Trying to figure out Japan’s 2 horses.
Now it is Luxor Café who is the popular choice to become the first international winner of America’s biggest race since Bold Forbes came from Puerto Rico in 1976.“Forever Young is obviously a super, special horse,” said Kate Hunter, Japan’s liaison to the Triple Crown and Breeders’ Cup. “He went through some paces last year from Saudi-Dubai to here that were just spectacular that it took so much of a horse to be able to accomplish. Luxor is coming in more on the same path that T O Password did, but I think he’s shown a lot more ability having won two points races.”
Luxor Café, a colt by 2015 Triple Crown champion American Pharoah, was best-priced Wednesday night at 8-1 in Las Vegas fixed-odds betting for the Derby. Early pari-mutuel betting had him at 14-1.
Admire Daytona, who won the Grade 2 UAE Derby on April 5, also represents Japan on Saturday. He was 39-1 in the pari-mutuels on Wednesday and 80-1 in Nevada.
Hopefully, fingers and toes crossed, we’ve got two really strong candidates this year,” Hunter said. “It’s nice to be able to go to the Kentucky Derby being able to say this one has this reason they could win, and this one has this reason they could win, so it’s pretty exciting.”
Part of the Japan puzzle is translating breezes, which are not the blazing efforts they tend to be for American horses. Trained by Noriyuki Hori, Luxor Café worked five furlongs at Churchill Downs on Tuesday in 1:02.4 with fractions of 13.4, 26.0 and 37.8 seconds.
“I was asked to canter a lap as a warmup, then I galloped him from the five-furlong pole,” said João Moreira, a dominant jockey in Hong Kong who will race at Churchill Downs for the first time since 2013. “It was just an easy work just to keep him ticking over. The horse felt good, relaxed and had good rhythm throughout. I was happy with his action and force. He pulled up well.”
Admire Daytona also turned in a final 1:02.4 work covering five furlongs in company Tuesday with maiden winner Greatdayforhockey, a 3-year-old colt from Dale Romans’s barn. The Drefong colt who was a world-pool 10-1 winner in the UAE Derby had an even more casual drill April 22 when he worked a half-mile in 53.2 seconds.
“Up until now he’s been just training on his own, just maintaining condition from Dubai,” trainer Yukihiro Kato said. “(Tuesday) we wanted to train him in company to tighten the screws down, and it was perfect. He is a horse that thrives off a challenge. We really appreciate Dale Romans helping us out.”
Both colts went through paddock schooling Wednesday with horses who were in the fifth race at Churchill Downs. Since red flags were not raised after that, and with morning track work that still requires translation, players will learn more in the video of their past performances.
More impressive were his closing fractions. After converting from metric, Luxor Café traveled the final three furlongs in 36.5 seconds and the last furlong in 12.9. Even though they were markedly different courses, those sectionals still were close to Forever Young’s 36.6 and 12.7 to finish last year’s UAE Derby.
“It was faster (for Luxor Café) because it rained,” Hunter said. “The sand tracks do get a little bit firmer once you get a little bit of rain into it, which is typically why I want those horses to come to America, because it shows they can probably handle it a little bit better. His performances in the last couple of races in Japan and on the wet sand in Japan I really think speak a lot to his potential here.”
Admire Daytona had trouble two races ago in the Hyacinth, getting squeezed at the start before rallying to finish fourth behind Luxor Café. In the UAE Derby he broke alertly, set the pace around both turns and held off Heart of Honor by a nose at the finish. His closing three- and one-furlong fractions were a less than eye-popping 38.7 and 13.8 seconds.
The heart he showed in that race I think was very reminiscent of the maiden race that he lost to Luxor Café when they went neck and neck and just went five, 10 lengths out from everybody else challenging each other all the way to the wire.” Hunter said. “(Admire Daytona) lost by a nose. I think there’s a lot more in common between them than there is different between them.”
That Nov. 23 race covering one mile at Tokyo will hold sway over bettors hoping Admire Daytona pays off at long odds. Conversely, despite Forever Young’s close loss to Mystik Dan last May, UAE Derby horses are 0-for-20 in the Kentucky Derby.
Regardless of the past-performance lines and stats, there still is a fair amount of educated guesswork needed when it comes to measuring Japan shippers against their U.S. rivals.
“The days in front of the race, you always feel optimistic,” Hunter said, “because right now there’s no clouds up ahead. Just like with everybody, every race is a new chance. When you’ve got horses that are healthy and sound or fit, it’s hard not to feel optimistic.”
