Godolphin’s Lucky Kid Causes Upset In Hyacinth S.

[Wandering Eyes]

Godolphin homebred Lucky Kid (Jpn) (Discreet Cat) went on the attack in the stretch and held off a flying finish from Don Erectus (Jpn) (Danon Legend) to register a 22-1 upset in Sunday's Listed Hyacinth Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse. The second winner of the race in the last five years for Sheikh Mohammed's worldwide operation and also second for his Darley Japan-based sire, Lucky Kid earned 30 points on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby to rise to the top of the table.

A three-length debut winner over this course and distance Oct. 19–with Itterasshai (Jpn) (Mischievous Alex) third–the bay colt was third to G3 Saudi Derby also-ran, the filly Tokai Ma Cherie (Jpn) (Drefong) in the Listed Hyogo Junior Grand Prix at the back end of November, but failed to land a blow in a first-level allowance over the metric mile on 3-year-old debut at headquarters Jan. 31.

Put right into the early mix by Mirai Iwata, Lucky Kid eased back to sit fifth down the back as favored Arcadia Cafe (Into Mischief)–the half-brother to Hyacinth winners Cafe Pharoah (American Pharoah) and Luxor Cafe (American Pharoah)–tugged Rachel King to the front at halfway.

The public pick looked to be going very nicely up front as Lucky Kid began to chime in at the 400-meter marker, but Arcadia Cafe called it a day at the furlong grounds, and Lucky Kid hit the front and just managed to last. Itterasshai was a good third.

Combustion (Jpn) (Discreet Cat) took out this event for Godolphin in 2022 before finishing down the field behind Crown Pride (Jpn) (Reach the Crown {Jpn}) in the G2 UAE Derby. According to trainer Yokihiro Kato, the same Meydan feature could be in play for Lucky Kid on Mar. 28. The final leg of the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby, the Fukuryu Stakes (allowance) and worth 40 points to the winner, is held that same afternoon at Nakayama Racecourse.

Lucky Kid is the sixth Japanese stakes winner for Discreet Cat and 41st overall and is out of a winning half-sister to the stakes-placed Elation (Jpn) (Deep Sky {Jpn}) and to the dam of SW & GSP La Quemada (Jpn) (American Patriot).

Happy Go Lucky is also the dam of a 2-year-old full-sister to Lucky Kid and a yearling filly by Sharp Azteca. She was most recently covered by Godolphin's two-time champion dirt horse Lemon Pop, whose three Group 1 victories included the 2023 G1 February Stakes, which was also held Sunday afternoon.

Sunday's Results:
HYACINTH S.-Listed, ¥38,000,000 ($244,986), Tokyo, 2-22, 3yo, 1600m, 1:36.7, ft.
1–LUCKY KID (JPN), 126, c, 3, by Discreet Cat
1st Dam: Happy Go Lucky (Jpn), by Pyro
2nd Dam: Felicitous (GB), by King's Best
3rd Dam: Embassy (GB), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O/B-Godolphin; T-Yokihiro Kato; J-Mirai Iwata; ¥20,245,000. Lifetime Record: 4-2-0-1, $228,271.
2–Don Erectus (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Danon Legend–Dona Primo (Jpn), by Furioso (Jpn). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O/B-Koichi Yamada; T-Noboru Takagi; J-Akira Sugawara; ¥8,000,000.
3–Itterasshai (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Mischievous Alex–Norway no Mori (Jpn), by Deep Sky (Jpn). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-SNS Group Co Ltd; B-SNS Media & Consulting Ltd; T-Makoto Saito; J-Keita Tosaki; ¥5,000,000.
Margins: NK, 1 3/4, 4. Odds: 22.50, 6.60, 4.70.
Also Ran: Boku Mada Nemuiyo (Jpn), Your Felicity (Jpn), Arcadia Cafe, Seize the Throne (Jpn), Yu Pharoah, Summer Madness, Taiki Blitzen (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart.

 

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