Luxor Cafe Makes a Statement In Hyacinth
Today at 02:15 AM
Luxor Cafe (American Pharoah) held off a late surge from the slow-starting and previously unbeaten Promised Gene (Jpn) (Nadal) to take out Sunday's $244,745 Listed Hyacinth Stakes over the one-turn mile at Tokyo Racecourse. The victory was good for 30 points on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby in a race that was won by the colt's champion full-brother Cafe Pharoah some five years ago.
The $1.80 (4-5) favorite had the services of Rachel King, runner-up in Friday's International Jockeys' Challenge in Saudi Arabia, and was away fairly before settling in mid-division and well out into the track down the back straight. Held together on the bend, Luxor Cafe swung into action at the top of the lane, sprinted nicely when set down five off the inside approaching the final furlong and clung on gamely to score narrowly. Promised Gene missed the start by a length or two, but flew home down the center of the track to just miss.
Luxor Cafe, who races in the colors of Cafe Pharoah's owner Koichi Nishikawa, is one of three full black-type winners for his outstanding dam, a number that also includes champion Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom), who has a date with Gun Runner this year. Regal Glory topped the dispersal of the late Paul Pompa, Jr. on Peter Brant's bid of $925,000 and she was the joint-highest priced offering overall at Keeneland January in 2021. Luxor Cafe is the seventh winner from eight starters for Mary's Follies, who made $500,000 from the BBA Ireland at the same auction. Mary's Follies has a 2-year old colt by Into Mischief and is due to Flightline this term. He is the 56th stakes winner for American Pharoah.
The Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby concludes with the Fukuryu Stakes (allowance) going 1800 meters at Nakayama late next month.
Sunday's Results:
HYACINTH S.-Listed, ¥36,540,000 ($244,745), Tokyo, 2-23, 3yo, 1600m, 1:37.6, ft.
1–LUXOR CAFE, 126, c, 3, by American Pharoah
1st Dam: Mary's Follies (MGSW, $338,889), by More Than Ready
2nd Dam: Catch the Queen, by Miswaki
3rd Dam: Wave to the Queen, by Wavering Monarch
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-Koichi Nishikawa; B-Orpendale, Chelston, Wynatt & Westerberg Ireland ULC (KY); T-Noriyuki Hori; J-Rachel King; ¥19,238,000. Lifetime Record: 5-3-1-0, $257,197. *Full to Cafe Pharoah, Ch. Dirt Horse, MG1SW-Jpn, G1SP-KSA, $5,447,518; half to Regal Glory (Animal Kingdom), 'TDN Rising Star', Ch. Turf Mare, MGISW, $2,619,134; and Night Prowler (Giant's Causeway), MGSW, $475,682.
2–Promised Gene (Jpn), 121, f, 3, Nadal–Promised Leap (Jpn), by Henny Hughes. 1ST BLACK-TYPE. O-Silk Racing Co Ltd; B-Tenei Horse Park Ltd; T-Yuki Uehara; ¥7,668,000.
3–Don in the Mood (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Asia Express–Hagino Wish (Jpn), by Agnes Tachyon (Jpn). 1ST BLACK-TYPE. (¥13,750,000 Ylg '23 JBBAUG). O-Koichi Yamada; B-Nobiyuki Matsumoto; T-Hironobu Tanabe; T-Teiichi Konno; ¥4,834,000.
Margins: HF, 1HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 0.80, 5.30, 47.30.
Luxor Cafe earns 30 points on the Japan Road to the #KyDerby! pic.twitter.com/3q9vNfXTZJ
— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) February 23, 2025
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