Fukuryu Stakes

Danox Co. Ltd's Danon Bourbon (Maxfield) validated 11-10 favoritism with a convincing victory in Saturday's $227,900 Fukuryu Stakes (allowance) at Nakayama Racecourse, easily defeating pacesetting Don Erectus (Jpn) (Danon Legend), who was finishing runner-up for the third time in the four-race series. The pair has each amassed 40 points towards the automatic Japanese berth at Churchill on the first Saturday in May and because he is an original nominee to the Triple Crown, Danon Bourbon is--for the time being--on the top line. Per Churchill Downs rule, any ties are broken...

Danox Co. Ltd's Danon Bourbon (Maxfield), a $450,000 Keeneland September yearling, began to chip away at that outlay when powering home to graduate by 10 lengths at first asking over a muddy main track at this venue last Oct. 26 and was a warm item to pick up where he left off making his 3-year-old debut in a first-level allowance over 1900 meters at Kyoto Racecourse on Feb. 15. Favored at 9-10 despite the absence and drawn one from the outside in a field of nine, the dark bay was...

A field of 11 3-year-old colts is set to face the starter for Saturday's $226,404 Fukuryu Stakes, an 1800-meter allowance contest at Nakayama Racecourse that serves as the last of four legs on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby and offers points on a 40-20-12-8-4 scale. Luxor Cafe (American Pharoah) currently sits in pole position in the series, having earned 30 points when proving best in the Listed Hyacinth Stakes over Tokyo's one-turn, 1600-meter configuration on Feb. 23. A full-brother to dual G1 February Stakes winner Cafe Pharoah and...