Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby

Koji Maeda, whose homebred Lani (Tapit) finished ninth to Nyquist in the 2016 GI Kentucky Derby, could have another Classics contender on his hand after Ramjet (Jpn) (Majestic Warrior) turned on the afterburners in the final 300 meters to post a convincing victory in Sunday's Listed Hyacinth S. at Tokyo Racecourse. Having earned 30 Derby points as a result, the dark bay now leads the Japanese series with one race remaining. Clearly last away from the stalls, Ramjet had only one rival behind as he came under a ride at...

A field of 11--ten males and a single American-bred filly--head to the post for Sunday's $243,343 Listed Hyacinth S. going a one-turn 1600 meters at Tokyo Racecourse. The race serves as the third of four legs on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby and will award the winner 30 points towards a berth in the field at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May. Sheikh Mohammed's worldwide Godolphin operation won the 2022 Hyacinth with their homebred Combustion (Jpn) (Discreet Cat) and is represented Sunday afternoon by that colt's...

In this continuing series, Alan Carasso takes a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Kyoto and Tokyo Racecourses. Group 1 racing returns to Japan this weekend with Sunday's running of the G1 February S., whose defending champion Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid) swerves the race in favor of next weekend's G1 Saudi Cup....

Real Steel (Jpn) gave the theretofore relatively unknown Yoshito Yahagi a first victory on foreign soil when taking out the G1 Dubai Turf at Meydan in 2016. There has been a stack of overseas success since then--including Real Steel's full-sister Loves Only You (Jpn) in America and Hong Kong--and Susumu Fujita's Forever Young (Jpn) stands an excellent chance to add to the colorful conditioner's record following a smashing victory in the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun at Kawasaki, 20 miles south of Central Tokyo. Drawn widest in a field of 12, the...

A field of 12 Japanese-bred 2-year-old colts descends on Kawasaki Racecourse Wednesday evening for the $490,090 Listed Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun, a 1600-meter contest that serves as the second of four legs on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. A total of 42 Derby points are on the line, to be awarded to the first five finishers on a scale of 20-10-6-4-2. Aigle Noir (Jpn), a son of Eclipse Award winner Bricks and Mortar, looks for his fourth win from five starts overall and will try to remain undefeated on...

Carrying the recognizable colors of Silk Racing and leading jockey Christophe Lemaire--the same pairing that will be represented by Equinox (Jpn) in Sunday's G1 Japan Cup--the white 2-year-old colt Amante Bianco (Jpn) (Henny Hughes) found clear sailing two furlongs from home and ran out a 3/4-length winner of Saturday's $206,819 Cattleya S. at Tokyo Racecourse. The 1600-meter allowance is the first leg on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby, and the winner earned 10 points towards a start in the Run for the Roses. Amante Bianco, a debut winner...

A field of 16 horses--14 colts and a pair of 2-year-old fillies--will head to the gate for Saturday's $206,819 Cattleya S., a 1600-meter allowance test going a single left-handed turn at Tokyo Racecourse that serves as the first of four legs on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. Trainer Tetsuya Kimura, who will tighten the girth around favored Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) in Sunday's G1 Japan Cup, sends out American-bred Sonic Star (Into Mischief). Bred in Kentucky by Nancy Shuford, the dark bay was a $300,000 Keeneland September...

Sent off the 3-2 favorite, Mitono O (Jpn) (Logotype {Jpn}) led every step of the way en route to a 2 1/2-length victory in Saturday's nine-furlong Fukuryu S. (allowance) at rain-soaked Nakayama Racecourse. The win was worth 40 points on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby and secures connections a berth in the Run for the Roses should they choose to accept. Soon in front for jockey Takuya Kowata, the blaze-faced chestnut went along comfortably on the lead, cruising through an opening 800-meter split of :49 flat and six...

Jockey Fuma Matsuwaka conjured up one final late surge from third favorite Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) and was up on the wire to take out Wednesday's Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun at Kawasaki Racecourse, earning 20 points to go to the head of the class on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. Settled in mid-division and well off the inside for the run up the backstretch, the chestnut still had several lengths to find as 6-5 favorite Perriere (Jpn) (Henny Hughes) went for home. The latter began to look...

Delicada (Jpn) (Pyro) went for a gap from between horses in the dying strides and it proved a decisive move, as she was along for a neck victory in Saturday's Fukuryu S. (allowance) at Nakayama Racecourse. Facing no other rivals that had previously accumulated points on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby, Delicada has the right of first refusal for a berth in the race, having earned 40 points to shoot to the head of the class. She was not an original nominee to the Triple Crown series. Perfect...

Cleverly named Godolphin homebred Combustion (Jpn) (Discreet Cat) shot to the head of the leaderboard on the 'Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby' with a determined 3/4-length defeat of Geraldo Barows (Jpn) (Sinister Minister) in Sunday's Listed Hyacinth S. going a one-turn mile at Tokyo Racecourse. American-bred Sea Vixen (Into Mischief), the only filly in the field of 14, was a brave third. Ridden forward by Breeders' Cup-winning jockey Yuga Kawada, Combustion raced handy to a good pace set by Sea Vixen and was glued to the fence as the...

Tokyo Racecourse plays host to the Listed Hyacinth S. Sunday afternoon, a one-mile race around a single left-handed bend that offers a total of 51 (30-12-6-3) as the third of four events that comprise the 'Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby.' Of the 13 males and one filly signed on for the Hyacinth, fully eight are last-out winners, but favoritism could fall to Godolphin's Combustion (Jpn) (Discreet Cat). A debut winner going seven furlongs at Toyko in late June, the homebred followed up with an allowance score at Chukyo and...