Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby Heats Up

The Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby suddenly took on the look of an express highway to Louisville as a field of 14 3-year-olds was announced for the Feb. 19 Hyacinth Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse. Even after losing the top two points-getters in the series to the Feb. 25 Saudi Derby (G3), the Hyacinth field includes six early nominees to the U.S. Triple Crown, one of them already fourth on the leaderboard in the Japanese series. The Hyacinth, contested at one mile on the Tokyo dirt course, is the third of four races in the Japan Road. Churchill Downs extends the winner an invitation to take a guaranteed spot in the Kentucky Derby (G1). First staged in 2017, the series has yet to produce a Derby winner and in recent years has not attracted any of its participants to the Run for the Roses. This year has a different feel with a new emphasis on dirt racing in Japan producing a record 37 Japanese early nominations to the U.S. Triple Crown. Derma Sotogake (JPN) tops the Japan Road leaderboard with 20 points, thanks to a victory in the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun at Kawasaki Racecourse. Continuar (JPN) won the first leg, the Cattleya Stakes, Nov. 26 at Tokyo, earning 10 points, and retains the number two slot. Both are listed in the likely field for the Saudi Derby and both also are early nominees to the U.S. Triple Crown. With those colts headed to the Arabian Peninsula, Perriere (JPN) is the only points-holder contesting the Hyacinth. The Henny Hughes colt won his first two starts in 2022 before checking in third in the Zen-Nippon. All of his races have been on dirt. The other Triple Crown nominees in the Hyacinth field are Eclogite (JPN), also by Henny Hughes; Goraiko (JPN), by Hokko Tarumae (JPN); Meta Max, a Kentucky-bred colt by Into Mischief; Omega Tuxedo (JPN), by Harbinger (GB); and Sunday Funday (JPN), a son of Suzuka Causeway (JPN). None has yet distinguished himself but a few show promise. Goraiko finished his 2-year-old campaign with a pair of victories, the last in the listed JBC Nisai Yushun at Mombetsu Racecourse. Meta Max finished well out of the frame in two turf starts in 2022 but won nicely when switched to dirt for his 3-year-old debut. Eclogite also won his first start of the year. The Hyacinth offers points on a scale of 30-12-9-6-3 so the winner will take the lead in the series. The outcome will remain in doubt until the finish of the final leg, the Fukuryu Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse March 25 where the winner is endowed with 40 points. March 25 also is the date of the U.A.E. Derby (G2), which awards 100 points to the winner in the main Churchill Downs Road to the Kentucky Derby. That race is a logical step between the Saudi Derby and the Kentucky Derby for horses who run well in Riyadh but lack points to get into the Run for the Roses. The European Road to the Kentucky Derby resumes March 1 at Kempton Park, continues March 3 on the all-weather track at Dundalk, and concludes March 30 at Chelmsford City. The first four legs were run in the autumn on turf and are unlikely to play into series.