Dry Stout Takes Lead in Japan's Road to Kentucky Derby

Dry Stout jumped to the top of the leaderboard in the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby with a decisive victory in the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun at Kawasaki Racecourse Dec. 15.

The Sinister Minister  colt remains undefeated after three starts, all on the dirt. The Kawasaki score was his first on a dry track, first as far as 1,600 meters (about one mile), and first under lights.

Ridden by Keita Tosaki and trained by Mitsunori Makiura, Dry Stout earned 20 points toward an invitation to participate in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) May 7 at Churchill Downs. Combustion, a Godolphin homebred by Discreet Cat , picked up eight points for finishing second. Praelude and Sekifu, got four and two points for third and fourth. 

Dry Stout, out of the Afleet  mare Must Buy Item , opened his account with a win going 1,200 meters (about six furlongs) on a muddy track at Chukyo Racecourse Sept. 26 in a 2-year-old newcomer race. He backed that up with a victory in the Oxalis Sho Nov. 13 on a good track at Tokyo Racecourse while adding a furlong and winning by five lengths.

The added 200 meters of the Kawasaki race proved no issue. Dry Stout broke well, stalked the pace set by Kaikano Kiseki, and drew off in the stretch, winning by 2 1/2 lengths, with authority. Combustion showed interest while gaining second by mid-stretch but couldn't cut any farther into the winner's margin.

Dry Stout was bred by Shimokobe Farm and races in the colors of YGG Horse Club Co. He was one of just five horses in the 14-horse field based at a Japan Racing Association track. The others came from Kawasaki or other locally administered tracks of the National Association of Racing.

None of the horses who competed in the first leg of the series, the Cattleya Stakes Nov. 27 at Tokyo Racecourse, participated in the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun.

Consigliere earned 10 points for winning the Cattleya Stakes and remains in second place on the leaderboard. Combustion joins that list at No. 3. He has two wins and two seconds from four starts.

The series winner likely won't be determined until after the final race because the points on offer grow at each stop along the way. The Hyacinth Stakes Feb. 7 at Tokyo Racecourse ups the ante to a points scale of 30-12-6-3 and the series concludes with the Fukuryu Stakes April 2 at Nakayama with the winner awarded 40 points and minor placings getting 16, eight, and four.

Churchill Downs started the series after Lani  won the 2015 Cattleya and then finished third in the 2016 Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1). The series has not had much impact on the Run for the Roses.

Master Fencer  finished fourth in the series and accepted the 2019 Derby invitation when the top three points-earners declined the honor. The Just a Way  colt crossed the wire in seventh, and was placed sixth after the disqualification of Maximum Security  .