The filly Delicada wins Fukuryu Stakes, Japanese points race for Kentucky Derby

The undefeated filly Delicada won Saturday’s $280,580 Fukuryu Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse in Japan to secure a place in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 7, if she is nominated to the American Triple Crown as soon as Monday and the race is deemed a goal.

It was not immediately clear if Delicada would be sent to Kentucky. She was not nominated to the Triple Crown earlier this year. A $6,000 supplemental entry is due on Monday.

One berth in the 20-runner Kentucky Derby is available through a four-race Japanese series to a nominated horse with the most qualifying points. First-place in the Fukuryu Stakes at 1 1/8 miles was worth 40 points, the most in the series.

Delicada did not start in the other three qualifying races in the series last fall or earlier this year. None of the runners who earned points in the first three races started in the Fukuryu Stakes.

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Delicada (7-1) won the Fukuryu Stakes by a neck over 3-1 Notturno, who was a head in front of 241-1 Peisha Es in the field of eight. Delicada rallied between rivals to take the lead in the final sixteenth in her stakes debut and first start since an allowance race at Hanshin Racecourse on Dec. 28.

Ho O Roulette, the 2-5 favorite, finished fifth in the Fukuryu Stakes, while Jasper Great, 10th of 11 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar last November, was seventh.

Ho O Roulette and Jasper Great are nominated to the American Triple Crown, but failed to earn qualifying points in the Fukuryu Stakes.

Jockey Ryuji Wada rode Delicada for trainer Naohiro Yoshida. Delicada is owned by Teruya Yoshida, whose stable also won the Group 2 United Arab Emirates Derby at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai on Saturday with Crown Pride.

The UAE Derby is part of the Kentucky Derby qualifying series. Crown Pride earned sufficient points to earn a berth in the Kentucky Derby field and was nominated to the Triple Crown earlier this year.

Delicada, by Pyro, has won three races, including a maiden race last October at Hanshin. All of her races have been at 1 1/8 miles.

Three Japanese-based horses have run in the Kentucky Derby. Master Fencer, sixth in 2019, had the best result.