Japan’s two 2025 Kentucky Derby contenders have taken different paths to Churchill Downs.
While Luxor Cafe was finishing a 42-hour USDA quarantine in Chicago, Admire Daytona has been on the grounds for over a week.
On Tuesday (April 22), UAE Derby (G2) winner Admire Daytona worked 4 furlongs in 53.20 at Churchill Downs under Yoshimitsu Miyashita, the colt’s exercise rider and assistant trainer.
“With only three weeks between races, we just prepped him the same way we did in Dubai,” Miyashita said. “We let him decide what he wanted to do over the 4 furlongs. He increased his speed a bit in the straight on his own, and really it was exactly like the kind of work he turned in prior to the UAE Derby.”
Admire Daytona goes an easy 4 furlongs in :53.20 for trainer Yukihiro Kato pic.twitter.com/xw4UDdPHo5
— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) April 22, 2025
Admire Daytona was the points leader on the Europe/Mideast Road to the Derby; Luxor Cafe won the Fukuryu Stakes and finished as the points leader on the Japan Road to the Derby. Each earned an automatic spot in the starting gate.
Luxor Cafe was scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs on Wednesday (April 23).
Rebel Stakes (G2) winner Coal Battle worked 4 furlongs in 47.80 on Tuesday under Bethany Taylor. The time was the third fastest of 30 at the distance.
“I was thrilled with it. He keeps getting better every time he goes out there,” Taylor said after the colt’s third local work. “He is improving every time.”
Trainer Lonnie Briley and jockey Juan Vargas were on hand for the work.
Coal Battle breezes 4F under the Twin Spires for trainer Lonnie Briley pic.twitter.com/a7lbnz5Q7m
— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) April 22, 2025
“He came back like he hadn’t done anything, not even taking a drink of water,” Briley said, adding Coal Battle would work 3 furlongs next week.
“Four or five days before a race, I like to give them a three-eighths blowout to put some air in their lungs,” he said.
Two jockeys scheduled to ride in the 2025 Kentucky Derby on May 3 have more than one victory in the Run for the Roses -- Hall of Famers John Velazquez (3) and Mike Smith (2).
Velazquez won aboard Animal Kingdom (2011), Always Dreaming (2017), and Authentic (2020); Smith won aboard Giacomo (2005) and Justify (2018).
Velazquez has the call on Grande for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher (two-time Derby winner), and Smith has the call on Rodriguez for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert (six-time Derby winner).
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
