Japan: Lemon Pop comes up big in February Stakes
From a maiden race in late 2020 to his Grade 1 debut in Sunday’s $1.73 million February Stakes, Lemon Pop has been nearly unstoppable on the dirt track at Tokyo Racecourse in Japan.
Lemon Pop ($4.20) won the February Stakes by 1 1/2 lengths as the favorite, closing from fifth in a field of 16 under jockey Ryusei Sakai to take the lead from the longshot Helios with more than a furlong remaining. Lemon Pop had enough of an advantage to hold off 8-1 Red le Zele, who closed from 15th.
Miesho Hario (13-1) finished third, while Shirl’s Speight, second in the Breeders’ Cup Mile on turf at Keeneland last November, could only finish ninth at 6-1, racing in traffic at one point under jockey Joao Moreira.
“From what the jockey was telling me, he wasn’t enjoying the kickback that much, but I think he ran an okay race,” trainer Roger Attfield said. “I just think he’s a superior turf horse, but we gave it a try.”
Shirl’s Speight was the only foreign runner in the February Stakes.
Lemon Pop, a Kentucky-bred by Lemon Drop Kid, earned a fees-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 4 with the win in the $1.73 million February Stakes. Owned by Godolphin Racing and trained by Hiroyasu Tanaka, Lemon Pop has won 8 of 11 starts.
Lemon Pop is unbeaten in two starts this year, having won the Grade 3 Negishi Stakes at seven furlongs at Tokyo on Jan. 29. Lemon Pop has won 8 of 9 career starts at Tokyo Racecourse, all on dirt.
Hyacinth to Perriere
Perriere, a Japanese-bred colt by Henny Hughes, took a commanding lead in Japan’s Kentucky Derby qualifying series with a win in Sunday’s $269,827 Hyacinth Stakes at a mile at Tokyo Racecourse.
Ridden by Yoichi Kuroiwa, Perriere ($4.30) closed from fifth to win by 1 1/2 lengths over 93-1 Z Lien in a field of 14.
Perriere earned 30 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby and stands atop the rankings with 38 points after three of the four races. Perriere earned 8 points for a second in the Nisai Yushun Stakes at Kawasaki Racecourse in December.
One berth is available for the Kentucky Derby through Japan’s points system. The series concludes with the Fukuryu Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Nakayama on March 25, which offers 40, 16, 12, 8, and 4 points to the first five finishers.
Four Japanese-based horses have started in the Kentucky Derby, including Master Fencer, who was sixth in 2019, and Crown Pride, who was 13th in 2022. Master Fencer qualified for the Kentucky Derby through the Japanese prep races. Crown Pride qualified by winning the UAE Derby in Dubai last March.
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