International Scouting Report: Euro/Mideast Road Winner Admire Daytona

Apr 11, 2025 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Admire Daytona holds off Heart of Honor in the UAE Derby (Photo by Dubai Racing Club)

The fourth straight UAE Derby (G2) winner from Japan, Admire Daytona might not have the flair of compatriot Forever Young, who nearly won the 2024 Kentucky Derby (G1) after punching his ticket in Dubai. He also finds himself in the shadow of fellow Japanese contender Luxor Cafe, who brings a four-race winning streak to Churchill Downs.

But Admire Daytona has the look of a colt who shouldn’t be underestimated on the first Saturday in May. Like maternal grandfather Shackleford, the fourth-place finisher in the 2011 Kentucky Derby and hero of the Preakness (G1), he has shown admirable grit and determination.

Pedigree and connections

Bred by Japan’s iconic Northern Farm, also responsible for Forever Young, Admire Daytona is by Drefong, the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) champion, and out of the Shackleford mare Ice Pastel. She is in turn out of Million Gift, a daughter of breed-shaping Hall of Famer Sunday Silence (the 1989 Derby and Preakness star) and multiple Grade 1 vixen Maplejinsky.

Junko Kondo purchased Admire Daytona for approximately $480,000 as a foal. Her late husband, Riichi, was famous for naming his horses with the “Admire” prefix, and his top performers included 2007 Japanese Horse of the Year Admire Moon.

Trainer Yukihiro Kato scored a major win on the international stage with Shadow Gate in the 2007 Singapore Airlines International Cup (G1). His leading earner, however, was the high-class dirt performer Nonkono Yume, whose signature win in the 2018 February (G1) came three years after his coup in the Japan Dirt Derby.

Learning his craft

Admire Daytona has worn blinkers in all six starts. Unveiled in an Oct. 6 newcomers’ race at Tokyo, the 4-1 chance worked his way into a contending position before tiring late in the metric mile affair. He wound up fourth, just nailed on the line for third.

Back over the same track and trip Oct. 26, Admire Daytona went off as the 9-5 second choice and ran better in second. New rider Christophe Lemaire eased him back early from post 10 and gradually managed to angle over toward the inside and save ground. Admire Daytona was behind horses and racing in traffic, but he handled it well and finished willingly between foes.

Admire Daytona was the second choice again at Tokyo Nov. 23, and he nearly toppled the odds-on Luxor Cafe in 1:35.8 – juvenile track-record time for the metric mile. Outbreaking the favorite, Admire Daytona secured a handier stalking position for Lemaire and launched his bid first in the stretch.

But Luxor Cafe, who was drafting just behind him, peeled outside to cover his move and ranged alongside. Admire Daytona bravely fought back, perhaps more than Luxor Cafe’s rider Ryan Moore expected, and he gave the favorite all he could handle. Luxor Cafe finally put his nose in front at the wire, firing his last 600 meters (about three furlongs) in :35.3 to shade Admire Daytona’s :35.5, and they trounced the rest.

Ryan Moore and Christophe Lemaire kick off Japan Cup with a tooth x nailer:

2yo 1600m Maiden won 1.3 Fav 2c 15. LUXOR CAFE 🇺🇸 (American Pharoah x Mary's Follies (More Than Ready)) under Ryan Moore 🇬🇧

Nosed 2c 16. ADMIRE DAYTONA (Drefong) under Lemaire 🇫🇷pic.twitter.com/mkEf6ljIXR

— Graham Pavey (@LongBallToNoOne) November 23, 2024

Not seen again until a Feb. 8 Tokyo maiden, Admire Daytona rolled as the 1-10 favorite in his fourth try over the familiar metric mile. Lemaire had him chase the pace out wide from post 13, and he easily asserted by four lengths under a hand ride.

From the Japan Road to the Euro/Mideast Road

Admire Daytona graduated to listed stakes level, and a rematch with Luxor Cafe, just 15 days later in the Hyacinth S. on the Japan Road. Bettors did not expect him to threaten Luxor Cafe this time, and Admire Daytona was dispatched as an 8-1 shot. Judging by most of his prior efforts, you might have thought that he would stalk the pace, but he broke a tad awkwardly and found himself further back.

Luxor Cafe was the one pouncing first in the Hyacinth, and Admire Daytona rallied for fourth. Unlike their maiden race in common, which featured fractions of :23.2, :47.2, and 1:12.4, the Hyacinth pace slackened in the middle, from an opening split of :23.6 to :48.8 and 1:14.1. That put a premium on finishing speed, and Admire Daytona doesn’t have the same kind of kick. With a better early position, chances are he would have finished closer.

Luxor Cafe ☕️ earns 30 points on the Japan Road to the #KyDerby! 🏇🏼🌹 pic.twitter.com/3q9vNfXTZJ

— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) February 23, 2025

Lemaire, who did not ride in the Hyacinth, reunited with Admire Daytona in the UAE Derby. Although he was a bit overlooked at 10-1, he had a better chance of booking one of the two Kentucky Derby tickets available on the Euro/Mideast Road than if he had stayed home for another clash with Luxor Cafe on the Japan Road.

Admire Daytona projected to carve out a more tactical trip at Meydan. In fact, he bagged the early lead on the inside when compatriot Shin Forever flubbed the start. Admire Daytona had company in the form of locally-based longshot Rafid, but that rival could not stick with him entering the far turn.

Fellow Japanese shipper Don in the Mood, who had been third in the Hyacinth, and Dubai Carnival competitor Heart of Honor advanced virtually in tandem, and they appeared poised to swamp Admire Daytona turning for home. But the gutsy front-runner had more left than they’d bargained for. Admire Daytona dug in all the way to the line to see off Heart of Honor by a nose, with Don in the Mood retreating late to third.

Admire Daytona was game in the UAE Derby for Japan! 🌹🇯🇵

pic.twitter.com/Dc3PTYoudM

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) April 5, 2025

The final time of 1:59.13 was nothing special, and arguably Heart of Honor should have won if he hadn't sabotaged himself by drifting out. On paper, the result complements Luxor Cafe, who had beaten both Admire Daytona and Don in the Mood comfortably in the Hyacinth.

On the other hand, Admire Daytona had never acted as the pacesetter before, or negotiated two turns, and he did it the hard way by running the gauntlet of a series of challenges. He never got a breather at any point in the UAE Derby.

Kentucky Derby chances

If Admire Daytona hasn’t gotten the same accolades as the more brilliant Luxor Cafe, their mutual maiden suggests that there isn’t necessarily that much between them, depending on the circumstances. Granted, Admire Daytona had a recency edge that day, and Luxor Cafe managed to nip him anyway.

But Admire Daytona could have a different sort of advantage at Churchill Downs – namely, the potential to be more “streetwise” about the racing game. While he and Luxor Cafe have made the same number of starts (six), Admire Daytona has experienced a greater variety of setups.

Beyond the obvious plus of already having traveled internationally and transferred his game to a new locale, Admire Daytona has also already coped with inside traffic and rallying between horses. He changed his running style to capitalize at Meydan, but he’d be happy to have someone else do the front-running chores. Indeed, he can enjoy a cozy outside stalking trip just as Luxor Cafe does. The point is that Admire Daytona has had the opportunity to familiarize himself with a few types of trips, and that could come in handy in the Kentucky Derby.

RELATED: International scouting report on Luxor Cafe