By Alan Carasso
A field of 11–ten males and a single American-bred filly–head to the post for Sunday's $243,343 Listed Hyacinth S. going a one-turn 1600 meters at Tokyo Racecourse. The race serves as the third of four legs on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby and will award the winner 30 points towards a berth in the field at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May.
Sheikh Mohammed's worldwide Godolphin operation won the 2022 Hyacinth with their homebred Combustion (Jpn) (Discreet Cat) and is represented Sunday afternoon by that colt's full-brother Unquenchable (Jpn). The chestnut defeated Logi Adelaide (Jpn) (Drefong) to win his maiden at second asking over this course and distance Oct. 27 and checked in a good third behind Amante Bianco (Jpn) (Henny Hughes) in the first leg of the local series, the Cattleya Sho (allowance) last November, picking up three Derby points. Unquenchable, a latest second to the talented American-bred Sonic Star (Into Mischief) over track and trip Jan. 27, is favored at just north of 2-1 and has the services of Christophe Lemaire from gate 11.
Logi Adelaide proceeded to run second in his next start Nov. 4, but put it all together when romping home by seven lengths as the 2-5 chalk Nov. 26.
Ballon d'Or (Jpn) (New Year's Day) is the only member of Sunday's field to already have earned black-type via his close third-place finish behind Ammothyella (Jpn) (Bricks and Mortar) and Ecoro Gaia (Speightstown) in the Listed Bluebird Cup at Funabashi Racecourse Jan. 17. The bay was purchased for over $650,000 as a foal at the 2021 JRHA Select Sale.
Sunday's winner will leap-frog to the top of the standings on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby, with just the Mar. 23 Fukuryu S. (allowance) at Nakayama remaining. The current leader, Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}), runs in next Saturday's G3 Saudi Derby, while second-placed Amante Bianco was second in the Feb. 14 Kumotori Sho, an allowance race at Ohi Racecourse that was outside the Derby series.
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