Our oldest living Kentucky Derby winner, Silver Charm.
He turned 31 this year.
He turned 31 this year.
Baeza was the lone horse on the also-eligible list for the Kentucky Derby. The late-developing colt broke his maiden Feb. 14 and then briefly took the lead in the Santa Anita Derby before finishing as the runner-up, three-quarters of a length behind Journalism — the 3-1 morning-line favorite for Derby 151.
I thought he ran a remarkable race,” trainer John Shirreffs said. “He went wide most of the way. Coming out of the turn into the stretch, he was lugging in a little bit. Once he changed leads, he took off again. Being green and knowing he can do better, it was a really good race.”
Because the Santa Anita Derby had only five runners, Baeza earned just 37.5 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby instead of the typical allotment of 50.
Shirreffs won the Run for the Roses with 50-1 shot Giacomo in 2005.
Flavien Prat, previously on Neoequos, will now have the ride on Baeza. Luis Saez will ride Neoequos.
I thought he ran a remarkable race,” trainer John Shirreffs said. “He went wide most of the way. Coming out of the turn into the stretch, he was lugging in a little bit. Once he changed leads, he took off again. Being green and knowing he can do better, it was a really good race.”
Because the Santa Anita Derby had only five runners, Baeza earned just 37.5 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Derby instead of the typical allotment of 50.
Shirreffs won the Run for the Roses with 50-1 shot Giacomo in 2005.
Flavien Prat, previously on Neoequos, will now have the ride on Baeza. Luis Saez will ride Neoequos.
Good morning! It's Oaks Day! Remember to wear pink.
Kentucky Derby field at 19 with Grande scratch; owner 'shocked'.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Grande has been scratched from the Kentucky Derby, reducing the field for Saturday's 151st edition to 19 horses.He joins Rodriguez on the sideline after that colt was scratched Thursday.
"Unfortunately, the vets have decided to scratch Grande," owner Mike Repole posted Friday on X. "He has been battling a slight cracked heel this week which has been improving."
Repole said various diagnostic tests on Grande came back clean, including a PET scan requested by Kentucky state veterinarians. He said the 3-year-old colt had been "training and looking great" on the track all week.
We were very confused with all the clean diagnostics and improvement all week, why they rushed to judgment to scratch today," Repole wrote. "We are also shocked and confused why this decision was made now. We were given no real explanation why Grande was scratched 36 hours before the race."
Repole has had this happen twice before. In 2011, Uncle Mo was scratched the day before the race because of a gastrointestinal infection. In 2023, Forte was scratched the morning of the race due to a bruised right front foot. The self-made billionaire from New York is 0-for-8 in the Derby.
"We all love these horses and our number one concern is the safety and welfare of these amazing Thoroughbreds. That is, and should always be the priority," Repole wrote. "With all the diagnostics we have taken, the great vets we use, and the experience of Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, we are baffled and confused by what criteria vets are using to determine who scratches, who doesn't and when...especially when every diagnostic tells us the horse is safe and sound."
Rodriguez's scratch moved Baeza into the field. He was the only horse on the also-eligible list, so there will be no replacement for Grande.
Grande was the lone runner for two-time Derby-winning trainer Pletcher and was to be ridden by Hall of Famer John Velazquez.
Shred the Gnar takes them all the way in the opener on Kentucky Oaks day
Luis Saez up for trainer Brian Lynch.
Luis Saez up for trainer Brian Lynch.
Defiant Lass and Vincent Cheminaud win the second race for trainer Dale Romans!
Beauty Reigns wins the Believe You Can presented by Coca-Cola! Junior Alvarado was aboard for trainer Bill Mott and owner Tranquility Lake Farm, LLC.
Nitrogen with a strong closing kick under Jose Ortiz to win the G2 Edgewood Stakes presented by Accenture! Mark Casse trains the D.J. Stable homebred.
Fierceness wears down Most Wanted to win the G2 Alysheba Stakes presented by Sentient Jet! John Velazquez was aboard for trainer Todd Pletcher.
Raging Sea wins the G1 La Troienne off the layoff, defeating Thorpedo Anna!
Chad Brown trains with Flavien Prat in the saddle!
Chad Brown trains with Flavien Prat in the saddle!
Fierceness breaks a track record.
She Feels Pretty is just too good in the G3 Modesty Stakes presented by Veritas Prime! John Velazquez picks up his second graded stakes win of the day aboard the Cherie DeVaux trainee.
Look Forward, looks to the wire and takes the G2 Eight Belles at Churchill Downs!
