Sunday's Tokyo program could yield Derby, Breeders' Cup runners

From older horses in the Grade 1 February Stakes to 3-year-olds in the Hyacinth Stakes, Sunday’s program at Tokyo Racecourse in Japan could have ramifications for the biggest races in the United States this year.

The winner of the $2,031,984 February Stakes at a mile will receive an automatic berth to the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3. The $321,730 Hyacinth Stakes is the third and final race in the Japan qualifying division for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 5.

Gold Dream, the winner of the 2017 February Stakes, is a leading contender in this year’s running, which drew a solid field of 16. A 5-year-old Japanese-bred, Gold Dream has won 6 of 13 starts. He has not raced since winning the Grade 1 Champions Cup on dirt at Chukyo Racecourse on Dec. 3.

Last March, Gold Dream finished 14th behind Arrogate in the $10 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates. This year’s February Stakes could easily produce a starter or two for the Dubai World Cup on March 31.

Sunday’s field includes Awardee, who was fifth in the 2017 Dubai World Cup and more recently third in the Jan. 31 Kawasaki Kinen at 1 5/16 miles on dirt at Kawasaki Racecourse.

Other notable contenders are TM Jinsoku, who was second in the Champions Cup; Let’s Go Donki, a 6-year-old mare who won the Grade 1 Japanese 1000 Guineas in 2015; and Sound True, who was second in the Tokyo Daishoten Stakes at Ohi Racecourse in December.

The February Stakes will be the first start on dirt for Let’s Go Donki in her 24th start. She was second in the Grade 1 Sprinters’ Stakes in Japan and sixth in the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint last fall.

If the winner of the February Stakes accepts the berth for the BC Classic, race organizers will pay the pre-entry and entry fees and provide a $40,000 travel allowance. The horse must be nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program by Oct. 22.

Gold Dream is nominated to the BC program.

The Hyacinth Stakes candidates include two horses who have earned points for the Kentucky Derby – Ruggero, who is tied for first in the standings with 10 points, and Dark Repulser, who is in seventh-place with one point.

The first four finishers of the Hyacinth Stakes will earn 30, 12, 6, and 3 points.

:: ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays

Ruggero, who has been nominated to the Triple Crown, earned 10 qualifying points for winning the Cattleya Sho at a mile at Tokyo on Nov. 25, the first race in the qualifying series. Dark Repulser finished fourth in the second qualifying race, the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun Stakes at Kawasaki Racecourse on Dec. 13.

The list of probable starters includes two prospects unbeaten after two starts – Meisho Isana and Wakamiya Oji.

The lone American-bred in the field is Nishino Trans Am, an Orb colt who was bred in Kentucky and purchased as a yearling for $150,000 at the 2016 Keeneland September Sale.

This is the second year a berth in the Kentucky Derby has been offered to a horse based in Japan. An invitation will be extended to the horse with the highest points that seeks a berth among the first four in the final standings, according to a statement from Churchill Downs.

Last year, Epicharis earned the most points among Japanese runners, but was not sent to Kentucky because of fatigue, his trainer said last spring. Epicharis was entered for the Belmont Stakes last June, but was withdrawn after failing a pre-race veterinary examination.