Luxor Cafe, who qualified for the $5 million Kentucky Derby (G1) via a designated series in Japan, is scheduled to arrive April 23 at Churchill Downs, track publicist Kevin Kerstein posted to social media April 9.
The 3-year-old son of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah had been expected but not fully confirmed for the May 3 Derby until recently. The colt, trained by Noriyuki Hori for Koichi Nishikawa, rolled by five lengths in the concluding leg of the series in Japan, the March 29 Fukuryu Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse.
The other Japanese runner expected to race in the Kentucky Derby, Admire Daytona, who qualified by winning the April 5 UAE Derby (G2) at Meydan Racecourse via the Euro/Mideast Road to the Kentucky Derby, arrived at Churchill Downs Wednesday afternoon.
Jim and Claire's Heart of Honor, beaten a nose by Admire Daytona when second in the UAE Derby, is the third foreign participant anticipated for the Derby. The British-bred son of Honor A. P. is trained by Jamie Osborne, who is based in England but also runs horses in Dubai during the winter and spring.
Japanese horses are winless in eight starts in the Kentucky Derby going back to 1995, though Japan's Forever Young came within inches of victory last year when third, beaten two noses in a roughly contested race.
Having won four races in a row after losing his initial two starts, Luxor Cafe is between odds of 7-1 and 12-1 with British bookmakers offering ante-post (early) wagering on the Derby. Admire Daytona, a son of Drefong trained by Yukihiro Kato for Junko Kondo, is between odds of 20-1 and 40-1.
