Kentucky Derby 2026: Satono Voyage wins 1st Japan prep

The Japan road to Kentucky Derby 2026 got underway early Saturday morning when 8-5 favorite Satono Voyage was able to kick clear late for a 1 1/2-length victory over 133-1 longshot Don Erectus in the Cattleya Stakes at Tokyo.

Owned by Hajime Satomi and trained by Hiroyasu Tanaka, Satono Voyage improved his record to three wins from just four starts. A son of three-time Kentucky Derby winning stallion Into Mischief out of multiple graded-stakes winner Jolie Olimpica, Satono Voyage was ridden to victory by Keita Tosaki.

Tanaka reported after the race that Satono Voyage could compete next in the Feb. 14 Saudi Derby on the Europe-Mideast road to the Kentucky Derby.

Arcadia Cafe finished third and was followed by Every Possible and Ho O Luxor.

The top five finishers in the Cattleya earned 10-5-3-2-1 qualifying points toward an invitational bid for Kentucky Derby 2026. The next race on the Japan road to the Kentucky Derby is the Dec. 17 Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun at Kawasaki Racecourse.