Shahryar sets stakes record in winning Japanese Derby
Shahryar set a stakes record in the Group 3 Mainichi Hai Stakes at Hanshin Racecourse in Japan on March 27, running 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:43.90.
On Sunday, Shahryar claimed an even greater distinction, winning the Grade 1 Japanese Derby by a nose over 3-5 favorite Efforia, the winner of the Japanese 2,000 Guineas in April. Again, Shahryar claimed a stakes-record time, finishing 1 1/2 miles in 2:22.50.
Shahryar paid $23.90 in North American pools and won for the third time in four starts in the $3.81 million Japanese Derby.
Ridden by Yuichi Fukunaga for trainer Hideaki Fujiwara, Shahryar raced in mid-division in a field of 17 before encountering traffic with three furlongs remaining. Once clear in the stretch, Shahryar closed well to catch Efforia at the line.
“The race didn’t go as smoothly as planned,” Fukunaga told Japan Racing Association publicity. “We were in a tight spot, so we were forced to make our charge late, but this colt really gave a terrific effort.”
Stella Veloce (35-1) finished third, 1 1/4 lengths behind Shahryar.
Efforia was beaten for the first time in the Japanese Derby, a race formally known as the Tokyo Yushun.
Satono Reinas, second by a neck in the Japanese 1,000 Guineas for 3-year-old fillies on April 11, finished fifth as the 9-2 second choice, only 1 1/2 lengths behind Shahryar. Satono Reinas led in the stretch, but could not maintain the advantage.
Shahryar, a colt by Deep Impact owned by Sunday Racing Co., Ltd, finished third behind Efforia in his first start of 2021, a Grade 3 race at 1 1/8 miles at Tokyo in February. Shahryar won his lone start at 2, in a race for first-time starters at 1 1/8 miles at Kyoto last October.
Bred in Japan, Shahryar is out of Dubai Majesty, who won the Eclipse Award as the outstanding female sprinter of 2010 in the United States. Dubai Majesty won 12 of 34 starts and earned $1,509,243 in a career highlighted by a win in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Churchill Downs.