Japan Road: 16 set for Cattleya Stakes at Tokyo

Nov 21, 2024 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

After Japanese shipper Forever Young came within two noses of winning the 2024 Kentucky Derby (G1), the Japan Road’s qualifying races promise to attract even greater attention in the build-up to the 2025 Run for the Roses.

The Japan Road begins on Saturday with the Cattleya S. at Tokyo, which has attracted a large field of 16 juveniles. Contested over 1600 meters – the distance often called a “metric mile” – the one-turn test offers points on a scale of 10-5-3-2-1 to the respective top five finishers.

Forever Young’s jockey, Ryusei Sakai, rides smashing debut winner Snappy Dresser in the Cattleya. Godolphin’s Kentucky homebred crushed an about seven-furlong newcomers’ race here on Oct. 20, drawing off by a double-digit margin. A full brother to multiple Grade 2 winner Caramel Swirl, Snappy Dresser is by Union Rags and out of a half-sister to $3.9 million-earner Frosted.

Forever Young’s trainer, Yoshito Yahagi, sends out the filly Fiddle Faddle, who is a half-sister to 2021 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) upsetter Marche Lorraine. Although Fiddle Faddle broke her maiden two starts back at Chukyo, she was only fifth in a Nov. 9 Tokyo allowance. Lewis Tesoro trailed in that same allowance.

2yo Fillies 1400m Maiden Chukyo :

Won by 7. FIDDLE FADDLE (Satono Aladdin x Vite Marcher (French Deputy)) under Ryusei Sakai for Mr. Yahagi

Sister to Breeders Cup Distaff 🇺🇸 winner MARCHE LORRAINE.

FIDDLE FADDLE debuted 6th on Turf over 1800m#JRA pic.twitter.com/EKBLfCEdJH

— Graham Pavey (@LongBallToNoOne) September 21, 2024

The only other entrant who’s been tested in allowance company, Clay King, was a strong-closing third as the favorite at Chukyo Sept. 28. The winner that day, American Bikini, subsequently tried the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Del Mar and wound up last.

Yet that shouldn’t detract from the chances of Clay King in this spot. A well-named colt from the first crop of undefeated Nadal, Clay King beat fellow newcomers in his only prior start here on June 15. Now he gets the services of Japan’s leading rider, Christophe Lemaire.

T O Elvis represents the same connections as the top scorer on the 2024 Japan Road, T O Password, who finished a commendable fifth in the Kentucky Derby. Trained by Daisuke Takayanagi, T O Elvis romped in his second start, but first dirt try, in a sprint at Kyoto. The Kentucky-bred by freshman sire Volatile is a half-brother to recent Discovery S. winner Generous Tipper.

Since 13 of the 16 entrants are coming off maiden wins, the best clues are likely to come from jockey bookings, especially those who are visiting from Europe.

Top rider Ryan Moore, in town to partner Auguste Rodin in Sunday’s Japan Cup (G1), picks up the mount on Dragon Welds. The Kentucky-bred son of Frosted dominated a newcomers’ event at Kyoto for trainer Hideaki Fujiwara.

The dynamic husband-and-wife duo of Tom Marquand and Hollie Doyle likewise elevate the profiles of their respective mounts in the Cattleya. Marquand rides Tagano Babylon, a Henny Hughes colt who is a full brother to multiple Japanese stakes hero Tagano Beauty. Doyle takes the call aboard Bolt Tesoro, a son of globetrotter and $16 million-earner Thunder Snow. Both Bolt Tesoro and Tagano Babylon come off victories in recent course-and-distance races for newcomers.

Malibu Orange, a $325,000 Keeneland September yearling, captured a newcomers’ race over this track and trip for retired jockey-turned-trainer Yuichi Fukunaga. By freshman sire Vekoma and out of multiple Grade 2 vixen Malibu Pier, Malibu Orange is a half-sister to stakes winner Coasted, runner-up in the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1). Coasted has become a successful broodmare in Japan, producing Group 3 victor Danon Beluga and last-out Shuka Sho (G1) runner-up Bond Girl.

Others exiting wins in newcomers’ events are Natural Rise, a six-length romper at Sapporo July 20; Nakayama scorer Buggy Whip, by Nadal; and Piko Red, who prevailed in a Tokyo sprint Nov. 10.

Nadal has yet another contender Reina de Arcilla, who rolled in front-running fashion at Kyoto over fellow fillies in her latest. Her dam (mother), Andes Queen, was a multiple stakes winner on the Japanese dirt.

Among those who lost at first asking, but graduated in their next attempt, are Kianu, an eight-length winner here; Kanreiski, who scored at this course and distance; and Panlangin, victorious at Niigata.