Danon Pharoah takes Japan Dirt Derby, Cafe Pharoah mid-pack

Danon Pharoah, the other American Pharoah colt in the race, pulled away in the late stages to take the Japan Dirt Derby over Daimei Corrida with Kitano Octopus a distant third. 

The previously undefeated Cafe Pharoah sat third in much of the running and was tucked in on the rail of the muddy track, but never made a move and tired in the stretch to finish mid-pack in the field of thirteen 3-year-olds.  The loss was the first of Cafe Pharoah's career in four starts.

Ridden by Ryusei Sakai and trained by Yoshito Yahagi, Danon Pharoah earns 40 qualifying points on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. The first four finishers in the Japan Dirt Derby earned 40, 20, 16 and 8 points on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. However, Cafe Pharoah had already secured the Kentucky Derby invitation before the race began with 70 points based on his wins in the June 21 Unicorn Stakes (G3) and the Feb. 23 Hyacinth, both at Tokyo Racecourse and worth 40 and 30 points respectively.  The third highest point total of 26 points belongs to Dieu du Vin, who did not start in today’s race.