"Japan Road" to Derby Has Strong U.S. Sprint Influence

The "Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby " kicks off Nov. 26 at Tokyo Racecourse with the Cattleya Stakes, a 1,600-meter (about one mile) test on the dirt that drew an American-flavored field of 10.

Two of the 10 are by Mind Your Biscuits , a multiple grade 1-winning sprinter whose stud career at Shadai Stallion Station is just getting off the ground. Another was sired by Declaration of War , whose lone start on the dirt resulted in a third-place finish, beaten just 1/4 length, in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita Park in 2013. He currently stands JBBA Shizunai in Hokkaido.

The Cattleya is the first in a four-race series that offers the top points-earner a guaranteed place in the starting gate for the 1 1/4-mile Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). Given the distances, it will be an interesting test for American influences.

Declaration of War spent his entire career contesting middle-distance turf races in Europe before his gutsy effort at 1 1/4 miles in the Breeders' Cup. Mind Your Biscuits, however, didn't make the grade when trainer and part-owner Chad Summers tried to stretch him out for the 2018 Classic at Churchill Downs, where he reported 11th. He took the Lukas Classic Stakes (G3) that year at 1 1/8 miles.

Three of the 10 in the Cattleya field trace to Fuji Kiseki , a son of ubiquitous Japanese sire influence Sunday Silence, for whom 1 1/4 miles was no problem. Fuji Kiseki won all four of his starts, all on turf, and has produced eight group 1 or grade 1 winners, most notably Isla Bonita .

Drefong , the 2016 Eclipse Award champion sprinter, also is represented in the Cattleya field.

Breeding aside and on form alone, the Cattleya looks wide open, with several of the runners undefeated after one or two starts. Some are switching surfaces from turf to dirt—an angle perhaps less revered in Japan than in America.

Japanese racing organizations are putting more emphasis on dirt competition with a "Dirt Triple Crown" in the works for 2023. Since its inception in the 2016-17 season, however, the "Japan Road" hasn't had much impact on the Run for the Roses.

Master Fencer  was the first horse to emerge from the series and start in Louisville, finishing seventh, promoted to sixth after the 2019 Derby with the disqualification of Maximum Security  .

Lani , a Kentucky-bred Tapit   colt, won the 2015 Cattleya, went on to win the UAE Derby Sponsored by the Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group (G2) the following year and finished ninth in the Derby.

This season's series continues with the Zen Nippon Nisai Yushun at Kawasaki Racecourse Dec. 14, the Hyacinth Stakes back at Tokyo Racecourse Feb. 19, and the concluding Fukuryu Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse March 25. The points on offer are heavily weighted toward the later races.

This year's Cattleya field:

Continuar, by Drefong out of the King Kamehameha  mare Pan de Ring, has had two starts resulting in a first-up win and a second, both at 1,800 meters (about 1 1/8 miles).

Francorchamps is by Makfi , thus a grandson of Dubawi . He was produced by the Fuji Kiseki  mare Madame Girouette and won his second race, going 1,700 meters (about 1 1/16 miles), after a 12-length defeat in his debut.

Il Divino, by Kinshasa No Kiseki  out of the Tanino Gimlet  mare Clover Leaf, won at first asking while going 1,800 meters and makes his second start.

Jasri, a Rulership  colt, also won his only previous start, at 1,600 meters over the Tokyo Racecourse dirt. He is out of the Empire Maker  mare Old Pasadena.

Margo Reve, a striking chestnut filly by Espoir City , won at first asking at 1,400 meters (about seven furlongs) on a sloppy Tokyo track in her only previous outing. She is the lone filly in the field.

Mirror of Mind also produced a win in his first effort, at 1,700 meters at Sapporo. The Mind Your Biscuits colt is out of the Agnes Tachyon  mare Emmy's Smile .

Plavi won his only previous start at Chukyo Racecourse. The Duramente  colt was produced by the Fuji Kiseki mare Waimea Beach.

Suna Ichi Gold, a Declaration of War colt from the Stay Gold  mare Kokorono Ai, is the most experienced of the lot. His first two starts, both on turf, were disappointing but he responded with a win when switched to the dirt at Tokyo Oct. 29.

Toa Raiden, another by Mind Your Biscuits, is 1-for-2 with both starts on the grass. He is out of the Agnes Digital mare Jaune d'Ambre.

Young World, by Copano Rickey  from the Johannesburg mare Be Lovely, found the winner's enclosure in his second start, going 1,600 meters on the Tokyo dirt.