T O Password (JPN) earned a guaranteed spot in the Kentucky Derby (G1) by winning the Fukuryu Stakes March 23 at Nakayama Racecourse in just his second career start.
The race was the last of four legs of the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby, a competition established by Churchill Downs to encourage international interest in the Run for the Roses. The top point-earner is rewarded with an invitation to the Derby.
T O Password earned 40 points for the win, vaulting him into first place on the leaderboard.
The colt’s connections remained noncommittal after the race about an American visit although trainer Daisuke Takayanagi sounded ready to give it a go.
“For (the) Kentucky Derby, it all depends on the discussion with the owner, and of course how he comes out of the race,” Takayanagi said. “I would love to give it a try in the Kentucky Derby, personally.”
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T O Password has been out front of most of the field in both his races and, looking ahead, jockey Katsuma Sameshima said that style might not be the colt’s ultimate test.
“This time he (again) was in front. Therefore, the next time will be the test for him,” Sameshima said. “Because winning the race today was the utmost priority, I just concentrated on winning today. I am very happy I was able to get the job done.”
Should his connections decline to run at Churchill Downs, the invitation would pass to Ramjet , who won the penultimate leg of the series, earning 30 points. Two horses are tied for third—Arare Tabashiru, runner-up in the Fukuryu, and Forever Young , winner of the second leg of the series.
Forever Young went on to win the Saudi Derby (G3) and is the likely favorite in the March 30 UAE Derby (G2) in Dubai, which is part of the main Road to the Kentucky Derby series.
Race Details
T O Password broke from the 10 stall in a field of 11 in the Fukuryu. After a slight hesitation, he quickly responded when prompted by Sameshima, took the lead, and crossed over to the rail.
Under moderate pressure down the backstretch, the colt felt the field coming for him approaching the stretch turn with the challengers including Bushin, a full brother to 2020 Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner Authentic and the only non-Japanese-bred in the field.
He shook off all those rivals, surged out to a daylight lead turning for home on the right-handed course and looked home free with some 100 meters to go. Then, suddenly, he needed the wire as Arare Tabashiru and Amber Doll, the latter at odds of 146-1, mounted a furious assault.
At the finish, T O Password hung on by a head and three-quarters of a length over those two, respectively, with the favorite, La Oracion, another three-quarters of a length back in fourth. The 1,800 meters (about 1 1/8 miles) went in 1:54.1. Bushin faded to get home ninth.
T O PASSWORD wins the Fukuryu Stakes on the Japan Road to the #KyDerby!
Will we see him in the starting gates on the first Saturday in May? 🌹pic.twitter.com/3qGQHT5XE2
— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) March 23, 2024
“I rode him two times on training two weeks in a row,” Sameshima said of T O Password. “In both training and warming up before the race, I felt he has the habit of pushing forward with energy, so I thought it would be better to let him run the way he wants, rather than considering the pace with other horses.”
T O Password’s only previous start was in a “3-year-old newcomer” race Jan. 6 at on the Kyoto dirt track, also at 1,800 meters. That condition is restricted to horses making their debut.
Pedigree
T O Password, like most Japanese horses and especially those being tasked to pick up the renewed emphasis on dirt racing, has solid American bloodlines, although the American influences are moving farther back on Japanese pedigrees.
His sire, Copano Rickey , is by Gold Allure, who in turn was sired by the formative influence in Japan, Sunday Silence. Copano Rickey was produced out of Copano Nikita, who was by 1994 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and 1995 Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Timber Country.
His dam, T O Rachel, is by King Kamehameha, by Kingmambo, who made his mark on the European turf. His second dam, Nike Favor, is by Favorite Trick, the 1997 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner.
The “T O” in the names derives from his owner, Tomoya Ozasa.
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