Inti punches BC Classic ticket with February Stakes win in Tokyo

Inti won his seventh consecutive race, and Grade 1 debut, in Sunday’s $1.76 million February Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse, earning an automatic berth to the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 2.

The February Stakes was one of two races on Sunday’s Tokyo Racecourse card with implications for major races in the United States this year.

Earlier on the program, Oval Ace, a colt by Henny Hughes, won the $327,720 Hyacinth Stakes for 3-year-olds at a mile, the first of two races this year in a qualifying series for Japanese-based runners that could produce a starter for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 4.

Inti, a 5-year-old horse by Came Home, led throughout the February Stakes, the first Grade 1 of the year in Japan. Ridden by Yutaka Take, Inti, the 3-2 favorite, won by a neck over 2-1 Gold Dream, who won the 2017 February Stakes and was second in 2018.

“The horse broke well and we were able to take the lead and set an ideal pace,” Take told Japan Racing Association publicists. “We secured a safe lead at the last turn, and he showed amazing strength at the wire. He has so much potential. We have a lot to look forward to in his future starts.”

Inti was ninth in his debut and is unbeaten in his last seven starts.

Inti’s winning streak includes two graded stakes. Trained by Kenji Nonaka for owner and breeder Shigeo Takeda, Inti is not nominated to the Breeders’ Cup, but can be made eligible with a $100,000 supplemental fee by July 15 or $200,000 after July 15.

The nomination fee must be paid before pre-entries are taken for the Breeders’ Cup in late October. Inti earned approximately $933,000 for the win in the February Stakes.

Oval Ace (5-2) is unbeaten in three starts for owner Tsuru Nishimori and trainer Noboru Takagi. In the 10-runner Hyacinth Stakes, Oval Ace, who was ridden by Masayoshi Ebina, finished three-quarters of a length in front of Weitblick, a 5-1 chance. Derma Louvre and Master Fencer, who are nominated to the American Triple Crown, were third and fourth.

The first four finishers were awarded 30, 12, 6, and 3 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby. After three of the four races in the series, Oval Ace leads the standings with 30 points. There were two qualifying races last year.

The final race in the series is the Fukuryu Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Nakayama Racecourse on March 31. The first four finishers will receive 40, 16, 8, and 4 qualifying points. An invitation to the Kentucky Derby will be available to the horse with the most qualifying points.