Mad Cool, second in the Grade 1 Sprinters Stakes last October, won for the first time at the highest level in Sunday’s Grade 1 Takamatsonomiya Kinen at six furlongs on turf at Chukyo Racecourse in Japan, beating a field that included 2023 Japanese sprint champion Mama Cocha. Mad Cool, who paid $23.80 in American pools, was always near the front, while racing on the inside, and took the lead in the stretch. Ridden by Ryusei Sakai, Mad Cool won by a head over 5-1 Namura Clair, who finished three lengths clear of 7-1 Victor the Winner, a shipper from Hong Kong. Mama Cocha (6-1) and Lugal, the, 5-2 favorite, finished eighth and 10th in the field of 18, both tracking the early pace before fading. :: KENTUCKY DERBY 2024: Derby Watch, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more The $2.17 million Takamatsunomiya Kinen was the first Grade 1 of the year on turf in Japan, preceded by the February Stakes on dirt. An Irish-bred 5-year-old horse by Dark Angel, Mad Cool had his first start in Japan on Sunday since a nose loss in the Sprinters Stakes. Mad Cool was eighth in the Hong Kong Sprint at Sha Tin in December in his last start before Sunday. “I am so glad to have won this race after our narrow defeat last fall,” Sakai told Japan Racing Association publicity in reference to the second in the Sprinters Stakes. Sakai said Mad Cool had a ground-saving trip from post 2 by design. “He broke well and we were in an ideal position, right behind the pace throughout the trip,” he said. “I’ve been riding this horse from early in his career and his connections had been eyeing this race from the beginning. “He still has some room for improvement, so I look forward to his future.” Trained by Manabu Ikezoe for Sunday Racing Co. Ltd., Mad Cool has won 6 of 12 starts. Aside from the narrow loss in the Sprinters Stakes, Mad Cool won the minor Shunrai Stakes at six furlongs at Nakayama last April. T O Password gains Derby berth T O Password remained unbeaten in two starts after leading throughout Saturday’s $228,100 Fukuryu Stakes at Nakayama. The win earned T O Password a berth in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 4 through Japan’s qualifying series. T O Password, ridden by Katsuma Sameshima, won by a head over Arare Tabashiru. The first two finishers have been nominated to the American Triple Crown. For the win, T O Password earned 40 qualifying points to rank first at the conclusion of the four-race qualifying series. Starting from post 10 in a field of 11, T O Password led by a length for the first six furlongs before he was challenged on the turn. T O Password took a clear lead in early stretch and was fully extended to hold off a fast-closing Arare Tabashiru. T O Password, a Japanese-bred by Copano Rickey, has won twice, beginning his career with a win in a race for unraced maidens at 1 1/8 miles at Kyoto on Jan. 6. Should T O Password decline the Kentucky Derby berth, the position could go to Ramjet, who won the Hyacinth Stakes at a mile at Tokyo Racecourse on Feb. 18 to earn 30 qualifying points. Ramjet did not start in the Fukuryu Stakes. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.