Kentucky-bred Lemon Pop wins first Japanese prep for Kentucky Derby
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Photo:
Eclipse Sportswire
The Japanese Road to the Kentucky Derby began in the wee hours Saturday Morning, as Godolphin's Lemon Pop won the Cattleya Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse.
Trained by Hiroyasu Tanaka, the son of Lemon Drop Kid out of Unreachable, by Giant’s Causeway, took the 1600m race by 1 1/2 lengths. He finished ahead of runner-up Takeru Pegasus and Plus Ultra, who finished third.
The win earns Lemon Pop 10 qualifying points towards the 2021 Kentucky Derby. The second- and third-place finishers earned four and two points respectively. Shin Yomoginesu, who finished fourth, earned one point for the effort.
Three Japanese races remain on the Road to the 2021 Kentucky Derby. The next race, which offers points payouts of 20-8-4-2, is the Zen-Nippon Nishai Yushun at Kawasaki on Dec. 16.
Essential Quality currently sits as the leader Kentucky Derby points with 30 after winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and Breeders’ Futurity . The ten points will move Lemon Pop into a three-way tie for third place with Get Her Number and Sittin On Go.
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