Makahiki Wins Japanese Derby

Third choice Makahiki bested a strong field of 3-year-olds in the Tokyo Yushun (Jpn-I, Japanese Derby) to claim his first top-level win by a nose May 29 at Tokyo Racecourse. 

In front of a crowd of 140,000, the bay colt led in a trifecta for leading Japanese sire Deep Impact as runner-up and second-favorite Satono Diamond outfinished paternal half brother and favorite Dee Majesty by a half-length.

Makahiki is a homebred of Makoto Kaneko, who campaiged Deep Impact to a Derby win in 2005. He also landed the races in 2004 with King Kamehameha and is now tied with Sunday Racing Co. for the most Derby wins.

Marking three consecutive wins from his debut in the Yayoi Sho (Jpn-II) in March, Makahiki covered 2,400 meters (about 1 1/2 miles) in 2:24 on firm turf.

Last time out, Makahiki finished second, 1 1/4 lengths behind Dee Majesty, in the Satsuki Sho (Jpn-I, Japanese Two Thousand Guineas), closing in on the winner with a powerful late charge but got his classic victory Sunday.

Makahiki, with Yuga Kawada aboard, traveled in mid-division, around eighth from the front-runner, along the rail, and eyed Satono Diamond in front. 

Rounding far turn, Kawada steered Makahiki to the outside for a clear path. Although caught between horses at the top of the stretch, Makahiki found an opening 300 meters out. He slipped out from the behind Air Spinel around the 200-meter marker, and then accelerated to take command 100 meters out. He managed to fend off a strong challenge by Satono Diamond nearing wire for the narrow win.

"The colt broke smoothly and I was able to race him in good position as planned," Kawada said. "I gradually advanced him while marking Satono Diamond and he stretched really well after threading through a small opening. The moment we crossed the wire, I felt that we were a margin in front, but I was overwhelmed with joy when the photo-finish result came."

Satono Diamond was rated seventh from the front, with Makahiki and Dee Majesty traveling close behind. Though he allowed Makahiki to surge out before him in the straight, Satono Diamond unleashed a powerful late charge under Christophe Lemaire to close in on the leader in the last furlong and just missed.

Odds-on-favorite Dee Majesty raced in midfield and made a bid from an outward position after on the final two turns. The Satsuki Sho winner showed good effort and diligently closed ground behind Satono Diamond to finish third. 

Bred in Japan, Makahiki is out of the French Deputy mare Wikiwiki. Trained by Yasuo Tomomichi, he has four wins from five career starts.