Japan Road to Kentucky Derby ends Friday night with Fukuryu
Most racing fans this weekend are focusing their attention on the stakes-packed race cards taking place at Fair Grounds and Meydan. But we would be remiss for failing to highlight Friday night's Fukuryu Stakes in Japan as well.
Held over 1,800 meters (about 1 1/8 miles) at Nakayama, the Fukuryu serves as the fourth and final stop on the Japan Road to the 2022 Kentucky Derby. Qualification points are up for grabs on a 40-16-8-4 basis, and there’s a good chance the race will produce a Kentucky Derby starter.
The race is on Saturday in Japan but Friday night U.S. time, specifically 11:10 p.m. EDT. It is the 10th of 12 races on the card, which features the Nikkei Sho (G2).
Final entries and post positions for the Fukuryu have yet to be drawn, but there are nine names in the early entries, and three of them are Triple Crown nominees. Let’s dive in and examine the Triple Crown trio, just in case one of them turns up at Churchill Downs six weeks from now:
Perhaps the most exciting horse in the Fukuryu entries is Ho O Roulette. A son of Group 1 Dubai World Cup winner and Breeders’ Cup Classic runner-up Roses in May, Ho O Roulette is unbeaten and unchallenged in two starts.
Ho O Roulette was tons the best in his debut over 1,800 meters at Nakayama in December, leading all the way and finishing fast (final 600 meters in 37.1 seconds) to smash his pursuers by seven lengths. The form of this victory was flattered when distant runner-up Tomoja World returned to win his next start.
One month later, Ho O Roulette was just as impressive in the Kurochiku Sho, a 1,800-meter allowance at Nakayama. After racing in second place early on, Ho O Roulette took command and finished strongly (final 600 meters in 37.4 seconds) to score by half a dozen lengths.
From top to bottom, Ho O Roulette is bred to improve with age and maturity. His half-brother Omega Perfume has won five Group 1 races on Japan’s National Association of Racing (NAR) circuit, and all five of those wins have come over 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles) on dirt.
The Kentucky Derby could be a great fit for Ho O Roulette, so if he wins the Fukuryu – and there’s every chance he will – you’re advised to give this talented bay colt plenty of respect.
Remember Jasper Great? The son of Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Arrogate has already made one trip to the U.S., finishing 10th behind Corniche in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last fall.
Jasper Great has struggled in a bit in subsequent starts. He kicked off 2022 in the 1,800-meter Kurochiku Sho allowance at Nakayama, where he ran 12th behind Ho O Roulette. Then Jasper Great switched to turf for the Wakagoma racing 2,000 meters on turf at Chukyu, where he finished last of seven.
On the bright side, Jasper Great is trained by Hideyuki Mori, known for his globetrotting successes with two-time Breeders’ Cup Sprint participant Matera Sky and Saudi Derby winners Full Flat and Pink Kamehameha. Jasper Great was tons the best when wiring his debut racing 1,800 meters at Hanshin last fall, so if he bounces back to peak form and springs a surprise in the Fukuryu, a trip to Churchill Downs could well be in his future.
The third and final Triple Crown nominee is Line of Soul, who hails from the stable of Hidetaka Otonashi. Through the years, Otonashi has won a bevy of top-level races in Japan; some of his recent stars include turf miler Indy Champ and dirt router Chrysoberyl.
Line of Soul already has made a couple of starts on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby, finishing seventh in the Cattleya Sho and 12th in the Hyacinth racing 1,600 meters (about one mile) at Tokyo Racecourse. Most recently, the son of Grade 1 Blue Grass winner Sinister Minister ran third in a 1,800-meter allowance at Hanshin.
Line of Soul will need a step forward to challenge Ho O Roulette in the Fukuryu, but the fact he’s a Triple Crown nominee suggests he has potential and is worth watching on Saturday.