Master Fencer a Dream Come True for Owner Yoshizawa

For 15 years, Japanese horseman Katsumi Yoshizawa attended the Keeneland September Yearling Sale searching for the kind of horse that could one day bring him to Churchill Downs for the largest and most prestigious of the American classics—the Kentucky Derby (G1). 

In 2005, Yoshizawa, who owns and operates Yoshizawa Stables in Hokkaido, Japan, attended the marathon fall sale where he purchased a daughter of Deputy Minister for $110,000 from Taylor Made Sales Agency. 

Bred in Kentucky by Payson Stud out of the Broad Brush mare Powder, the filly named Sexy Zamurai would start 35 times for Yoshizawa before eventually retiring to his burgeoning broodmare band. Bred to Yoshizawa's multiple grade 1 winner and Longines World's Best Racehorse of 2014, Just a Way, the mare produced a colt in 2016 named Master Fencer. 

Three years later, with 19 points earned on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby, Master Fencer is poised to become the first Japan-bred horse to start in the Run for the Roses. Standing on the Churchill Downs backstretch fielding questions from reporters Tuesday, Yoshizawa said the more than 6,000-mile trip to Louisville, Ky., has been well worth it as the geographic leg of a longer journey. 

"I've dreamed to have my horse run in the Kentucky Derby," Yoshizawa said through an interpreter. "When he was nominated, he ran in the Fukuryu Stakes, the third leg on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby, and just missed winning. I was thinking, 'This year I will miss the Kentucky Derby,' but fortunately, the top two horses declined the offer from Churchill Downs, so I am so lucky that I could be here." 

After arriving at Arlington International Racecourse April 23, where Master Fencer spent 42 hours in isolated quarantine, he was then vanned to Keeneland April 25 to settle into Kentucky. After training in Lexington for a few days, the chestnut colt was shipped to Churchill April 29 and took his first trip across the Louisville oval the following day.

Master Fencer appeared entirely nonplussed by the crowds assembled to watch early morning workouts Tuesday. Guided by jockey Julien Leparoux—who will have the mount in the Derby—while sporting a fuchsia hood and his own highlighter-yellow Derby saddle towel, Master Fencer was hard to miss as he made his first turn beneath the historic Twin Spires. 

"It was just an easy gallop to get to know him a little bit," Leparoux said. "He feels good, he's relaxed. He doesn't care about anything and handled everything. It was just a gallop so nothing special, but they told me it's kind of tough to make him switch leads so we have to work on that and we'll see what happens. 

"We took our time. We jogged, galloped slowly, and then went once around not too fast. Then we went back to the paddock, schooled him over there, walked around, and then walked back. We took a half turn with him and he handled it perfectly." 

In a race known for its large field size, aggressiveness of pace, and throngs of excitable fans, Leparoux, who was taking his first ride on the horse, said Master Fencer showed none of the hallmarks of nervousness that have so often plagued horses from other countries seeking to test their mettle in the Derby. 

"It shouldn't be a problem on Derby day," said Leparoux. "He's a pro. He doesn't care about anything like the cameras or people. He's a pretty laid-back horse, which is good. It's good for me to be on him and learn to get to know him. I think he should handle the post parade and pre-race just fine. I'm going to get back on him tomorrow morning and I think we're going to the gate and teach him a little bit about how we do it here. Then that's it, it will be Derby day." 

"Since Master Fencer's dam, Sexy Zamurai, was purchased at the Keeneland September Sale, in a sense, his pedigree is more U.S.-bred," said Yoshizawa, who indicated he was relatively unconcerned about pitting his horse against North American-bred competition. "Just a Way, his sire, won the Dubai Duty Free (Sponsored by Dubai Duty Free [G1]) and he was a top horse. He himself, his sons, and daughters all run well on both grass an dirt. I think Master Fencer has enough potential to run in this Derby." 

For his part, Leparoux said he is unsure how Master Fencer will be received by American fans, but that success or failure will come from how well the 3-year-old takes to the track. Master Fencer was installed at 50-1 on the Derby morning line.

"It's tough," Leparoux said. "The (Fukuryu Stakes), you look at the race and he ran good but we don't know. (Nakayama Racecourse) is a different kind of track, it's very sandy and deep, so you can't look at the time either. You have to see how he handles it here and hopefully, we will be the big surprise on Derby day."

Trained by Koichi Tsunoda, who arrived in Louisville April 29, Master Fencer drew post 15 in the 20-horse field. Having studied Master Fencer's prior races, Leparoux believes the colt's late running style will likely help him in the Derby.

"He's a closer, so I'm sure that's going to happen," said Leparoux. "Especially because the early speed is usually faster than what it is over there. But you know, over there the track is sand. It's totally different than here. We'll see on Derby day. 

"It's the Derby and anybody can win. I think this dirt course over here, even for horses who like the turf, I think its forgivable. You can have a turf horse and run good on this course. This guy, he ran on sand and turf (in Japan) and ran good so hopefully he'll handle this track too." 

Also out on the track for the first time Tuesday were Kentucky Derby hopefuls Tax, Gray Magician, and Haikal, as well as Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) favorite Bellafina. 

Arriving at Churchill Downs at 9:30 a.m. EDT following an early morning flight from Florida were undefeated Xpressbet Florida Derby (G1) winner Maximum Security, Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) winner Vekoma, and the Todd Pletcher-trained duo of Cutting Humor and Spinoff. Also arriving was Florida Derby runner-up Bodexpress, the lone also-eligible entered in the Derby.