Japan Road: Pyromancer stays unbeaten in Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun

Dec 17, 2025 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Godolphin's Pyromancer wins the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun (Photo by Tomoya Moriuchi/Horsephotos.com)

Godolphin’s homebred Pyromancer battled to preserve his perfect record in Wednesday’s Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun at Kawasaki, and in the process, became the interim leader on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby.

The “All Japan Two-Year-Old Championship” shaped up as a clash of unbeatens, and they duly fought out the finish. Pyromancer had to repel a bold bid from the 9-10 favorite, Best Green, and then hold off the late charge of the filly Tamamo Freesia to prevail.

Trained by Keiji Yoshimura and ridden by Mirai Iwata, Pyromancer went off as the 1.30-1 second choice. The son of 2008 Derby trail veteran Pyro captured his first two starts at Kyoto, both going about 1 1/8 miles, and he was shortening up to the metric mile here.

While that scenario was a slight question mark for Pyromancer, Best Green was coming off a score at this track and trip. The two market leaders wasted no time in sparring, as both took up forward positions early.

Pyromancer and Best Green stalked pacesetting Idaten Shacho through fractions of :24.3 and :51.7 on a track labeled good. Turning for home, Best Green made his move on the outside and appeared to get the upper hand briefly. But Pyromancer hung tough on the inside and came again down the stretch.

Just when Pyromancer outdueled Best Green and began to pull away, Tamamo Freesia erupted wider out. The filly was drawing alongside at the wire, only to run out of time.

Pyromancer kept his neck in front in a final time of 1:44.2. Now 3-for-3, the dark bay earned 20 points to top the Japan Road leaderboard.

Tamamo Freesia banked 10 points for her near-miss, putting her second in the standings. (The winner of the first Japan Road race, Satono Voyage, also has 10 points, but Tamamo Freesia beats him in the tiebreak based on career earnings.)

Best Green checked in another length back in third (six points). Best Green’s stablemate from the Junji Tanaka yard, Ayasan Jotaro, finished fourth (four points), and Cosmo Gigantea rounded out the top five (two points). Next came Life of Raccoon, Fleur d’Or, Idaten Shacho, and Balcanicus.

Harry Sweeney, President of Godolphin’s operation in Japan, offered his comments on the team’s website.

“It was a brilliant success by a horse who is unbeaten,” Sweeney told Godolphin.com.

“We were a little concerned about bringing Pyromancer back in trip from nine furlongs to a mile, but he coped very well. It was also his first time traveling to the races, but he managed very well with the five-hour journey. He is a big, strong, scopey horse, and we feel that he will improve with time.”

Like Forever Young, who won the 2023 Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun before going global, Pyromancer is expected to continue his Road to the Kentucky Derby not in Japan, but in the Middle East.

“Our immediate plan will be the UAE Derby (G2),” Sweeney said of the March 28 feature at Meydan, the culmination of the Euro/Mideast Road with a 100-point bonanza to the winner.

“We will see how he comes out of the race before making a decision whether he will run again beforehand or go straight there. Today was also his first time running under lights and night-time racing, so hopefully that experience might stand him in good stead at the end of March.”

Bred by Darley Japan, the home of sire Pyro, Pyromancer is out of Centrifuge, a daughter of 2007 Kentucky Derby runner-up Hard Spun. This is the family of French highweight and Group 2-winning globetrotter State Shinto, as well as European champion juvenile One Cool Cat and Grade 1 scorers Gaming and Aragorn.

Pyromancer’s victory adds a special luster to Godolphin’s holiday celebrations.

“We are having our Bonenkai, the Japanese end-of-year party, tomorrow,” Sweeney said, “and Pyromancer’s win will ensure everybody is in great spirits.”