Mozu Ascot earns BC Classic berth courtesy of February Stakes win

Mozu Ascot earned a fees-paid berth to the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland on Nov. 7 and Cafe Pharoah earned 30 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 2 with stakes wins at Tokyo Racecourse in Japan on Sunday.

Mozu Ascot, a Kentucky-bred 6-year-old by Frankel, won the Grade 1 February Stakes at a mile on dirt by 2 1/2 lengths as the 9-5 favorite in a field of 16. Ridden by Christophe Lemaire, Mozu Ascot closed from midpack to take the lead before the eighth pole.

“He broke well and we were able to settle,” Lemaire told Japan Racing Association publicity. “His acceleration was extraordinary. Although he is a newcomer in dirt racing, he adapted immediately to the surface and gave his best.”

K T Brave, the 142-1 outsider in the field, finished second, 1 1/4 lengths in front of 6-1 Sunshine Nova.

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The February Stakes is part of the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In program, offering a fees-paid berth to Breeders’ Cup races for nominated horses.

Mozu Ascot, who races for owner Capital System Co., Ltd., and trainer Yoshito Yahagi, has won 7 of 21 starts. The $1.94 million February Stakes was his second win at the Grade 1 level, preceded by the Yasuda Kinen in 2018.

Mozu Ascot is expected to have his next start in the Group 1 Doncaster Handicap at a mile on turf at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Australia on April 4.

Cafe Pharoah, a Kentucky-bred colt by American Pharoah purchased for $475,000 at the 2019 Ocala Breeders’ Sale of 2-year-olds in-training last March, won his stakes debut in the $329,259 Hyacinth Stakes for 3-year-olds to remain unbeaten after two starts.

Ridden by Mirco DeMuro, Cafe Pharoah, the 11-10 favorite, closed from last with a wide rally in the field of 14 to win by 1 1/4 lengths over 2-1 Tagano Beauty, the second choice. Yaugau (6-1) finished third.

Cafe Pharoah, who is owned by Koichi Nishikawa and trained by Noriyuki Hori, won his debut in a race for first-time starters at 1 1/8 miles on dirt at Nakayama Racecourse on Dec. 14.

Cafe Pharoah leads the Japanese Road to the Kentucky Derby standings with 30 points. Two qualifying races were run last fall, but none of the eight horses that earned points in those races started in the Hyacinth Stakes, the first race in the series this year.

The fourth and final race of the series – the Fukuryu Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Nakayama on March 28 – is worth 40 points to the winner. The horse with the most points is eligible for a starting berth in the 20-runner field for the Kentucky Derby.

Three Japan-based runners have started in the Kentucky Derby. Master Fencer, who was sixth in 2019, had the best finish of those horses.