Japan Road finale: Unbeaten Danon Bourbon hopes to stamp his ticket in Fukuryu

Mar 26, 2026 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

The Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby culminates in Saturday’s Fukuryu S. at Nakayama, determining who earns the invitation to the Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs. The current points leader, Godolphin’s Lucky Kid, will try to fend off challenges from Japan Road newcomers Danon Bourbon and Charlie as well as a few familiar foes.

Perhaps the most exciting prospect among the early Triple Crown nominees is Danon Bourbon, who was included (along with Lucky Kid) in Pool 5 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager. While Lucky Kid closed at 150-1, Danon Bourbon gained some traction when bet down from a 75-1 morning line to 58-1.

Unbeaten and unchallenged so far, Danon Bourbon has crushed his two starts by a combined margin of 15 lengths. Both came in similar conditions at Kyoto, suggesting that he’ll relish the about 1 1/8-mile Fukuryu around another right-handed track. The Kentucky-bred son of Maxfield, who sold for $450,000 as a Keeneland September yearling, will try to earn a ticket home for the Derby.

Lucky Kid banked 30 points by upsetting the Feb. 22 Hyacinth S. over 1600 meters (the “metric mile”) at Tokyo, where he toppled Don Erectus and Itterasshai. But Lucky Kid must back up that effort while stepping up in distance in the Fukuryu.

Both late-running Don Erectus, who just missed in the Hyacinth, and Itterasshai, previously a maiden winner over the same course and distance as the Fukuryu, stand to benefit from the added ground.

Don Erectus recently rolled in an allowance over this trip at Chukyo. Although he was not nominated to the Triple Crown by the early deadline, Don Erectus has compiled 20 points from his Japan Road efforts, including a second in the Cattleya S. opener.

Charlie, another major contender who’s not an original Triple Crown nominee, dominated a March 1 allowance over this course and distance by 10 lengths. The son of Japanese dirt champion Chrysoberyl is on an upward curve, beginning with his third in the Jan. 21 Bluebird Cup at Funabashi. With leading rider Christophe Lemaire aboard, Charlie figures to be well supported in the betting.

Also worth watching are Triple Crown nominees Libeccio and T O Kaiser. Libeccio is 2-for-2 on dirt, and in his Tokyo allowance score, he left Lucky Kid well back in eighth.

T O Kaiser has the same connections as T O Password, the 2024 Fukuryu winner who went on to finish an excellent fifth in the Kentucky Derby. The Daisuke Takayanagi pupil just broke his maiden at this distance at Hanshin.

Sunrise Kevin has won two in a row, while Thunder Wind comes off a 42-1 surprise in an allowance at this track and trip. Rounding out the 10-horse field is American Style, fourth behind Danon Bourbon in his latest.

Because the Fukuryu offers points on a 40-20-12-8-4 format to the top five finishers, Lucky Kid needs to place in the top three (and a loss by Don Erectus) to maintain his grip on the leaderboard. The homebred son of Discreet Cat could be part of a big day for the global Godolphin operation, which also has Pyromancer in the UAE Derby (G2), the Euro/Mideast Road finale, on the blockbuster Dubai World Cup card at Meydan.

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