Japan’s top 3-year-olds clearly still have some sorting out to do after Danon Decile, in his first start at the grade 1 level, ran off with a two-length victory over the previously undefeated favorite, Justin Milano, in the Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby-G1) May 26.
Danon Decile, an Epiphaneia colt, entered the Derby with just two wins from four starts, including a victory in a grade 3 stakes at Nakayama Racecourse in January—his only previous start of the season.
He was ruled out of the Satsuki Sho (Japanese Two Thousand Guineas-G1) in April when stewards found him lame in his right fore just before the start and, like most in the 17-horse Derby field, also was tackling 2,400 meters (about 1 1/2 miles) for the first time. His longest previous race was at 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles).
It all worked out nicely for the colt and jockey Norihiro Yokoyama.
After breaking cleanly from the No. 5 gate, Yokoyama settled Danon Decile just behind the two early leaders, who were in no hurry to go anywhere. Justin Milano and jockey Keita Tosaki, coming from the No. 15 stall, hustled up to race just outside Danon Decile behind the easy pace.
The two held those positions into the uphill climb of the Tokyo stretch. Yokoyama then took Danon Decile through a narrow gap along the rail to grab the lead. Justin Milano took an outside course and, despite clear sailing, was unable to make up any ground on the winner through the closing meters.
Shin Emperor finished third. Regaleira, the only filly in the race and second-favorite, raced far behind through much of the contest, launched a bid in the stretch but could only advance to finish fifth.
“I thought that the pace would be normal or slow since there were no horses that wanted to set the pace,” Yokoyama said. “But as Ecoro Walz took the front, we were able to wait in good position until the straight, and the horse responded strongly from there.
“I’m happy to have won the Derby but I’m also glad that (the) decision to not race him in the Satsuki Sho was not wrong. Danon Decile is a horse with great potential, and we knew that he would be a great horse if we took good care of him.”
Yokoyama, 56, became Japan’s oldest grade 1-winning jockey, per Japan Racing Association statistics.
Danon Decile, out of the Congrats mare Top Decile , was bred by Shadai Farm and races for Danox Co. The prevalence of American bloodlines in top-level Japanese racing is manifest in the colt’s pedigree with names tracing back on top to A.P. Indy , Seattle Slew and Bold Reasoning and underneath to Storm Cat and Dynaformer .
Trainer Shogo Yasuda, who scored his first JRA grade 1 victory, agreed with his rider that Danon Decile’s exclusion from the Guineas was a benefit in the Derby.
“The Satsuki Sho was won in record time and since this horse didn’t run, he’s fresh,” Yasuda said before the race. “I’m hoping that will work to his advantage, not his disadvantage.”
With neither Justin Milano nor Regaleira embarrassed by the Derby upset, the pecking order among 3-year-olds is further clouded as Jantar Mantar, third in the Satsuki Sho, abandoned the Triple Crown trail and instead won the NHK Mile (G1) in his last start.