The Fukuryu Stakes, the final leg of Japan's Road to the Kentucky Derby (G1), will be held March 29 at Nakayama Racecourse, going 1,800 meters. Points are awarded to the top five finishers, on a scale of 40-20-12-8-4.
Koichi Nishikawa's Luxor Cafe, an American-bred colt by American Pharoah is the likely favorite. He is a full brother to Cafe Pharoah, who won four graded stakes including the February Stakes (G1) in 2021 and 2022. He finished third in the Saudi Cup (G1) in 2023 for Nishikawa.
Luxor Cafe broke his maiden going 1,600 meters on the dirt at Tokyo Nov. 23, breaking the track record for 2-year-olds in just his third start. He then went on to win the Kurochiku Sho, a stakes for one-time winning 3-year-olds at 1,800 meters on the dirt at Nakayama Jan.11, and the listed Hyacinth Stakes, the third leg of Japan's Road to Kentucky Derby at 1,600 meters at Tokyo Feb. 23. The colt trained by Noriyuki Hori, has earned 30 Derby points and sits at the top of Japan's Kentucky Derby leaderboard.
Isana, Slazak, Berber Compass, Meisho Zuiun, and Levant Univers, all of which have won two races on the dirt, are anticipated starters in Saturday's Fukuryu Stakes.
T O Password, who won the 2024 Fukuryu Stakes, finished fifth in the Kentucky Derby six weeks later.
