By Heather Anderson
Tsuru Nishimori's Der Flug (Jpn) (Behkabad {Fr}) preserved his perfect record with a 1 1/2-length victory in the Fukuryu S. over 1800 meters at Nakayama on Sunday and, in the process, earned 40 points on the Japanese Road to the Kentucky Derby. A winner over track and trip on debut Dec. 2 and in the Kurochiku Sho on Jan. 13, the bay was sent off heavily favored at 3-5 and trailed the field from the bell. A touch eager entering the first corner, he improved a spot on the backstretch and made steady progress a quarter mile from home. Five deep entering the lane, he kept finding down the stretch to win comfortably, while Master Fencer (Jpn) (Just a Way {Jpn}), who had kept him company at the rear of the field for most of the race, surged late for second-place honors. The Pyro filly Rhein Carina (Jpn) was another three lengths back in third.
Der Flug's 40 Kentucky Derby points puts him atop the Japanese leaderboard. Master Fencer (+16) bringing his total to 19 points-fourth overall-and Rhein Carina is eighth with eight points. However, the highest-ranked horse currently nominated to the Triple Crown on the leaderboard is Master Fencer. A late Triple Crown nomination payment of $6,000 is due on Monday, before the Japanese standings are finalized.
Pai Guniang (Jpn) (French Deputy), out of the SP Paian (Jpn) (Cozzene), has a juvenile colt by Espoir City (Jpn) as her last recorded produce. Paian herself is a half-sister to MGSW and G1 Sprinters S. third Kanoya Zakura (Jpn) (Sakura Bakushin O {Jpn}).
FUKURYU S., ¥34,460,000 (US$310,793/£238,317/€276,939), Nakayama, 3-31, 3yo, 1800m, 1:53.20, ft.
1–DER FLUG (JPN), 123, c, 3, Behkabad (Fr)
1st Dam: Pai Guniang (Jpn), by French Deputy
2nd Dam: Paian (Jpn), by Cozzene
3rd Dam: Woodmans Chic, by Woodman
O-Tsuru Nishimori; B-Takae Bokujo (Jpn); T-Nobuhiro Suzuki;
J-Akihide Tsumura. ¥18,182,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0,
¥35,553,000.
2–Master Fencer (Jpn), 123, c, 3, Just a Way (Jpn)–Sexy
Zamurai, by Deputy Minister. O/B-Katsumi Yoshizawa (Jpn);
T-Koichi Tsunoda. ¥7,252,000.
3–Rhein Carina (Jpn), 119, f, 3, Pyro–Faire Coucou (Jpn), by
Alamshar (Ire). O-Shigemasa Osawa; B-Nisshin Farm (Jpn);
T-Yoshinori Muto. ¥4,526,000.
Margins: 1HF, 3, 4. Odds: 0.60, 10.90, 29.40.
Also Ran: Black Warrior (Jpn), Nova Lenda (Jpn), Nanyo Izayoi (Jpn), Gold Lagoon (Jpn), Cameron (Jpn).
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