'Other' American Pharoah Colt Wins Japan Dirt Derby

An American Pharoah  colt did, as expected, win the Japan Dirt Derby at Ohi Racecourse July 8—but it was not the one already locked in for a bid to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).

With Ryusei Sakai up, Danon Pharaoh came into the stretch run in a battle with Daimei Corrida, edged away on the muddy track, and got home first by 1 3/4 lengths. Daimei Corrida was second, five lengths ahead of Kitano Octopus.

The favorite, Cafe Pharoah, already the winner by points earned in the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby with two victories in the series, suffered his first career defeat. With Damian Lane riding, Cafe Pharoah never fired in the final furlongs and reported seventh in the field of 13, beaten a dozen lengths.

Cafe Pharoah secured the right of first refusal of Japan's bid to the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby, earning 70 points with wins in the Feb. 23 Hyacinth Stakes and June 21 Unicorn Stakes (G3). Both races were at Tokyo Racecourse at one mile.

Danon Pharaoh scored 40 points with the Japan Dirt Derby victory and is next in line for the bid to Louisville if Cafe Pharoah's connections should decline the honor. Dieu du Vin, the winner of the first race in the series, is third on the list.

In 2019, the colt who finished fourth in the series, Master Fencer, eventually accepted the bid. He finished seventh at Churchill Downs and was promoted to sixth by the disqualification of Maximum Security.

Coming into the race, hopes were high for Cafe Pharoah, bred in Kentucky by Paul Pompa out of the More Than Ready  mare Mary's Follies. The colt was sufficiently impressive in his three victories to land an individual listing in Pool 5 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager the final weekend of June, closing at odds of 14-1.

Danon Pharaoh, trained by Yoshito Yahagi, had been less impressive with only two previous wins in minor events. He finished fifth in the Nov. 23 Cattleya Sho at Tokyo Racecourse and sixth in the March 28 Fukuryu Stakes at Nakayama. He did not face Cafe Pharoah in either race.

Danon Pharaoh—out of the El Corredor mare Crisp, the winner of the 2010 Santa Anita Oaks (G1)—was bred by Northern Racing and carries the silks of Danox. He was purchased as a yearling during the Japan Racing Horse Association Sale of Yearlings and Weanlings for the U.S. equivalent of $1,629,000.