Japan Road: Continuar set to travel after capturing Cattleya

Lion Race Horse Co.’s Continuar took command of the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard in Saturday’s Cattleya S. at Tokyo, but his ambitions already lie further afield. His Breeders’ Cup-winning trainer, Yoshito Yahagi, is mapping out international ventures for the promising colt, who’s likely to test his Derby credentials in the Mideast next. 

Continuar was shortening up to a metric mile for the first time, after two strong efforts at about 1 1/8 miles at Hanshin. A stalk-and-pounce debut winner on Oct. 8, he just missed by a nose in a Nov. 6 allowance, and went off as the 2.90-1 second choice in the Cattleya.

With new rider Damian Lane aboard, Continuar settled in midpack on the outside. The filly Margot Reve sped to the early lead and continued to hold her position until well into the stretch. Then the closers began to overtake her, with Jasri the first to play his hand.

By that point, Continuar was ranging up, and he steadily asserted inside the final furlong. Mirror of Mind rallied from last to make it close, but Continuar had gotten the decisive jump. He had a half-length to spare at the wire in a final time of 1:36.6.

Continuar banked 10 points on the Japan Road leaderboard. Mirror of Mind earned four points in second. Jasri saved third (three points) by a neck from 2.10-1 favorite Plavi (two points), and Francorchamps checked in fifth (one point). Next came Toa Raiden, Young World, Il Divino, Margot Reve, and Suna Ichi Gold.

As Yahagi told World Horse Racing, however, Continuar likely won’t stay on the Japan Road. The Feb. 25 Saudi Derby (G3) on the Saudi Cup card and the UAE Derby (G2) on Dubai World Cup night, Mar. 25, are on his agenda.

Although Continuar is by champion U.S. sprinter Drefong, hero of the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1), he inherits stamina from his dam. He is out of the King Kamehameha mare Pan de Ring, a three-quarter sister to the great champion Almond Eye.

Twice Japan’s Horse of the Year, Almond Eye swept the Fillies’ Triple Crown in 2018, starred in the 2019 Dubai Turf (G1), captured back-to-back runnings of the Tenno Sho Autumn (G1), and capped her career by landing the Japan Cup (G1) for a second time in 2020. Almond Eye and Pan de Ring are both daughters of the Sunday Silence mare Fusaichi Pandora, winner of the 2006 Queen Elizabeth Commemorative Cup.

Next up on the Japan Road is the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun at Kawasaki Dec. 14, worth 20 points to the winner.