Japan and two of those offspring–one colt and one filly–are among the full field of 16 juveniles. Danon Pharaoh (Jpn) has drawn the outside gate and has done little wrong in his two career trips to the post, both over Saturday's course and distance. Hustled along to take up the running in his Oct. 26 bow, he carried the lead into the final furlong, gamely repelled a rival immediately to his outside, but could not resist a late rally from the re-opposing Dieu du Vin (Jpn) (Declaration of War) and settled for second (video). Driven through to lead after 400 meters of his latest Nov. 10, he carried a clear advantage into the final eighth of a mile and was able to hold off favored Newton Tesoro (Distorted Humor) (see below, gate 1) as the duo pulled well clear of their rivals. The 22-5 second favorite ante-post, Danon Pharaoh is a son of GI Santa Anita Oaks winner Crisp (El Corredor) and was purchased in utero for $350,000 at Keeneland November in 2016. The colt was resold for ¥180 million ($1,629,000) as a yearling at last year's JRHA Select Sale. Dieu du Vin is the 27-10 favorite as of this writing and will be piloted by the visiting Frankie Dettori.
WATCH: Danon Pharaoh breaks through at second asking
American Pharoah's daughter Clepat overcame a very wide trip to graduate at third asking at Hanshin Sept. 15.
Make Happy (Square Eddie) beat the boys in last year's Cattleya Sho and Serein (Uncle Mo) is well in the market to follow suit. Bred by Cres Ran LLC, the $500,000 Keeneland September yearling is a out of GISW Tiz Miz Sue (Tiznow) and opened her account with a determined first-out victory at Sapporo July 28 (video, gate 13). The North Hills runner, the joint-third choice at just under 5-1, was a good second in her first try against winners over track and trip Oct. 15.
American Baby (Jpn) (Bernardini), carrying the same colors as last year's Japanese contender Master Fencer (Jpn) (Just a Way {Jpn}), will have his fair share of backers off his lone trip to the races, an easy five-length score at this track Nov. 2 (video, gate 2). His dam, Nile Queen (Pioneerof the Nile), is a half-sister to GI Preakness S. hero Exaggerator (Curlin) and fetched $525,000 carring the colt in utero at KEENOV in 2016. American Baby was a ¥29 million ($254,330) graduate of the 2017 JRHA Select Foal Sale.
The Cattleya Sho offers Kentucky Derby points on a 10-4-1-2 scale. The Japan Road to the Derby continues with the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun (1600m, 20 points to the winner) at Kawasaki Dec. 18, the Listed Hyacinth S. (1600m, 30 points) back at Tokyo Feb. 16 and the Fukuryu S. (1800m, 40 points) at Nakayama Mar. 29.
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