By Alan Carasso
Nakayama Racecourse played host to the $320,629 Fukuryu S. Saturday, an allowance race that serves as the fourth and final scheduled leg on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. With the Run for the Roses delayed to early September, there could be more Japanese points races to follow, but with his 26-1 upset in the 1800-meter test, Herrschaft (Will Take Charge) earned 40 points and–at least for the time being–the Japanese berth in the starting gate at Churchill Downs.
Away fairly from gate two, Herrschaft led them under the wire for the first time, as favored Danon Pharaoh (Jpn) (American Pharoah) did the chasing from second. The latter came under some pressure leaving the three-furlong pole, but Herrschaft was always traveling sweetly, put the chalk away in upper stretch and rolled home an easy winner at boxcar odds. T O Keynes (Jpn) (Sinister Minister) rallied for second ahead of Miyaji Kokuo (Jpn) (Victoire Pisa {Jpn}), who was along late to touch the rail-skimming American Face (Tapit) out of third.
Herrschaft was winning for the third time from six starts, having finished a creditable fifth to Cafe Pharoah (American Pharoah) in the third leg of the series, the Listed Hyacinth S. at Tokyo Feb. 23.
A half-brother to the 2-year-old filly Bound By Love (Oxbow) and to a newborn Mendelssohn filly, Herrschaft is out of a daughter of SW Hidden Cat (Storm Cat), the dam of MSW & GSP Global Power (Pulpit) and SW Pegasusbystorm (Fusaichi Pegasus). His third dam was 1994 Canadian Horse of the Year Alywow (Alysheba), who was responsible for MGSW and MG1/GISP Century City (Ire) (Danzig).
Saturday's Results:
FUKURYU S. (Allowance), ¥34,600,000 ($320,629), Nakayama, 3-28, 3yo, 1800m, 1:53.4, ft.
1–HERRSCHAFT, 123, c, 3, Will Take Charge–Love Ava Love, by Mr. Greeley. ($110,000 Wlg '17 KEENOV; $200,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP). O-Kanayama Holdings Co Ltd; B-Colts LLC (KY); T-Kenji Nonaka; J-Yusuke Fujioka; ¥18,280,000. Lifetime Record: 6-3-0-0, $323,139.
2–T O Keynes (Jpn), 123, c, 3, Sinister Minister–Maxim Cafe (Jpn), by Manhattan Cafe (Jpn). O-Tomoya Ozasa. ¥7,280,000.
3–Miyaji Kokuo (Jpn), 123, c, 3, Victoire Pisa (Jpn)–Eminent City (Jpn), by Brian's Time. (RNA Wlg '17 JRHAJUL; ¥22,680,000 Ylg '18 HOKSEL). O-Tsukasa Soga. ¥4,540,000.
Margins: 2HF, 1, NK. Odds: 26.80, 6.70, 10.60.
WATCH: Herrschaft (2) goes virtually wire-to-wire in the Fukuryu S.
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