14-1 long shot wins finale on Japan road to Kentucky Derby
He may not be shipped to Churchill Downs. Still, 14-1 long shot God Selection was an emphatic winner Saturday in the $315,832 Fukuryu Stakes, the last and most valuable Japan points prep for the Kentucky Derby.
With late, right-handed urging from Yuji Nakai, God Selection won by a widening three lengths in the 1,800-meter race (about 1 1/8 miles) at Nakayama near Tokyo. The 3-year-old colt by Novellist was clocked at 1:52.1 with no run-up on the fast dirt track.
Meisho Murakumo (7-2) held on for second, a neck ahead of fast-finishing favorite Gold Higher (3-1). Taisei Again (61-1) was another 2 1/2 lengths behind, finishing fourth in the field of 14.
Nakai kept God Selection close to the lead through the first seven furlongs. Making a wide move in the second clockwise turn, he took the lead with a quarter-mile to go. By the time he straightened into the stretch, God Selection had opened about two lengths on his pursuers and was never threatened the rest of the way.
Trained by Teiichi Konno, God Selection is 2-for-2 as a 3-year-old with a career record of 5: 3-0-1. All his races have covered 1,800 meters. The Fukuryu was his first stakes victory in two tries.
None of the horses in Saturday’s race was nominated for the Triple Crown. The deadline for the $6,000 late nominations is Monday.
By rule, “one invitation to compete in the Kentucky Derby will be extended with preference given to the top four point-earning horses in the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby series,” according to the conditions set by Churchill Downs.
God Selection finished first in Japan qualifying with 40 points followed by La Pérouse with 30, Alain Barows 20 and Meisho Murakumo 16. La Pérouse and Alain Barows were nominated for the Triple Crown, but it was not clear Saturday whether any connections might consider the trip to America.
The Japan invitation to the Derby has been offered every year since 2017, but it has never been accepted. Master Fencer was the last horse from Japan to race in the Derby, but he qualified by winning the 2019 UAE Derby before finishing sixth at Louisville.