Luxor Cafe bids to clinch Japan Road title in Fukuryu

Mar 27, 2025 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Luxor Cafe holds on in the Hyacinth S. at Tokyo (Photo by Kentucky Derby/Yuki Shimono)

The American Pharoah colt Luxor Cafe, who currently tops the Japan Road leaderboard, will try to secure an invitation to the Kentucky Derby (G1) in Saturday’s Fukuryu S. at Nakayama. The fourth and final leg of the Japan Road, the Fukuryu offers the most points of that series, on a 40-20-12-8-4 basis, to the top five finishers.

Luxor Cafe became the points leader by capturing the Feb. 23 Hyacinth S. at Tokyo, worth 30 points to the winner, in his black-type stakes debut. Sent off as the odds-on favorite, he prevailed by a half-length in the metric mile affair.

In the process, Luxor Cafe was emulating his full brother, past Japanese dirt champion Cafe Pharoah, who won the 2020 Hyacinth. Their dam (mother), the Grade 2-winning More Than Ready mare Mary’s Follies, is also responsible for U.S. champion turf mare Regal Glory.

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

— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) February 23, 2025

Like Cafe Pharoah, Luxor Cafe is a Kentucky-bred owned by Koichi Nishikawa and trained by Noriyuki Hori. On Saturday, he will be ridden for the first time by Joao Moreira. Nicknamed “Magic Man,” Moreira piloted Cafe Pharoah on a couple of his international ventures, notably his third in the 2023 Saudi Cup (G1).

Although Luxor Cafe got the job done in the Hyacinth, he’s eligible to be more authoritative on the step back up to about 1 1/8 miles in the Fukuryu. Two starts back, the exciting prospect rolled by five lengths in an allowance at this track and trip.

If Luxor Cafe performs as expected, the Triple Crown nominee will furnish plenty of storylines for the first Saturday in May. Last year, Japan came close to Derby glory with Forever Young, who was just denied when third in the three-way photo, and his compatriot T O Password was a commendable fifth. T O Password had booked his ticket by taking the Fukuryu, and Luxor Cafe would bring a better-rounded resume to Churchill Downs.

KENTUCKY DERBY PEDIGREE PROFILE: LUXOR CAFE

Luxor Cafe, a Triple Crown nominee based in Japan, could have Kentucky Derby (G1) aspirations after winning the Hyacinth S. on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby.https://t.co/rpYRcKSeDE

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) February 26, 2025

Luxor Cafe’s Fukuryu rivals are all newcomers to the Japan Road. His most dangerous opponent could be undefeated Imhotep, an impressive 2-for-2 so far, with both victories coming over this course and distance. Imhotep is drawn much better in post 6, while Luxor Cafe is on the far outside in post 11.

Despite his Egyptian-themed name, Imhotep doesn’t have a direct pedigree connection to American Pharoah. He’s by New Year’s Day, best known as the sire of champion Maximum Security.

Also worth watching are a pair of colts by Japanese dirt champion Hokko Tarumae. Meisho Zuiun and Levant Univers both broke their maidens at Chukyo and followed up in allowances in their latest at Hanshin and Kyoto, respectively.

Aside from Luxor Cafe, four others were early nominees to the Triple Crown – Berber Compass and Isana, both exiting Chukyo allowance scores at this distance; Golden Cloud, third in Isana’s allowance; and Coche Deli, seventh in the allowance won by Berber Compass.

Rounding out the 11-horse field are Otamajakushi, a course-and-distance maiden winner who was fourth in Luxor Cafe’s allowance; Slazak, well beaten by Berber Compass two back but successful in a Kokura allowance last time out; and Cosmo Conferma, who finally broke through at Kawasaki.