Churchill Downs, Japan Racing Association Partner to Create 'Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby'

Sep 12, 2016 Darren Rogers

Fresh off Japanese-based Lani’s run in
this year’s Triple Crown that culminated with a third-place finish in the
Belmont Stakes, Churchill Downs Incorporated (“CDI”) has partnered with
the Japan Racing Association (“JRA”) to create a series of races in
Japan that could annually produce a starter in the Kentucky Derby.

The new “Japan Road to
the Kentucky Derby” – which is separate from the 35-race “Road to the Kentucky
Derby” series – includes two one-mile dirt stakes races at the famed Tokyo
Racecourse: the Cattleya Sho for 2-year-olds on Nov. 26 and the Hyacinth
for 3-year-olds to be run in early 2017 (note: the JRA is scheduled to announce
their stakes schedule in October).

A position in the
starting gate for the 143^rd running of the $2 million guaranteed
Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) on Saturday, May 6, 2017 will
be awarded to the horse that accrues the most points in the “Japan Road to the
Kentucky Derby” and accepts an invitation to compete.

Points awarded to the Top
4 finishing positions in the Cattleya Sho will be 40-16-8-4, respectively,
while the Hyacinth will carray a point value of 50-20-10-5. The points were
structured to avoid an automatic qualifier for the winner of one particular
race over the other.

“All of us at Churchill
Downs are thrilled to partner with the Japan Racing Association to create this
exciting new series to provide an entry in the Kentucky Derby for a horse from
Japan,” CDI’s President and Chief Operating Officer Bill Mudd said.
“Horse racing in Japan is a tremendously popular sport. The competition is
world-class and features some of the most accomplished runners in the world.
This series provides a path for the top 3-year-old in the country to
participate in the ‘greatest two minutes in sports.’ We saw sizeable
international interest through Lani’s participation in this year’s Triple Crown
and we’re thrilled that, through this partnership, we can add to the worldwide
popularity of the Kentucky Derby.”

“I am very pleased to be
able to launch the ‘Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby’ in partnership with
Churchill Downs Incorporated,” said Mr. Masayuki Goto, President and CEO
of the Japan Racing Association. “This year, Lani earned a spot to start by
winning the UAE Derby in Dubai, but beginning next year, Japanese horses aiming
to run in the Kentucky Derby can run in designated races in the series at home
in Japan to be awarded points to get this ticket to the starting gate. It is
with great pride that ‘My Old Kentucky Home’ will reach Japanese racing fans
and it is my earnest wish to sing it with a traditional Mint Julep in my hand,
together with Japanese horsemen and all the many fans next year at Churchill
Downs Racetrack.”

Lani, a gray
Kentucky-bred Tapit colt owned by Koji Maeda, trained by Mikio Matsunaga and
ridden by legendary Yutaka Taki, was only the second horse based in Japan to
compete in the Kentucky Derby after winning the UAE Derby at Meydan Racecouse
in Dubai. The first was Ski Captain, who finished 14^th in 1995. Lani
also was just the ninth Kentucky Derby starter that raced exclusively outside
of North American prior to his “Run for the Roses.”

Lani scored a two-length
victory in last year’s Cattleya Sho. Gold Dream (JPN) was victorious in this
year’s Hyacinth, while Lani finished fifth.

This is the fifth
consecutive year that Churchill Downs Racetrack will use a sliding scale of
points awarded to the Top 4 finishers in choice races to determine preference
for its 20-horse Kentucky Derby field. At least 20 horses have entered the 1
¼-mile classic for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds every year since 2004, and 16 of
the last 18 years.

As was the case for the
past three years, the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” series will commence at the
home of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, Sept. 17 with Churchill Downs’ $150,000
Iroquois (GIII) for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles.