Japan Road: Ramjet takes off to upset Hyacinth

Feb 18, 2024 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Koji Maeda’s homebred Ramjet revved up down the Tokyo stretch to spring a 12.90-1 upset of Sunday’s Hyacinth S. and become the new leader on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. The Triple Crown nominee closed from the tail of the field to win going away by three lengths, earning 30 points.

Unquenchable, the 1.30-1 favorite, settled for second. The Godolphin homebred was not nominated to the Triple Crown by the early deadline, but Sunday’s effort would add 15 points to his ledger for a total of 18.

Ramjet is trained by Shozo Sasaki, whose past pupils include champion Kizuna and 2003 Japan Cup (G1) winner Tap Dance City. The dark bay colt is by the royally-bred Majestic Warrior, a son of A.P. Indy best known for siring 2013 Kentucky Oaks (G1) heroine Princess of Sylmar. Ramjet is out of Nefertiti, a granddaughter of Sunday Silence and Unbridled’s Song. Both of Nefertiti’s parents, Gold Allure and La Verita, were Japanese dirt stars.

Coming off a Dec. 17 allowance score at Chukyo, where he also captured a newcomers’ race last July, Ramjet was making his first start beyond about seven furlongs. His pedigree, and deep-closing style, suggested that the Hyacinth’s metric mile would be within his scope.

Ramjet, off a beat slow from his rail post, lagged well back early and still had only one horse behind him entering the far turn. Jockey Kosei Miura was already riding him, asking him to pick it up.

In contrast, favored Unquenchable appeared to be working out a winning trip. Perched in an outside stalking spot, within easy range of the leader Y Y Legend, he readily advanced in midstretch. The full brother to the 2022 Hyacinth winner, Combustion, hinted that he was going to make it a sibling double.

But Ramjet was finally responding out in the middle of the track. Gliding to the front inside the final furlong, he clocked 1:36.3 to record his first stakes victory. Ramjet’s time for the last 600 meters (about three furlongs) was a field-best :36.1.

RAMJET wins the Hyacinth Stakes on the Japan Road to the #KyDerby and earns 30 points! 🌹 pic.twitter.com/hNigKVl7le

— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) February 18, 2024

Habire finished with a flourish to join Unquenchable on the wire, just a nose away in third (nine points). Both had previously placed to one of the prominent competitors on the Japan Road, Amante Bianco. Habire was second to Amante Bianco on debut, while Unquenchable was third in the Cattleya S., the Japan Road kickoff at this course and distance.

Logi Adelaide ran fairly evenly in fourth, good for six points, and Chikippa took home three points for rounding out the top five. Ballon d’Or failed to factor in sixth, followed by Y Y Legend, Hortobagy, Bannerman Tesoro, Pepper Mill, and Pikari.

Ramjet’s resume now reads 5-3-0-1. That third-place effort came in a Sept. 30 Hanshin allowance, where he just missed to Japan Road points-scorers Satono Phoenix and Nasty Weather. His only poor result was in a Tokyo allowance Nov. 11, but he’s rebounded by winning his ensuing starts.

Considering that he represents the owner/breeder responsible for 2016 Triple Crown participant Lani, as well as 2002 Belmont (G1) third Sunday Break, Ramjet may have designs on the American classics. The Maeda family has several other 2024 Triple Crown nominees, so depending upon how the Japan Road concludes, they may have options.

Update Feb. 19: Ramjet is expected to ship for the UAE Derby (G2) on Dubai World Cup night, according to en.netkeiba.com, with a view toward the Kentucky Derby.

The Japan Road’s final leg, the March 23 Fukuryu S. at Nakayama, will be decisive with its maximum points structure of 40-20-12-8-4.